By DAN HEATH
Staff Writer
PLATTSBURGH — Odds are shrinking that the main party that had been looking at Pfizer's Chazy facility will act on that interest.
Speaking at the July meeting of the Pfizer Transition Coordinating Council, Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said Pfizer officials told him that while it doesn't look good now for the prospect that had shown interest in the site over the last few months, talks have not concluded.
"It is less and less likely. I think we need to face that," he said.
Douglas said Pfizer officials told him Monday that they have received a number of unsolicited queries about the facility and will follow up on those. The queries were mainly from the Montreal area.
There has also been some interest expressed in the Chemical Development facility in Rouses Point, Douglas said. There was one indication of potentially serious interest that led to a site visit and the start of due diligence, he said.
Kent Eldridge, human-resources director for Pfizer in Rouses Point, said about 50 employees are left at Chazy.
They continue to prepare the facility for possible sale, he said, and it is ready for viewing.
ZONE EXPANDED
Also at the meeting, County of Clinton Industrial Development Agency Executive Director Adoré Flynn Kurtz said the agency recently received approval to reorganize Foreign Trade Zone 54 under the alternative-site framework. That will allow it to include Pfizer's Rouses Point manufacturing facility, Chemical Development and the Chazy research facility in the zone.
GRANTS SOUGHT
Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce Vice President for Economic Development Susan Matton said a grant application was submitted to the Economic Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce through its Community Trade Adjustment Assistance program.
In a letter, North Country Regional Workforce Investment Board Executive Director Paul Grasso said they received a non-binding letter of commitment that portions of the proposal merit further consideration.
EDA officials met Thursday with Clinton County officials to consider providing $151,000 for a wind tower for the wind energy program at Clinton Community College, $100,000 for equipment and tuition at Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute and $50,000 for an employer outreach and marketing program for the North Country Workforce Investment Board.
No final decision was made.
JOB HELP
Grasso's letter contained a report on the number of people who have used or expressed interest through July 27 in services under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act.
It showed 152 former employees enrolled at OneWorkSource in Plattsburgh and six in Malone.
Also, 65 have been accepted in a training program or expressed interest in Plattsburgh and four in Malone.
In addition, 84 have enrolled in job-search assistance in Plattsburgh and two in Malone.
Only three have requested relocation assistance in Plattsburgh and none in Malone.
Eldridge and Tim Mattot of Right Management said they are hearing encouraging word that former employees are finding jobs in the area.
"I am getting a lot of positive feedback from employees that they are landing," Eldridge said.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Pfizer Transition Coordinating Council is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 8 at the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce.
E-mail Dan Heath at:
dheath@pressrepublican.com
