Report Card

II. Strategic Plans

Strategic Plans: Economic

Five Measurable Objectives:
Reduce unemployment to no greater than 5.5%;
BDC/IDA to continue to market and recruit;
Improve unemployment services;
More job stability, more job diversity;
Complete a new comprehensive plan.
 
Economic Trends
Regional development is viewed as important to successful local development. Noteworthy are the emerging industries, such as those related to nano-technology and bio- and information technologies. Attracting niche markets such as Wetstone should continue. Cooperation between educational institutions and businesses has increased through the efforts of a task force of the Cortland Business Network.
 
Economic Challenges
There are concerns for the effects of the growing national debt, the Social Security deficit, and the stock market uncertainty. The replacement of manufacturing jobs with service sector jobs is also challenging. It was noted that Cortland's workforce was aging and that between 1990 and 2000 there was no increase in the number of people who held college degrees in the county despite the fact that the population remained stable and that there are numerous colleges in the area. Anti-unionism and corporate mismanagement and greed were further concerns.

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Strategic Plans: Youth

• Youth Objectives
  • Much of the energy to accomplish youth objectives is coming from the newly created Communities That Care, a state sanctioned, research-based approach to reducing antisocial behaviors among youth. This group of about 55 youth advocates from all fields is systematically looking to promote healthy, positive attitudes and behaviors among young people and their families while reducing substance abuse, violence, delinquency, school dropout, and risky sexual practices.
     
• Youth Trends
  • Whereas some of the trends among youth behaviors locally are very positive - the high school dropout rate is decreasing and teen pregnancy rates are down - there has been an increase in the rate of local youthful DWI offenses even as the rates of alcohol use among teens is decreasing nationally.
     
• Youth Challenges
  • The new Regents' standards, negative peer influences, the need to provide more intensive positive support to families, and the economic conditions in Cortland are all challenges facing our youth.
  • With regard to family participation in community activities, it is noted that there was no community calendar of events. The lack of knowledge of events and services was a concern for members of all three tracks.

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Strategic Plans: Health

• The priorities are as follows:
  • Increase the availability of dental and mental health services;
  • Increase health promotions and healthy behaviors;
  • Decrease alcohol, tobacco and other drug use;
  • Increase our preparedness for emerging health issues;
  • Decrease the percentage of smokers and double the number of people attending smoking cessation
  • Seek law changes regarding purchase of tobacco by minors as well as use of;
  • Increase mental health services to children by adding intensive case manager position;
  • Study barriers to health care;
  • Limit smoking on the grounds of health-related facilities;
  • Maintain efforts with communicable disease surveillance and control; and
  • Maintain low teen pregnancy rates.
     
• Health Trends
  • Several differing sources of data show that nearly 40% of the county population smokes cigarettes. This is one of the highest percentages in the state. Smoking is increasing among females, so that lung cancer is replacing breast cancer as a more frequent cause of death in women in the U.S. Cortland also has a high rate of pregnant women who smoke. Oral health is seen as a luxury for people who have limited health dollars and no dental insurance. The wait for a new client appointment for mental health services as well as the stigma attached prevents many from accessing needed services.
     
• Health Challenges
  • Among these are the lack of dentists who accept Medicaid patients, the lack of fluoride in the municipal water supplies, the social acceptability of drugs, tobacco and alcohol, and the stigma attached to seeking mental health services. Funding to address these priorities is difficult to acquire.

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