WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=6BFvzjx2Vuc

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: 6BFvzjx2Vuc):
- 00:00:00: Meeting Call To Order and Agenda Overview
- 00:04:48: Budget Overview, Social Media Proposal, Select Board Approval
- 00:13:19: Budget Concerns, Small Business Forum, Committee Roles
- 00:17:58: Economic Incentives, Tax Increment Financing Policy Discussion
- 00:27:29: Promoting the Town, Marketing Plan, Housing Grants
- 00:32:23: Southwick and Bloom Update and Beautification Efforts
- 00:37:17: Zoning Revision, Transition Zones, and Business Restrictions
- 00:39:28: Public Transportation, Zoning Modernization Project Discussion
- 00:47:52: Review Zoning Survey Data, Community Input, Next Steps
- 00:50:12: Property Tax Analysis, Development Benefits, and Density
- 01:00:25: Industrial Park Capacity, High Tech Business, WGI Expansion
- 01:04:27: Marketing, Industrial Land Availability, Tiff Policy, Pratt Land
- 01:10:22: Russ Anderson Departs, Grant Subcommittee, Master Plan Check-in
- 01:11:56: Desired Qualities, New Businesses, Industrial Park Strategy
- 01:17:09: Silt Fence, Pressure, Rail Trail Connector Development Plan
- 01:22:26: Dog Park, Complete Street Grant, Policy Safety Considerations
- 01:32:14: Street Intersection, Railroad End, Point Grove Area
- 01:34:26: Economic Development Strategy, Grants, and Town Center Revitalization
- 01:39:05: Grants for Individual Businesses, Economic Development Concerns
- 01:41:46: Tourney Welcome, Business Directory, Mission Statement Review
- 01:51:47: Planning Board Matters, WGI Expansion, and T-House
- 01:56:43: Next Month's Agenda and Meeting Adjournment


Part: 1

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Okay. >> Okay. We're couple minutes late, but it is 61 111 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20th. I'd like to call to order uh the meeting of the South Lake Economic Development

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Commission. This is Greg Dy, chair, >> seren. >> So, we have three, which is enough for a quorum. I hope Julie shows up a little later.

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And uh we also have Okay. We also have Russ Anderson here as our liaison to the select board and and Albert Allen is our town economic development director and town planner.

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So, we will don't have anybody online or here for public comments. Let's quickly do a vote to approve the minutes of the April meeting which you've both received. So, move we

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approve what is written. >> Yeah, I second that. >> Second that. Okay. All in favor say I. I approve. Uh now let's I don't have anything else here on as

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new business but we have a quite a few items called the business. Uh and we'll go through it in the order of our our goals that we've stated the first three of which being master plan items that we were targeting to make progress on. And

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the first two of these master plan items I think are ready to claim comp completion now. And that would be the one the database of business o owners which is our business directory. And then our website and social media

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development website is is filled out. It's obviously going to be a continuing work in progress and we've got a a process for social media which we'll talk about. But I'll first talk about the completion process. I sent out to all of our

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supporting parties. I sent out uh messages, emails to the le the leaders of all of those supporting parties. for each of these two items. Um, I've gotten responses for most of

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them, but I sent a second reminder message in which I said if I don't get a response by the end of April, which is long past, that I would assume they have no additional input to those. So, I

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think we're all set. And I my plan unless anybody has any discussion or change to it is that I'll go ahead and and put that information together and send it to the master plan implementation to Norm Chver

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and that will achieve our goal for the fiscal year and we'll have our gold star green lighter whatever it is for getting those in. And then we'll move on the next fiscal

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year for another two. I think we're targeting trying to to do two of them out of our 15 total. And one of them we we had talked about was the annual small business forum, which we knew we weren't going to initiate

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until the next fiscal year, but we wanted to keep that discussion open. Um and relevant to that, Alvin and I joined the economic development partners. What was it two weeks ago now?

