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In January I shared with you some of my goals for the coming year. One of my priorities is to look at opportunities for expanded economic development and growth in Oswego County. I believe that county government has a vital role in promoting the economic development of Oswego County.

In our global economy, we must be open to new initiatives that could strengthen Oswego County's business climate. One potential avenue sits right outside our County Office Building in Oswego - the Port of Oswego and Lake Ontario. We enjoy the lake for its natural beauty and the boundless recreational opportunities it provides. But Oswego's location and its natural resources may provide a competitive advantage to Canada's industrial and commercial centers.

Canada is our country's largest trading partner. The international trade between the U.S. and Canada is astounding. At more than $440 billion per year, it is the largest trading partnership in the world.

There are many factors to consider: Could our location help to alleviate traffic backups at the border crossings? What are the obstacles that prevent increased shipping through the Port of Oswego? What can we do to overcome them? Who are the U.S.manufacturers that send large amounts of exports to Canada? What products do they transport?

We need to take a hard look at all of these issues to determine if it's feasible to expand commercial and tourism opportunities across the lake. By the end of September we hope to have answers to these questions. The County has accepted a proposal from Oswego State's Center for Business and Community Development to undertake a broad study of international trade with Canada.

The study will be done by the staff of the Center for Business and Community Development and faculty from the college's business, accounting and economics departments who have expertise in international economics, business development and international trade. Our goals are to:

• Identify U.S. manufacturers with significant imports to Canada
• Develop a database of information about the Port of Oswego and its trading partners
• Conduct a market research survey of manufacturers, shipping lines and freight forwarders
• Review current and potential initiatives to expand Oswego's use as a trading port and tourist destination
• Recommend strategies for short-term and long-term commercial and tourism development
• Look at the feasibility of potential improvements to the Port and surrounding areas; and
• Look at the potential impact on Oswego County of regional business expansion projects.

It is my hope that this study will help us focus our economic development efforts on entire industries or clusters of industry where Oswego County can offer natural competitive advantages. The project will also lay the groundwork for obtaining state and federal funding for future infrastructure improvements.

The County Legislature has allocated $30,000 from the Legislative Initiative Fund to pay for this project. I appreciate their vision and support. As government leaders, we need to recognize our responsibility to lead efforts to improve the business climate of Oswego County. The study is one avenue toward achieving that goal.