A concerted effort to create shovel ready industrial sites is a high priority for County Executive candidate Mike Ferguson.

“I will develop a plan to reinvigorate and revisit shovel ready industrial parks, so we are ready for a seamless transition from negotiation to grand opening,” Ferguson said.

The concept of shovel ready sites was a key focus of Mark Thomas’ administration as County Executive, and a move that paid off on a grand scale for businesses that have prospered and grown in the Stoneman Industrial Park in Busti, the Mason Industrial Park in Ellicott and the Chadwick Bay Industrial Park in Sheridan.

Ferguson said a cold storage facility being planned in Dunkirk is just one of the projects that has been delayed by the lack of a suitable, shovel ready site. A site proposed by the Industrial Development Agency in Sheridan was not large enough to suit the company’s needs, so alternatives had to be considered.

“When a business is ready to build, they need to have the appropriate amount of space and the infrastructure available to meet their requirements. Acreage and services like water and utilities are key to creating shovel ready, buildable sites,” Ferguson added. “I am grateful for the support for these efforts outlined in a recent OBSERVER editorial, but would add that it’s more than just a philosophy we are embracing, it’s a strategy for forward movement.

“Shovel ready no longer means just water, sewer and power services, either,” Ferguson noted. “In this time when all industry is reliant on the Internet, a buildable site requires high speed fiber connectivity. That crucial infrastructure piece is lacking in a number of areas in Chautauqua County.”

The two top points in the Ferguson for Chautauqua Top 10 list are: jobs/training, and development of new businesses and maintaining strong relationships with current industry. The Ferguson Campaign will outline each point in specific terms over the coming weeks.

Anyone interested in learning more, volunteering, or contributing to the campaign is invited to visit fergusonforchautauqua.com or visit www.facebook.com/FergusonforCHQ.