Glens Falls Ward 2 councilman Bill Collins says the city will reach out to the business community much more if he becomes mayor. Collins is running unopposed for the slot this November, so that outcome is almost a fait accompli.
“I think Glens Falls has been on the verge of breaking through, but we’ve never quite done it,” he said in response to a question about the city’s general economic health.
He said the city has seen years of budget cutting and retrenching, at one point having just $200,000 in reserve funds which are now at $4 million. The reactionary posture caused by this retrenching hurt communications in the business community, he said: “What we’ve done is said [to the business community], ‘We’re busy. We’ll talk to you later’.”
He did not fault anyone specifically for this, but said the city must do more planning and become more proactive in its response to the economy.
“We’re not doing any planning,” he said. “We must go out and market our city.”
He made the remarks at a business-themed campaign event with a few dozen business leaders and supporters in attendance. He acknowledged that he was running unopposed but said he was not taking a win for granted.
As part of his corrective actions, he plans to create a new committee for business leaders to offer input on various problems facing the city.
He said the committee will be different than other groups such as the many local and regional economic development corporations and agencies that have much more of a mandate to bring money and grants into an area.
Although they are great resources, “This is not what I’m talking about.”
He wants to create a committee of business leaders that will have input but no political power. The committee will offer insight and analysis and then leave final decisions for city leadership to handle. This is an idea that he takes from his many years working in the nonprofit sector. He is an executive with the New York State Special Olympics.
In other portions of his speech, he said that development along South Street in Glens Falls will remain a focus, and people should be thinking of winter festivals, wine-and-beer festivals, farmer’s markets and similar events. [The Post-Star ran a story Sept. 12 saying a portion of the city’s plan for South Street has been put on hold due to market costs.]
He also wants to see more complete development of Pruyn’s Island and Haviland Cove on the Hudson River.
“There’s nothing but unlimited potential there,” at the island, he said.
Once elected, he plans to step down from his job at the Special Olympics and will stop selling his celtic-themed T-shirts on his website and at festivals: “You can’t have the mayor traipsing around the country selling T-shirts.”