BILL NUMBER: S8726A

SPONSOR: RITCHIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the highway law, in relation to designating a portion of
the state highway system as the "Colonel Michael Plummer Memorial High-
way"

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Designates a portion of state route 283 from beginning in the town of
Pamelia, county of Jefferson at the Watertown city line, continuing in a
generally northeasterly direction and terminating at its intersection
with state route 342 in the town of Le Ray, county of Jefferson, as the
"Colonel Michael Plummer Memorial Highway"

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends the highway law by adding a new section 344-n, which
designates a portion of state route 283 from beginning in the town of
Pamelia, county of Jefferson at the Watertown city line, continuing in a
              

generally northeasterly direction and terminating at its intersection
with state

Section 2: States that the commissioner of transportation shall provide
for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing of the state
highway systems as designated pursuant to section 1 of this act. The
designation will be for ceremonial purposes only, and the roads official
name will not be changed as a result of this act.

Section 3: Provides that the act shall take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Colonel (Retired) Michael Plummer was an officer, gentlemen, and patri-
arch of the modern 10th Mountain Division. From shepherding the concept
of the Army's new Light Infantry Division from concept to reality, to
providing critical leadership within the new Division and for twenty
years of continued retired service in supporting the connection between
the New York North Country and the 10th Mountain, Colonel Plummer has
been at the heart of it all.

Colonel Plummer was assigned to Fort Drum in December 1984 as the first
Chief of Staff of the new 10'h Mountain Division (Light Infantry) which
was reactivated on February 3, 1985. Working hand in glove with the Fort
Drum garrison staff, Colonel Plummer was instrumental in standing-up and
organizing the new Division and setting in motion the construction of
over $1B in initial infrastructure to support the new unit at Fort Drum.
Although still a member of the Division, he would move from Fort Drum,
NY to Fort Benning, GA to serve as the first Commander, 2nd Brigade
(Commandos), 10th Mountain Division from April 1985 to March 1988. He
was responsible for standing-up, training, and moving the new brigade
from Georgia to its final home in upstate New York. Following command,
Colonel Plummer was assigned as the Assistant Division Commander of
Support, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) from July 1988 to June
1990 after which he retired from the Army. One month later, Colonel
Plummer was recalled to Active Duty to serve a second stint as the Divi-
sion Chief of staff from July 1990 until 1991.
Colonel Plummer would be no less of an advocate for the 10 Mountain
Division in retirement. As president of Future Visions International (a
consulting, strategic planning, organizational and leadership develop-
ment, and team building company), Colonel Plummer played a pivotal role
in building bridges of understanding and cooperation between Fort Drum
and the North Country community. Future Visions was instrumental in
developing the strategic plan for the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organ-
ization (FDRLO) and helped guide several successful campaigns to keep
Fort Drum off the Base Realignment and.Closure (BRAC) list.

Colonel Plummer was active across the North Country community in other
ways as well. However, he was most proud of spearheading the "Adopt a
10th Mountain Platoon" program. Through this program he started in 1991,
Colonel Plummer enlisted support from the local community and from
others around the world to send letters and care packages to deployed
10th Mountain Division troops. He was extremely proud of the fact that
every deployed Fort Drum platoon-sized unit has been adopted since the
program's inception. Through his affiliation with the Association of the
United States Army (AUSA), his initiative has inspired over the years
hundreds of similar groups nationwide with hundreds of thousands of
troops from all branches of the military now sponsored by their local
communities.

Colonel Plummer also initiated and conducted a "Soldier 101" program
that facilitates local community members spending a day in the field
training and learning what it is to be a soldier in the 10' Mountain
Division (Light Infantry) on Fort Drum to increase understanding between
the local civilian community and their military neighbors.

He served as a member of the Watertown Rotary Club, where he was a key
partner in establishing the Watertown Rotary Purple Heart Scholarship
Fund in 2004, which provides $3,000 college scholarships to local Purple
Heart recipients and their immediate family members. Colonel Plummer was
also a founding partner of the North Country's Operation Yellow Ribbon
committee whose mission is to advocate "support for Soldiers and their
families and serves to promote area events which honor our military,"
along with numerous other community organizations and groups.

Throughout the years Colonel Plummer has been recognized with numerous
accolades for his military service and community involvement, including
being named a member of the "10th Mountain Division Hall of Fame," a
"Fort Drum Man of the Mountain," and receiving the "Israel A. Shapiro
Award" from the Greater Watertown North Country Chamber of Commerce and
the AUSA "Major General Anthony J. Biddle Medal." In addition, in 2021,
he was inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame.

Since before his retirement and until he moved to Alabama in 2021, Colo-
nel Plummer worked closely with each Division leadership team to help
establish, develop, and maintain the close bond with the local North
Country community. His depth of knowledge, community connections, and
love for both the 10th Mountain Division and North County made him an
invaluable advisor to over 30 years of Division Command teams.

Colonel Plummer spent his career making soldiers' and their families'
lives better and he dedicated himself to protecting and enhancing Fort
Drum. This legislation helps pay tribute and honor the memory of Colonel
Michael Plummer for his service by naming a portion of State Route 283,

which connects the City of Watertown to Fort Drum, county of Jefferson,
as the "Colonel Michael Plummer Memorial Highway."

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:.

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.