Business View Civil & Municipal | July 2022

92 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 7 fairly big union town. A lot of the unions sponsor apprenticeships and training.” It is no surprise that people are drawn to the friendliness and affordability of Massena, and all that it has to offer. As the town expands, Bellor reports that housing is available for those who want to join the community. “We have had a lot of housing sales the past year. We’ve had people from many states far away that have decided to adopt Massena as their home. It’s amazing,” she shares. Within the Town of Massena is The Village of Massena, which has been awarded a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award from NYS. Working with local committees, those looking to expand or transform their business have submitted plans, with detailed designs including costs, to be considered for funding. Bellor explains, “The big word is transformation. The businesses have had to go through various Saunders Dam meaning that its electricity comes primarily from hydro-electric sources and is thus predominately clean and emission-free from an environmental perspective. With Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University, and two campuses of the State University of New York (SUNY) nearby, workforce development is ongoing in the region. In the Massena Central School District, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program offers high school students the challenges of higher academic level course work which in turn offers college credits and scholarships by well known colleges and universities. High school students are also able to go through the Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) program, which offers career specific training for students including health and medical and building trades. “They start them out in programs like the auto mechanics program which is very big, or cosmetology,” describes Willer. “We’re still a