MONTICELLO — The Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development held its Spring Quarterly Meeting on April 23 at Resorts World Catskills, bringing together business leaders, bankers, attorneys, engineers, elected officials and developers to network and hear updates on economic development in the region.

Assemblymember Paula Kay, Sullivan County Commissioner of Planning and Community Development Heather Brown and Partnership President and CEO Marc Baez outlined both recent growth and ongoing challenges tied to housing, infrastructure and the cost of doing business.

Kay focused on state-level issues, including delays in the New York State budget and rising utility costs impacting residents.

“We’re nowhere on the budget,” Kay said, noting negotiations have extended beyond the April 1 deadline.

She also pointed to affordability as a growing concern, particularly as costs continue to rise for residents across the region.

“We know we’re losing people because the state is unaffordable,” Kay said.

Kay also emphasized workforce housing as a key issue, saying “there has never been a greater need,” and highlighted ongoing efforts to bring together developers, employers and local governments to advance new housing projects in Sullivan County.

At the county level, Brown detailed infrastructure investments and planning efforts aimed at supporting long-term growth, including broadband expansion and studies examining water and wastewater systems, as well as groundwater capacity.

“Broadband is not a luxury in this day and age. It’s a utility,” Brown said.

Brown also addressed the role of planning in development, pushing back on the idea that regulation is an obstacle.

“We are not the death of progress,” she said. “We’re also not a rubber stamp.”

She added that coordination among agencies has helped streamline review processes, reducing delays for some projects.

Baez framed the discussion around a 10-year review of economic indicators, saying “Sullivan County is a much different place today than it was 10 years ago,” and pointing to increases in population, employment and household income.

He also cited a pipeline of active development, with roughly 17 projects representing hundreds of millions of dollars in investment moving through various stages.

At the same time, Baez underscored the difficulty of advancing projects in the current regulatory environment.

“Doing business in New York sucks right now, and it’s hard,” Baez said. “Paula [Kay] graciously went over some of the challenges that we have when we’re dealing with DOH, when we’re dealing with DOT, when we’re dealing with DEC. Getting projects through the finish line is very, very difficult.”

He pointed to delays such as the FIMFO project, which “should have been done in six months” but has taken more than four years, highlighting the difficulty of navigating approvals and permitting.

“Speed is going to be our advantage moving forward. Readiness and speed,” Baez said.

For many in attendance, the meeting served as a pulse check on local development activity.

Andrew Fetherston of Colliers Engineering & Design said he attends to hear “what projects are kicking,” who is active and “what issues people are having,” describing the event as a way to stay current on both opportunities and challenges in the region.

At the project level, Curtis Stedman of The Eldred Preserve said the Partnership helps promote member businesses, noting that “we do get a lot of visibility with them.”

From a financing perspective, the event also provides insight into where investment may be headed. John Coughlin, Vice President and Business Development Officer for Walden Savings Bank, said gatherings like the quarterly meeting help connect financial institutions with ongoing development activity across the county.

Jen Cassaro, Director of Membership and Special Events for the Partnership for Economic Development, said the event includes time for networking because “that’s where the business gets done.”

For newer or expanding businesses, the value is often more immediate. Vicki Hoffman of J. Hoffman Insurance said the event was a good networking opportunity and offered a chance to better understand the local business landscape.

“It’s really just making new contacts,” Hoffman said.

Speakers and attendees alike described a county that has seen measurable growth over the past decade, while continuing to navigate structural challenges that will shape future development.