Massena Supervisor worries organized labor may discourage GM redevelopment

MASSENA — A new subcommittee will focus exclusively on redeveloping the General Motors Powertrain site.

And Massena Supervisor Joseph D. Gray is concerned the organized labor presence on the panel may discourage nonunion businesses from considering the site.

Members of the North Country Redevelopment Task Force announced the creation of a redevelopment subcommittee at Thursday’s meeting. Task force members had previously worried too much discussion was centered around the remediation of the Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site, not enough on its redevelopment.

Ultimately, the site’s owner, the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust, will determine who will redevelop the parcel. But local officials can offer input as the trust makes its decision.

In the last month, Task Force Chairman Anthony J. Arquiett created the redevelopment subcommittee to have more frequent discussions with the trust than the monthly meetings of the larger group. Jason A. Clark, executive director for the Business Development Corporation for a Greater Massena, is the subcommittee’s chairman. Richard Daddario, business manager of Laborers Local 322; Ronald P. McDougall, president of the Central Trades and Labor Council; businessman Real “Frenchie” Coupal and Richard A. Williams of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency are also on the subcommittee.

The subcommittee could yield positive results for the GM site, Mr. Clark said.

“I think it’s a good interface between the local development team here as well as RACER,” he said. “With the smaller group, it may be a little easier to get into some of the details of redevelopment activity, of the process to approach new businesses and really create a format which we can collaborate and discuss at a professional developer’s level.”

But Mr. Gray said he is concerned how the subcommittee’s union ties would project to prospective companies. He also wants to see the subcommittee hash out a series of defined goals and plans.

“I put my head on the chopping block by saying this, I’m sure,” he said. “If there are high tech companies, things like that, that are typically nonunion, if they meet with a redevelopment committee that has a strong labor presence as this one does, it would concern me that perhaps they would be leery to come to our community if they’re concerned they’re going to become a union shop.”

Mr. Arquiett, who could not attend Thursday’s meeting, said the subcommittee will work with the trust to welcome any prospective company to the GM site, not just one with union ties. The subcommittee members volunteered for the positions, he said.

“We’re looking for a good, viable business to come into the GM property,” he said. “We are not exclusive in requiring the company to have organized labor.”

Mr. McDougall said he volunteered because he wanted to further advocate for the site’s redevelopment.

“I consider myself a fair, middle-of-the-road person,” Mr. McDougall said. “What (Mr. Gray) said speaks for itself ... If that’s the way he feels, at least he had the intestinal fortitude to say it.”