The Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce recognizes the need for local support is greater than ever as our economy continues to open under the new normal. We are proud to partner with 11 Jefferson County chambers of commerce and marketing organizations to develop a unified brand we can all be proud of and build during a time when we need local patrons more than ever before.

Support Locally (Jefferson County) was created to give customers, clients and supporters an easily identified sign that your business is locally operated, staffed, prepared and supported. Our staff is working with the Jefferson County Economic Development office to get posters to each of our members to proudly post at your business. We strongly encourage you to integrate the logo and branding into your advertising materials, menus, posters, social media posts and outreach so that we can build buzz that will allow organizers to expand public relations and marketing efforts, drawing additional attention to our local business community. There is no cost to the chamber or your business to participate. We ask only for your cooperation so we can build support for all of us among our county residents. This is step one of what is envisioned as a multi-phase process of creating something that makes all of us proud to be successful Jefferson County business operators.

https://www.supportlocal.ly/

Good Morning,

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to develop, here at Westelcom we’re taking every possible preparation to protect our employees and customers while maintaining the highest levels of service.

It is important that you understand the following:

• Our Network Operations Center and Engineering staff is geographically separated and has been set-up to work remotely. Our services are available 24x7 and you can reach us at 866-482-5425.
• Our Business Support Staff will be available to answer your calls however we will be closing access for walk-in traffic to our offices in Chazy, Westport, Watertown and Plattsburgh to minimize potential impact. There are drop-office boxes outside each office for your convenience. You can also pay your bill online. Please Click HERE
• Our switches and network capacity have geographic diversity and we are positioned to meet demands and to continue provide you with mission critical level services.
• Recognizing increased work from home usage, we are actively augmenting and managing network capacity. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer sales staff at 866-327-8832 should you require increased capacity.
• Our installation teams will be following strict protocols when coordinating site visits to your home and business locations. Please be prepared to inform us of any concerns regarding the general health risks associated with our staff entering your office.

We wish you, your family, and your business the very best during this time.

- The Westelcom Team

A Business Improvement District (BID) is a geographical area where local stakeholders oversee and fund the maintenance, improvement, and promotion of their commercial district.

What BIDs Do

BIDs create vibrant, clean, and safe districts. They deliver services and improvements above and beyond those typically provided by the City. These services can include:

• Street cleaning and maintenance
• Public safety and hospitality
• Marketing and events
• Capital improvements
• Beautification
• Advocacy
• Business development

BID services do not replace those provided by the City. By law, City services cannot be reduced because of the existence of a BID.

BIDs help to brand their districts and market small businesses on their corridor. They facilitate networking among merchants, host community events, and advocate for improvements to the district.

BIDs also serve as a liaison between local businesses and stakeholders and the City government. In doing so, BIDs provide a collective voice for the neighborhood and help inform City policy based on their unique local knowledge.

BID Oversight & Management

Each BID is run by a not-for-profit organization with a Board of Directors. Elected by members in the district, the Board must include property owners, merchants, residents, and representatives of local elected office. The Board is in charge of making key decisions about programs and services, budget, goals, policies, and staffing.

BID Funding

BID programs and services are funded by a special assessment billed to property owners within a district. Assessments are unique to each BID and decided upon by the BID’s stakeholders. The City assists with the collection of the special assessment, which in turn, is distributed directly to the BID. The BID receives 100% of the money collected.

On average, assessments make up 75% of BID budgets. Most BIDs also fundraise, apply for grants, and generate revenue from programs to support the services they provide.

Source: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sbs/neighborhoods/bids.page

A business improvement district is a defined area within which businesses are required to pay to fund projects within the district's boundaries. Projects could include beautification, promotion, events or anything the district approves.

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