Anthony Picente highlights COVID, Ukraine, student debt in State of Oneida County address

The COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine were among the main topics Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. touched on Wednesday during his annual State of the County address.

Picente’s address also touted ongoing development, including Wynn Hospital and the Nexus Center in downtown Utica, and new ideals, such as attracting and keeping workers through various measures, including student loan relief.

The county executive also proposed the a U-District Redevelopment Corporation to expand the sports and entertainment district he proposed five years ago.

Wednesday's address took place at the Shenendoah Club House at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona. The event also was livestreamed on the Oneida County Government Facebook page.

This year’s address was held in person, in front of a live audience, for the first time in a year.

“Ladies and gentleman, the state of Oneida County is strong,” Picente said. “Our financial condition is solid, as our restrictions throughout the pandemic and the rebound of the economy have returned our reserves to levels equal to those prior to the onset of COVID.”

COVID-19 pandemic

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was present through a large portion of Picente’s address. Though not as prevalent as it was last year, Picente noted what the county has done to steer itself through the trying times and what it is doing to help deal with the aftermath of the pandemic.

The county executive that the county is in the beginning stages of an after-action report, focused on looking at what the county did during COVID, to learn what happened and refine the public health response to face new challenges.

“The stress the pandemic place on county government cannot be overstated,” Picente said.

“Our health department conducted public testing, vaccinations and contact tracing, made sure protocols were being followed and the public was protected, all while contending with uneven and inconsistent directives from the state and combating inaccurate information on the internet.”

Ukraine

Picente referenced the ongoing crisis in Ukraine several times in his speech.

Ukraine was first referenced in the beginning of the address, when Picente highlighted Oneida Indian Nation employee Viktoriya Runkevich, who was born and raised in Ukraine and came to Utica as a refugee with her family in 2002. Runkevich began a well-received donation drive for Ukraine, following the Russian invasion in February.

Picente said the values Runkevich showcased – selflessness, compassion, hard work and perseverance – were the same values the county and its residents have displayed over the last two years as it grappled with the pandemic.

Ukraine also was mentioned in regards to increasing the county’s population, a simple way to grow the workforce, Picente said, referencing employment opportunities in Oneida County.

Picente said the Utica-Rome and Syracuse regions are tied for fourth nationwide among similar metro areas in Ukrainians, per 1,000 people.

“This means that while other places have larger Ukrainian populations by sheer size, there is a greater concentration here,” Picente said. “That is why yesterday I wrote President Biden and shared our story and ensured him that our community would warmly welcome Ukrainian refugees.”

The Great Resignation

A good chunk of Picente’s address focused on increasing the county’s workforce and dealing with The Great Resignation, which has left many employers – the county included – struggling to fill necessary positions.

Picente talked about there being a segment of the Oneida County population that lacks some basic skills to obtain introductory positions and how best to address that issue. This segment also includes limited English speakers, which Picente said the county would help train.

“Today, there exists a mismatch between jobs in the area and the skills of the labor force we have available,” Picente said. “We must address this issue comprehensively.”

One main area Picente highlighted while addressing the workforce in the county was the incredibly high cost of student loan debt. These costs can chase away many to find better pay in bigger metropolitan areas, Picente said.

Picente said the county will create a program – unlike any municipal program in the United States – that works with nonprofit and private sector partners to capitalize a student loan benefit program.

This program will utilize federal recovery funds and partner with the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties to assist local employers in providing student loan relief as a benefit for prospective employees.

"Over the years, an increasing number of private sector employers have included student loan relief as a benefit for their employees, much akin to health insurance or 401Ks,” Picente said. “I believe that is a concept worth piloting in Oneida County.”

U-District

Picente proposed the U-District, a sports and entertainment area in downtown Utica, five years ago.

Plan for the U-District originally included the Adirondack Bank Center and the soon-to-be-completed Nexus Center. On Wednesday, Picente talked of expanding the district, to include and encompass all of the historic Bagg's Square area.

"Today, I'm proposing a U-District Redevelopment Corporation to streamline, direct and facilitate public and private investment in the area," Picente said.

"This district, focused on sports, arts entertainment and tech, will be bookended by two signature investments. The redevelopment of the county-owned Insight House property on one end, and the creation of the REA Wing Wood Emporium on the other."

Other State of the County highlights

Picente’s speech also included ideas and proposals that already have been made public in various forms, including some continuing from last year’s State of the County address.

One area Picente addressed was the proposal from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent State of the State address where the county executive said the governor “proposed to strip us of this world-class research institution.” Picente noted an online petition campaign urging Hochul to abandon the proposal immediately.

The proposal was an initiative to reunify the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and the University at Albany “to streamline management and promote research excellence.”

Picente also noted mental health issues and an exacerbated opiate epidemic brought on by the pandemic and what the county is doing to address the issues

The digital divide, referring to the lack of adequate broadband access to some portions of Oneida County, was also addressed. Picente said the pandemic has shed light on this major issue.

Picente said the county would work with its libraries to address and close the divide.

Reaction

During his address, Picente noted what is going on in Rome several times, often thanking Mayor Jacqueline Izzo for her help in improving one of the county's two cities.

Picente committed $5 million to two projects in Rome during his address. The money is broken down between $3 million going toward Rome Hospital's women's maternity surgical center and $2 million earmarked to help the creation of a new YMCA in the Woodhaven section of the city.

Izzo was thankful for the county's support and noted the two projects are big for Rome.

"We're thrilled," Izzo said. "This is a great day for Rome."

Oneida County Board of Legislators Majority Leader George Joseph, R-10, was supportive of Picente's address, calling it "introspective" and "innovative."

Joseph's only knock on the address is he felt it should have had some focus on "brick and mortar" aspects, including county roads and infrastructure.

"It's a good, solid, mature budget," Joseph said.

Ed Harris is the Oneida County reporter for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Ed Harris at EHarris1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente gives 2022 State of the County