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Uh anyway, they had common capital speaking and went through it. That would be one resource that we would reach out to for this kind of forum we're talking about to you know resources for small businesses. So we'll keep that open. Although

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another item I saw when I went through and I had talked to Nicole about getting a larger budget to 3,000, but after the report of the finance committee came out with the full budget,

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it looks like we're actually only at 1,800. We were cut back from this year. So, we'll figure that out for next year. But we haven't, while we're talking about budget, we haven't yet used more than a

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few hundred dollars of this year's budget. >> We have like $1,300 left, you said. >> Yeah, we >> Is that from the gift? >> We got a report here. It's $1,280 plus the gift account. But the 1280 is the one that's the annual budget will go

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away if you don't use it. I'm hoping that you have some expenses for Southwick and Bloom that we can handle before the end of June. >> Yeah, I hope so, too. I don't have any right now. I don't have any myself. >> Well, let's push to get those submitted

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as soon as possible because I don't want them to take away from next year's budget and it should >> apply to this year's budget. In regard to the the social media,

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we got from Danielle Willlets uh a proposed agreement that would be $75 a month for which they would do all the creative all the media costs for Facebook, Instagram post plus she will

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>> track the >> she'll track and she will monitor the response and give us input to website design, help upgrade our our current economic development website, which is a

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mixture of what Pam did originally and a few things Stephen did and what I did, although I mostly focused on the the business directory, >> right? >> But that could be upgraded. So, it's a incredibly good deal.

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And I I took it to the call and said, "Well, I'm going to have to review this." And that this was last week and >> and I caught her in the and I I sent her a note uh earlier this morning and saying, "Did

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you work out >> something? Did you review it?" And and we went back and forth a couple times and then she said, "Well, we're going to have to get approved by the select course and the next meeting that's available for that is June 1st." So

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>> what is that for to have a >> for our agreement to use this outside agency? It's based in Maryland, but it's the ideal agency for what we want to do. They have several dozen on staff. They have the the depth of personnel. They

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have the expertise. They specialize in this. They can monitor it. We don't want to just give that to one local person because that wouldn't be dependable. This is going to be around there for a long time. They've,

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you know, the type of things we're going to do for social media is we've got, you know, our enjoy Southwick logo. I want to have a logo similar to this that says shop Southwick, too. So, we have

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Enjoy Southwick, South Shop Southwick. Our posts would be under that kind of branding. Mhm. >> You know, they're directed to the residents and they will have different promotions. Maybe one time it's about the restaurants, another time about a,

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you know, our bike trails and hiking trails and, you know, about boating and it'll just promote traffic. >> Wondering why she thinks it needs select board approval, but >> it's not it it's a month-to-month

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agreement. There's no long-term >> Yeah. There's no contract. >> I do want to I did request that I don't want to go through it a monthly check request because I would have to watch the mail for fiscal invoice and write up a cover sheet and

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>> uh I said I would like it if possible to be it to put it on a credit card and maybe that's sort of why she would get approval. Yeah, I'll talk to her. But >> I mean your committee if you vote on doing that I don't see why. Yeah, I I

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just saw her in the hall few minutes ago before the meeting and she said, "Yeah, >> and and and I don't understand it, but that's that's what she requested and >> and I've been, you know, already got back to Danielle and and told her last

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week that, >> you know, it's going to be a little sore. We got to get >> right." She's so enthusiastic. >> I know. I >> She didn't even want to charge us anything. I've used her for my insurance agency and she does I think a lot of the insurance agencies in Massachusetts. Um

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but she's out of Cumberland, Maryland. She's amazing >> and and she comes in >> she wants to come in here but she wants to take pictures and everything. >> So I mean it's it's great to have somebody that that you've had how many years of >> Oh my gosh. I've had her maybe at least

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10 years. >> So that's >> she does everything for me. She posted, she she gives a month materials and it looks ideal other than, you know, getting some somebody that's doing it on the side is kind of a nonsp specialty. I

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I like going to a special >> price doesn't sure seem like much. So >> yeah, $450 for six months of work. >> I know. And she said we only had like 22 people following us. That's what she said. I said, "Wow." >> Oh, well that >> I don't know where she, you know, but

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that's what she said. It's old. We We asked >> We We basically said start a new website. I don't even know who who handled that old one. A new not a new website, a new Facebook, >> right? >> I mean, we need this wrapped up for

