L-R: McCausland, County Legislator Ron Hiatt, Community and Economic Development Commissioner Susan Jaffe, County Manager David Fanslau

MONTICELLO – Tourism, agriculture and green industry can be the tools for economic survival in an ailing economy.  That’s the formula laid out for 2009, by Tim McCausland, president and CEO of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development.

McCausland presented his 2009 agenda to the county legislature’s Community and Economic Development Committee.  The Partnership will continue to utilize existing resources, including the Empire Zone program, with a possible inclusion of the Emerald Corporate Park and perhaps Frontier Insurance property, in Rock Hill.

Also getting attention, a new tool McCausland says holds high promise.

“We’re working on developing the framework for an Angel Investor Network in the county.  With the Partnership acting as a clearing house, we will seek to match qualified investors with entrepreneurs seeking capital, all set up with the premise that funded entrepreneurs will site their business in Sullivan County.”

Committee members said they were impressed with what the Partnership, in general, and McCausland, in particular, have been doing.