The co-chairman of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council said Friday that the council will seek advice from Albany on how to submit a more winning report in time for next year’s awards.

“We always learn by listening,” Joel Seligman, president of the University of Rochester and co-chairman of the regional council, which represents nine counties in the Rochester region, including Monroe County, said in a statement. “Last year, we modified our plan based on feedback we received from the state, and we will again ask the state review team to detail what can be done in future years to strengthen our plan.”

The council took a similar step in 2011, seeking post-award details when its five-year strategic plan won only middling support in the state competition.

In this week’s annual ceremony in Albany, the Finger Lakes once again was an also-ran in the competition for millions in state largesse.

In 2012, the regional council was a top performer and took home more than $96 million in committed state funds for a variety of local projects.

This year, the take was far lower. The region did not win a top-performer award, thus missing out on an extra $25 million in state funds, and was awarded $59.8 million for designated projects, nearly $40 million less than last year.

Only the New York City and Mid-Hudson councils received less money than the Finger Lakes.

Following the award ceremony, local council members were subdued but not discouraged. They mentioned that, despite the competitive nature of the program, state funding for the 10 councils has tended to even out over the three years of the program’s existence.

Source: D&C News