SCHUMER REVEALS $3.6 MILLION FOR YATES COUNTY FOR FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TO COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION OF BRAND-NEW FINGER LAKES MUSEUM AND CREATE NEW RURAL COMMUNITY OUTPATIENT CLINIC AT KEUKA COLLEGE; SCHUMER IS NOW LAUNCHING AN ALL-OUT PUSH TO DELIVER THIS SHOT IN THE ARM FOR THE FINGER LAKES TOURISM ECONOMY AND PUBLIC HEALTH ACROSS YATES COUNTY
Schumer Says $2M Is The Final Piece Of The Puzzle To Complete The Long Desired Finger Lakes Museum, Transforming An Abandoned Elementary School Site Into A Historic Tourism Destination; Plus, New $1.6M Boost For Keuka College To Train Students For Good Paying Healthcare Careers And Address Nurse Shortages In The Finger Lakes
Senator Is Now Working To Deliver Funding In Final Appropriations Bill, Bringing Federal Dollars Home To Yates County
Schumer: Critical Federal $$$ Will Provided Boost For Finger Lakes Local Economy Thrive For Years To Come!
Standing at the planned site of the new Saunders Finger Lakes Museum, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today revealed he has secured a new major $3.6 million boost in federal funding in pending legislation for two long desired Yates County projects. Specifically, Schumer announced that in the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Agriculture-FDA bill that was recently approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, he secured $2 million to complete construction of the long-desired Saunders Finger Lakes Museum that will transform the abandoned Branchport Elementary School into a new tourism destination for the Finger Lakes region. In addition, the senator also secured $1.6 million for Keuka College to create a new Rural Community Outpatient Clinic that provides low-cost healthcare for residents while training students to become desperately needed nurses and healthcare workers. Specifically, the $3.6 million will come from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Community Facilities Program as congressionally directed spending. Schumer said he is now launching an all-out push to deliver these vital investments for the Finger Lakes in the final FY 2024 appropriations package that will need to pass later this year.
“Just three short years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Finger Lake’s bustling tourist economy hard and simultaneously left our healthcare system extremely vulnerable. I have fought to deliver historic investments to help New York recover from the pandemic, and now I have secured a major federal boost to help Yates County build back stronger than before,” said Senator Schumer. “This $3.6 million is the shot in the arm the Yates County economy needs to boost both its tourism industry and public health.”
Schumer explained that the $2 million would be used to complete the construction of the new Finger Lakes Museum at the former Branchport school site – a school property acquired to be the site of the new museum. Demolition of the site is now commencing and the $2 million will provide the final funding needed to start and complete construction of the new tourism attraction by as soon as fall of 2024. The overall objective of the Finger Lakes Museum's Capital Project is to build and create indoor and outdoor spaces and experiences dedicated to inspiring pride, deepening appreciation, and encouraging active stewardship of and for the cultures, lands, and abundant freshwater resources that make the Finger Lakes region a true treasure.
Schumer said, “This $2 million is one of the final pieces needed to bring the brand new Saunders Finger Lakes Museum to life and complete construction. For years the Finger Lakes Museum has been a dream for this community, but now with this funding I have secured we are one step closer to can finally making it a reality, bringing the rich history of the Finger Lakes region together in a new state of the art facility for tourists and future generations to enjoy for years to come.”
Natalie Payne, Executive Director of the Saunders Finger Lakes Museum said, “The Saunders Finger Lakes Museum project is a destination that will generate an increased sense of pride and awareness for our region and its freshwater resources/lakes, and provide cultural and natural history knowledge and appreciation for the greater Finger Lakes and New York State. Our 30-acre campus will be a place for enjoyment, education and inspiration throughout all seasons for youth, families, adults, and the increasing tourist and resident populations surrounding our 11 Finger Lakes. We feel honored to be one of Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s priority projects for 2024 and applaud them both for their continued efforts in ensuring Congress allocates the people’s money to many worthy projects across our Nation including our own.”
“Bringing these federal dollars to the Finger Lakes will help revitalize the tourism industry and improve public health in the region,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This vital funding will provide Yates County with a historic new tourism destination and will help ensure that residents don’t face dangerous health care worker shortages. I am proud to see this funding going to these important projects in the Finger Lakes and will continue to fight for New York’s tourism industry and health care workforce.”
Schumer said the 30-acre campus will be a place for enjoyment in all seasons and will provide a place for recreation and education for youth, families, and the increasing tourist and resident populations surrounding the 11 Finger Lakes. The new museum will include outdoor recreation, youth educational programming, and offer world-class exhibits and dynamic interactive experiences for all ages. Schumer emphasized that there is no tourist attraction currently in existence in Yates County or in the Finger Lakes region like what the new Museum will be.
Schumer also detailed how the $1.6 million for Keuka College will be used to create a Rural Community Outpatient Clinic that will provide the local community with primary care, counseling, athletic training, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and wellness coaching. The clinic will be a win-win for the community, both training badly needed new nurses and healthcare workers while providing a low-cost clinic to allow Keuka College to serve an additional ~1000 area residents for primary care, counseling, athletic training, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and wellness coaching. The creation of this clinic will drive increased enrollment in Keuka College and provide clinical training opportunities for 100 students per year in the College’s healthcare programs, addressing the severe shortage of available fieldwork clinical training opportunities in NY State while creating more well qualified healthcare professionals to serve New York State. It will also create increased jobs at the clinic and through the education of well qualified health and human service students at Keuka College that will utilize the clinic for internships and hands-on experience. Schumer emphasized that the creation of the rural outpatient clinic is in the interest of the New York State taxpayer, as it will provide access to a variety of low-cost healthcare in an area that lacks sufficient services within a 30-mile radius.
Amy Storey, President of Keuka College said, “The Rural Community Outpatient Clinic proposed by Keuka College would fill a vital role in an area of New York state with limited access to medical services. We are thankful for Sen. Schumer’s recognition of the need for additional wellness resources in Yates County and for his efforts to secure congressional support for a project that would serve thousands throughout our community.
Schumer added, “This $1.6 million investment will be game changing for Keuka College, its students, and the surrounding Finger Lakes community. These federal dollars will not only provide affordable and accessible healthcare to 1000 area residents, but it will also address the severe shortage of healthcare workers in Yates and provide vital resources as the community continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Keuka College has a long-standing history of educating several health and human service majors such as nursing, occupational therapy, and social work. Approximately 70% of Keuka College alumni subsequently reside in New York.
Schumer is now pushing to include both of these critical federal investments in any final FY 2024 appropriations package that makes its way to the Senate floor.
Schumer concluded, “I am proud to have secured this funding in the Senate Appropriations Agriculture-FDA mark up, and now it is time to bring this funding home for Yates County. I will be fighting to deliver this critical funding this year to Yates County so the community can finally build the modern state of the art museum Finger Lakes residents deserve.”
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