Promising and prioritizing

By Kevin Stump
Remember in January when President Obama passed a 700 billion dollar stimulus bill to keep and create jobs? Certain money has been promised to Clinton County for several different projects or programs and has been granted to the states for appropriate allocations to local communities. . . Where is it?
“We provide the vehicle for networking among teachers,” said Kathy Fessette, Assistant Director of the North Country Teacher Resource Center. The Teacher Center provides professional development opportunities that are mandated by the state and necessary for teachers to maintain their certifications to teach in New York.
“If they keep cutting jobs in the education field, I am worried I wont get a job after college,” said Jacky Lonergon senior and child education major, who has used the Teacher Center throughout her time at SUNY Plattsburgh.
The North Country Teacher Resource Center is closing its doors due to the lack of funding. Money to operate the facility and its programs was an earmark included in the stimulus bill and was promised to the center by July 1st 2009, and has yet to arrive. For nearly 25 years the center has been saving a small amount of money in case of emergencies like this. However, because the money from the stimulus bill has yet to come, the Teacher Center dipped into their savings to operate and now has no money left.
“Most of the other 132 Teacher Centers in the state are borrowing from their parent organization, in hope that the money will come through and be repaid,” said Diane Bonenfant, Director of the Teacher Center. As of now the North Country Teacher Resource Center is the only center that has been given an ultimatum from their parent organization, CEWW Boces. However, of the 40 million dollars promised to the 132 centers across the state, not all of them have such a large budget of 350 thousand dollars. “All we need is a wavier saying that the money is still coming so we can open our doors again,” said Bonenfant. “People take for granted the things they have until they are gone,” she said.
The North Country Teacher Resource Center isn’t the only earmark in the stimulus bill that has been promised to Clinton County. The Lake Champlain Transportation Company has invested in the planning and engineering of a new dock for the ferry and is still expecting 2.5 million dollars come summer 2010.
“If the money doesn’t come in then time and money have been wasted,” said Vice President of the Lake Champlain Transportation Company Henry Sorrell. There is a sense of urgency in being able to provide this service, said Sorrell. As of now, there is only one dock and three boats.
The Company doesn’t actually see the money directly, it comes through the Clinton County Highway Department.
“For construction projects, the entity has to make payments and then apply for reimbursements, we don’t expect to just get the money upfront from the state,” said Highway Superintendent Albert Roscoe. Roscoe says the county has many projects that have been and are still funded by the Federal stimulus bill. They are still expecting the 2.5 million dollars from the state.
Both the North Country Teacher Resource Center and the Clinton Highway Department have been promised certain funding from the federal stimulus bill. However, the Highway Department has been granted money and is still on schedule to receive funds, but the Teacher Center is being closed down because money is held up in Albany. “I don’t think Governor Patterson understands and appreciates what it is that we do,” said NCTRC Director Bonenfant.