The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership will work with the Town of Malta to create a customized, town-wide economic development plan designed to broaden the town’s economic base and ensure its long-term prosperity.
The collaboration is part of the Saratoga Partnership’s Next Wave Communities initiative, which assists towns within Saratoga County in developing economic development plans tailored to their particular strengths, needs and aspirations.
Officials said the effort will build on initial work done by the Malta Economic Development Committee, which prepared a plan for the long-term economic future of the town outside the Luther Forest Technology Campus.
That concept will be incorporated with opportunities driven by activities on the campus – highlighted by the presence of GlobalFoundries, which employs more than 3,000 high-tech workers – to develop a comprehensive economic blueprint for Malta.
“The timing of this initiative, as we seek to update our Comprehensive Master Plan to reflect a more current vision for the future of Malta, could not be more appropriate,” said Darren O’Connor, Malta town supervisor. “The work already done by the economic development committee, combined with the resources and expertise of the Saratoga Partnership, will help us develop an economic development plan that enables job creation and business attraction, and allows us to maintain services to residents while minimizing the tax burden.”
“We are excited to work with government, business and community leaders, as well as residents, to develop an economic development plan that will create long-term, sustainable and smart growth,” said Marty Vanags, president of the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership. “Most importantly, this process will produce an economic blueprint that truly reflects the assets, needs and desires specific to Malta.”
In succeeding months, the Saratoga Partnership will conduct a survey to gauge the community’s vision, identify obstacles to success, and find ways to collaborate in building the plan; meet with and interview key stakeholders to gather input on the town’s economic development needs; and work with the town, its consultants and engineering firms to identify and map its economic development assets.
Then, a workshop will be held to develop a thorough SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis specific to Malta, and include the presentation of economic development scenarios including three-, five- and 10-year time frames.
Officials said that at the conclusion of the process, the Saratoga Partnership will present a written economic development plan that will include a vision for the town, defined goals and objectives, results of the SWOT analysis, opportunities for collaboration, a link to resources, and next steps.
Implementation of the plan will be conducted by the Saratoga Partnership in collaboration with the town.
“Earlier this year, the Town Board accepted the report of the Economic Development Committee and launched MaltaWorks as a new promotional effort,” said Councilman Timothy Dunn, chairman of the Malta Economic Development Committee. “Now, this next step will allow our town government, business and community partners, and the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership to develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure the town’s economy remains strong for years to come.”
This is the third town-wide economic development plan to be undertaken by the Saratoga Partnership through its Next Wave Communities initiative, following similar efforts in the towns of Moreau and Galway.
The Saratoga Partnership provides a point of contact for business retention and expansion, enabling a seamless delivery of programs and services for businesses seeking to grow, and spearheads semiconductor industry marketing and attraction, global trade assistance, community economic development, and data collection and planning.
For more, visit us at saratogapartnership.org. The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership is a member of the Saratoga County Economic Development Alliance, which includes the Saratoga Economic Development Corp.