Two local Skaneateles businesses will receive more than $600,000 in state economic aid, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last week.

The businesses, Skaneateles Aerodrome and Welch Allyn, had their proposed projects funded as part of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council’s recent acknowledgement as having one of the state’s best economic development plans.

“Regional collaborations and planning is a roadmap to get New Yorkers back to work,” Cuomo said at the Dec. 8 announcement in which a total of $785 million was awarded for economic development projects throughout the state.

The Skaneateles Aerodrome will receive $597,080.80 from the state Department of Transportation to construct a hangar, make improvements to the electrical feed and replace a failed taxiway pavement.

“These enhancements will help the airport maintain and attract business users and provide safe operations,” according to the project description in the “Strategic Plan and Regional Project Awards” booklet, released by the governor’s office.

The new hangar project was approved by the Skaneateles Town Planning Board this past June.

Welch Allyn’s project to “upgrade the skills of 35 employees in the Toyota Production System” netted them $17,500 from the state Department of Labor.

The Regional Economic Development Council initiative, started in July 2011, was designed to create a “community-based, performance-driven approach to economic development by empowering individual areas to develop comprehensive strategic plans that invest in regional solutions to create jobs and economic growth.”

Each economic region in the state submitted plans to compete for $200 million in funding.

The Central New York Regional Economic Development Council was name one of the four best plans in the state and will receive $103.7 million to fund 74 projects in its five-county region.

Jason Emerson is editor of the Skaneateles Press. He can be reached at [email protected].