VILLAGE OF MEXICO
The first Local Planning Committee (LPC) meeting for the Village of Mexico’s NY Forward planning process will be Wednesday, July 22 from 12:00 to 2:00pm at the Village Hall, 3236 Main Street. LPC meetings are working meetings for the committee and are open to the public to observe. A public comment period will be provided at the end of the meeting. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend.
The LPC is the Steering Committee for the NY Forward planning process, and is comprised of representatives from local businesses, non-profits, social and public service organizations, educational institutions, and others who can represent the variety of interests in Mexico. The LPC is co-chaired by Mayor Terry Grimshaw and Austin Wheelock, Executive Director of Operation Oswego County. Committee members include:
- David Anderson, former Town Supervisor
- Dorothy Beck, Molly Johns Farm owner
- Jeremy Belfield, CITI BOCES Executive Officer
- Nancy Evale, resident
- Robert Oustrich, ConnextCare Board of Directors
- Mary Rice, Unique Baskets and Gifts owner
- Donna Runner, Mexico Academy School District Superintendent
- Amy Shaw, Pathfinder Bank Branch Manager
- Tim Stahl, Oswego County Community Development, Tourism, and Planning Director
Over the next 6-7 months, LPC members will work with the State’s consultant team led by Stantec to: provide input to help shape the vision for downtown and its goals and revitalization strategies; discuss potential projects being considered for NY Forward funding; and ultimately recommend potential projects for State funding consideration. LPC members will also assist with community engagement by guiding the public engagement approach and helping reach out to various constituencies, so many voices are heard during the planning process. The first public meeting will be held August 19 and more information will be shared closer to the date. Please visit the newly created NY Forward webpage: www.MexicoNYForward.org
NY Forward was launched in 2022 to support a more equitable downtown recovery for New York’s smaller communities, with a focus on hamlets, villages, and neighborhood-scale commercial centers. NY Forward is led by the New York State Department of State (DOS), in close partnership with Empire State Development (ESD), NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). For more information about the program, please visit https://www.ny.gov/programs/ny-forward.
Village of Mexico News Item
Mexico’s NY Forward Planning Process Is Getting Started
The Village of Mexico is one of two communities in the Central New York region to be selected for Round 4 of the NY Forward program. Mexico was selected for a $4.5 million award to help identify and complete transformative and/or catalytic projects in and near downtown. The NY Forward program includes robust capacity-building and technical assistance directly to communities throughout each phase of the program. Mexico is paired with a consultant team led by Stantec to guide our community through the planning process.
This effort is just getting started and will continue through early 2027 with the completion of the Strategic Investment Plan (SIP). The SIP will include a list of projects recommended for NY Forward funding by the Local Planning Committee (LPC). Following the submission of the SIP to the State, a multi-agency State team will review each project recommended for NY Forward funding. A subset of the projects submitted in the SIP will be awarded funding by the State. These projects will be expected to start within two years of the funding award.
Transparent, open, and ongoing public engagement is a critical component of the NY Forward planning process and the development of the SIP.
- The LPC is comprised of local and regional leaders, stakeholders, and community representatives intended to represent diverse interests. The LPC oversees the planning process and the development of the SIP. The first LPC meeting will be held July 22 from 12:00 to 2:00pm at the Village Hall, 3236 Main Street. Meetings are open to the public to observe.
- Two public meetings will be held during the planning process. These interactive meetings are open to everyone to participate. The consultant team will provide more information on the planning process and ask for community feedback on vision, goals, and potential projects. The first public meeting will be held the evening of August 19, and more information will be shared closer to the date.
- There is a new website dedicated to this planning process. It provides an online resource with information about the NY Forward program and the local planning process. It will include information about upcoming and past meetings as well as opportunities for additional public input. For more information, please visit: www.MexicoNYForward.org
This is the fourth round of New York State's NY Forward program to invigorate and enliven downtowns in New York’s smaller and rural communities. As a complement to the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), NY Forward focuses on creating healthy, vibrant, walkable downtowns that catalyze sustainable economic development and accrue numerous economic, social, and environmental benefits to the locality, the region, and the State as a whole. NY Forward is led by the New York State Department of State (DOS), in close partnership with Empire State Development (ESD), NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). For more information, please visit https://www.ny.gov/programs/ny-forward.
Village of Mexico Social Media
Earlier this year, the Village of Mexico was selected for a $4.5 million NY Forward award to help identify and complete transformative and/or catalytic projects in and near downtown. Now, the planning process for this NY Forward award is underway!
The first Local Planning Committee (LPC) meeting will be held Wednesday, July 22 from 12:00 to 2:00pm at the Village Hall, 3236 Main Street. LPC meetings are open to the public to observe and a public comment period will be provided at the end of each meeting. Stay tuned for more information about the first interactive public meeting in August. www.MexicoNYForward.org
