Senate Resolution No. 1129

BY: Senator MARCHIONE

COMMEMORATING the 50th Anniversary of the Chamber
of Southern Saratoga County on April 26, 2017

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize the
achievements of those organizations which substantially contribute to
the economic vitality of their communities and the entire Empire State;
and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga
County, to be feted at an Anniversary Celebration on Wednesday, April
26, 2017, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Clifton Park, New York; and

WHEREAS, For 50 years, the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County has
diligently worked for its members, customers and stakeholders to create
a successful business environment, provide valuable resources and to be
a vigorous advocate for the business community; and

WHEREAS, The Chamber also seeks to become the leading resource for
the development, growth and success of Southern Saratoga County and the
entire Capital Region of Tech Valley; and

WHEREAS, By the 1960s, the predominantly remote farmland of Southern
Saratoga County was quickly becoming a residential haven for city
workers following the construction of the Northway; in 1967, the Clifton
Park-Halfmoon Area Chamber of Commerce was formed as an outgrowth of the
Halfmoon Business Club; the organization was officially incorporated in
1968; and

WHEREAS, During the 1970s, the area came alive with retail
businesses to support the housing growth; the Town of Clifton Park
became the hub of this growth in Southern Saratoga County with
attractive settings to live and to do business; and

WHEREAS, The Chamber was instrumental in establishing a Clifton Park
Post Office, and helped form the Shenendehowa School District from 10
small, some one-room schoolhouses in Clifton Park, Halfmoon, Malta and
Mechanicville; today, the Shenendehowa School District educates almost
10,000 children and is the largest employer in Southern Saratoga County;
and

WHEREAS, In 1972, the Chamber presented its first scholarship award
to a local high school student planning to pursue a career in a business
field; this scholarship, now named the Francis E. Almstead Memorial
Scholarship Award, after a former Chamber president, is still given
annually; and

WHEREAS, The first enclosed shopping mall, Clifton Country Mall, now
called Clifton Park Center, was built in 1971 on the growing
thoroughfare of Route 146; other retail stores followed during the
decade along with banking facilities and service industries; and

WHEREAS, In 1977, the Chamber opened its first offices in the Realty
USA building at 1710 Route 9, a donation of office space, privileges and
meeting areas; one year later, the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Area Chamber
became the Southern Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and a logo was
designed incorporating the "twin bridges" on the Northway Route 87
signifying that the area was a link with the State Capital in Albany;
and

WHEREAS, In the 1980s, a Hotel/Motel Committee was created to
fulfill the need for lodging in the area, and the Chamber supported the
expansion of the Clifton Country Mall and offered its first health
coverage to members through Community Health Plan; and

WHEREAS, During this time, membership increased from 200 to over
550, and the offices were computerized and moved to the Key Bank
building at the intersection of Routes 9 and 146 in Halfmoon; and

WHEREAS, The next decade saw even more growth in small businesses,
and the Chamber's membership rose from 550 to over 765 by mid-decade; in
mid-1996, the Chamber once again moved to a new location in Shoppers
World Plaza on 15 Park Avenue; the new offices added additional meeting
space, computer networking, website and e-mail capabilities; and

WHEREAS, Clifton Park had become a premier location for offices and
professional and medical facilities, while the western end retained much
of the original rural atmosphere; farms still dominated large segments
of Ballston, Halfmoon, Malta, Stillwater and Waterford; and

WHEREAS, Between 1960-1990, the population of Southern Saratoga
County grew from 35,085 to 84,960 residents; and

WHEREAS, The 21st Century brought many changes; in 2005, the Chamber
rebranded its image with a new logo and website, and expanded their
offices to include an Executive Education Center, a versatile training
facility used by the University at Albany Weekend MBA program and
available for rent by members; and

WHEREAS, In 2006, and again in 2008, the Chamber partnered with the
Disney Corporation to bring the world renowned Disney Keys to Excellence
Program to the Capital Region so that local businesses could experience
the "business behind the magic"; also, in 2008, the Chamber staked its
claim as a front runner in Tech Valley's workforce development
initiatives with an event entitled: CLICK '08: A Summit Connecting
Business and Education to Grow a Regional Workforce; and

WHEREAS, As 2010 approached, the Chamber and the region it served,
stood on the edge of an economic explosion; the development of the
Luther Forest Technology Campus and the addition of high tech companies
such as The Foundry Company (a division of Advanced Micro Devices) added
an exciting dynamic and economic prosperity to the region; and

WHEREAS, Today, the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County continues to
promote, protect, and serve its members; and

WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body
acknowledges this exceptional organization and its contributions to the
local and State economies, fully confident it will continue to enjoy the
sparkling success it has experienced thus far; now, therefore, be it


RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga
County; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County.