NewsRelease

ForImmediateRelease
October7,2011

CONTACTS: KoryOHara,TownSupervisor TownHall,Prattsville,NY 5182993125 twnofpratt@mhcable.com WarrenHart,Director GreeneCountyEconomicDevelopment,Tourism&Planning 5187193290 whart@discovergreene.com

OpportunityAmidDevastation: PrattsvilleAnnouncesActionPlan
PRATTSVILLE,N.Y.ThequestionisnotifwerebuildPrattsvillesaidTownSupervisorKoryOHara. WearerebuildingPrattsville.Itsonlyamatterofhowandwhen. PerhapsnoNewYorkcommunityofitssizewashitharderbyHurricaneIrenethanPrattsville.Butlocal residents,townleadersandtheirpartnersatalllevelsofgovernmentarepreparingtorebuild.Prattsville hasalreadylaunchedawebsiteandFacebookpagewhereinterestedpartiescanmakeonlinedonations tothenewlyformed501(c)3NotforProfit,andparticipatetotheongoingrecoveryprocess.Visit www.prattsville.organdwww.facebook.com/prattsville. OverthenextfewweekswewilldevelopanActionPlanthatexpressesPrattsvillesvisionforthe future.Wemusttakethisopportunitytolookahead,OHarasaid. BrianYoungoftheTownEconomicDevelopmentCommitteeechoedtheSupervisorscall,saying,We needtoshowresidentsandbusinessownersthatthereisaprosperousfutureinPrattsvilleandlistento whattheyneedtorebuildourstronglocaleconomy.AlreadythePrattsvillebusinesscommunityhas coalescedaroundaGreeninGreeneeconomicdevelopmentconceptwithanaggressiveapproachto attractingnewjobsandnewbusinesses,addedYoung. TheactionplanningprocesswillbecoordinatedbytheGreeneCountyDepartmentofEconomic Development,TourismandPlanning.WarrenHart,Directorsaidwestandreadytocoordinatethework ofthestrongprofessionalteamtheTownhasbroughttogether,includingourcolleaguesatGreene CountySoilandWaterConservationandtheGreeneCountyIndustrialDevelopmentAgency.Thetown recentlyrequestedadditionalFEMAsupportintheformofcommunityrecoveryplanning.

Theplankicksoffwithacommunityworkshoptoidentifyasharedvisionandoutlinealistofimportant projectstobeundertakentoaccomplishthatvisiontogether.GreeneCountyofficialsandtheTowns engineeringfirm,LamontEngineering,togetherwithstatepartnersandtheFederalEmergency ManagementAgency(FEMA),willalsohelpwiththeplanningprocess. "EnsuringthatPrattsvillehastheresourcestorebuildisgoingtotakeallofourbestefforts.I'm committedtoensuringthereiscloseandeffectivecoordinationwithfederalofficials,andthismeetingis aproductivestepforward.MychieffocusremainsonsupportingPrattsvilleandeveryconstituentof minewhowasimpactedbythedevastatingstorms,"saidCongressmanChrisGibson. FEMAispleasedtoworkwiththepeopleofPrattsville,theirtownandcountyleaders,ourNewYork statepartnersandlocalvolunteeragenciesinthispublic,privateandcivicpartnership.Through collaborationwecanhelpPrattsvillerecoverinawaythatimprovesthecommunityasawhole,said FederalCoordinatingOfficerPhilipE.Parr. TheTownwillbeassistedintheplanningprocessbyateamofprofessionalplanners,architectsand designersledbyMargaretIrwinofRiverStreetPlanning&DevelopmentofTroy. Asawfulastheaftermathis,Prattsvillecanfindacommonvisionforthefuture.Weregratefulforthe opportunitytohelp,Irwinsaid.Thecompanywillbringskillsinprojectmanagement,community involvement,landuseplanningandeconomicdevelopment. SynthesisArchitectsofSchenectady,anditspartnerPlaceAllianceofOrlando,Fla.,hasofferedtoholda designworkshopforPrattsvillescitizenstodevelopideasforthefuture.PlaceAllianceissueda statementsaying,Havingworkedwithothercommunitiesrecoveringfromdisasters,wehaveseen somethingempoweringandpositiveemergewhenpeopleactivelyreshapewheretheylive. CLASITE,LandscapeArchitecture,Engineering&PlanningofSaratogaSpringshasalsoofferedto prepareconceptplans,andcompaniesacrosstheCapitalRegionhavedonatedstaffsupport.These includetheTroyArchitectureProgram,SaratogasElanPlanningandDesign,AltaPlanningandDesign, BehanPlanningandDesign,TheChazenCompaniesofGlensFallsandPoughkeepsie,Community PlanningandEnvironmentalAssociatesofBerne.OmniHousingDevelopmentLLCofAlbany,adeveloper ofaffordableandseniorhousingsDuncanBarrettsaid,Meetingtheneedsofdisplacedresidentsisa priority.Omniispleasedtobeabletocontribute. TheStateUniversityofNewYorkatAlbanyGraduatePrograminUrbanandRegionalPlanningisalso makingacontribution.FacultyadvisorJeffreyOlsonsaidStartinginJanuary,graduatestudentsinthe programsPlanningStudiowillbeavailabletosupportPrattsvillebyadvancingvariousprojects. TheTownwillsoonannouncethedateofthecommunityworkshoptokickofftheplanningprocess. GreeneCountyPlanningDirectorWarrenHartsaidweareverygratefultothesevolunteers,but recognizethatproudPrattsvilleresidentsandpropertyownersmustdrivetheprocess,andcallon membersofthecommunitytoparticipateinthiseffort. Formoreinformationpleasecontact:

WarrenHart,Director,GreeneCountyEconomicDevelopment,TourismandPlanning (518)7193290,whart@discovergreene.com MargaretIrwin,Principal,RiverStreetPlanningandDevelopment,(518)4411496, mirwin@riverstreet.org IanLaw,Director,SynthesisArchitects,(518)3701576,ilaw@synthesisarchitects.com OscarMauricioCastro,Principal,PlaceAlliance,(407)4941299, mcastro@townplanninggroup.com DuncanBarrett,ChiefOperatingOfficer,OmniDevelopmentCorporation,(518)4324500, Duncan@Omnidevelopment.com JeffreyOlson,Principal,AltaPlanningandDesign,(518)5846634,jolson@altaplanning.com ChrisMckniff,FEMAPublicInformationOfficer,(518)4527219,christopher.mckniff@dhs.gov

Visitwww.prattsville.organdwww.facebook.com/prattsville.