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Bloom, don't we? >> Yeah, she'll do it though because we've got the Well, you you put the registration thing in there, right? >> Going I'm not on Facebook at all, >> but I'm saying if we're still waiting on select board approval for this. I mean, we've

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We've got a lot of fire, right? >> Well, we can we can still put out posts. I mean, this this project is something I want to get established as a regular weekly post. Um, you know, and not just as a a one

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time if there's something we need to >> right >> to post on some existing site. >> Yeah. But we but we have it on there, right? You put the registration form. >> It's on our website. >> On the website. Yes. So, they can register. Has anybody registered? >> As of this morning, I I didn't see >> cuz I was going to register, but I

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haven't been on it. But >> yeah, it's it's set up to go, but it needs to be promoted somehow and pushed. So, I thought, you know, whatever advertising, whatever media, let's let's get it out there. >> I have to ask Julie. We So, we have to have a meeting. Julie said she was

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available on the 23rd. I don't know about Diane. >> What's she around? >> What's 23rd? >> She said she'd be available on the 23rd. What's today? Is that Saturday? It would be Friday to Saturday. >> On Saturday, >> is she?

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>> When's a good day for Diane? Do you know? >> Just the weekends are tough. >> Okay. So, anytime during the week pretty much. >> Okay. I left the banner at the store for >> Yeah. I got to wait until we have our mystery shop and I can put it up, but >> Okay. >> Technically, not to

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>> I put the one down there. Mr. Filio said he was okay with us >> planting things around there. though the grass needs to be cut, but I'm not going to cut the grass. >> Well, he doesn't mind if anybody cuts it. >> No, he didn't mind. >> I could call my lawnmower down there

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>> or a weed whacker. No, it needs more than Yeah. needs a needs a lawn mower. >> Yeah. I mean, I >> It's not a large area, but No, it's it's grown up in you can't see it visibility. I know. >> I If that's okay, I'll take

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>> Yeah, he said it was okay. I was waiting for all the, you know, the the um voting signs to come down. >> Yeah, they're down. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I'll do that. I'll try to do that tomorrow if it >> really be careful. It's pretty rough over there.

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>> Oh, I'll I'll I'll go through it and rake or something to make sure there's no obstructions. But I've got electric power I can throw in >> because he said we could plant there too to promote it like we wanted to. So, I didn't get into detail how much we would do. I don't know how much we would do, but at least we can put some plants

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there and flowers. So, he was fine with it. >> Okay. All right. We will we'll try to fix that up, but we're we need to push this because >> I know Memorial Day is right here.

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>> So, can we go back to that budget for a second? I mean, realizing that we've only got what 1,800 next year. 1,800 next year, but we haven't used what we this year. >> We've got bills coming in. So, we'll >> Yeah, let's get those through. And I I hope we get, you know, if we do a June

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1st approval if we need to for the select board, we'll try to get as much billing. I was hoping I know we can't bill in advance, but maybe we can set it up as as a retainer and pay a six-month retainer >> or what for this

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>> bill on social media. I don't know. Whatever we can do to simplify it, I hate to >> Yeah. Why is it so complicated? >> I don't know. It's small town. >> Yeah. I mean, the original bill last year about the Southwood signs and I had to go there, get the original and bring it here. >> You know, all I'm like, wow. It's like,

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wow, this is worse than DC. >> Yeah. I mean, really >> crazy. >> And Southwoods is the one that did this. We I had to get the original. But Carol Karen called me. She goes, "Buzzy said, call Serena. We haven't been paid." This is like September. >> Yeah. And I make a special trip down

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here and walk through >> and I people do it every every week there's another >> Why is that Russ? >> Way counting is there >> too many different people handling. I don't know. Well, it's it's that they have a whole set of rules that they rig

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that they follow. Um, and I guess that's better than than having things go wrong, but >> but it shouldn't be this difficult. You know, >> should you should be able to >> I mean, we're a small littleation. >> We have a small budget.

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>> So, I I guess um thinking about that budget and thinking about this annual, you know, small business forum. I mean, we know what it Oh, yeah. put those things on. So, I mean, I I almost go back and say maybe it'd be wise for us

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to ask of the select board um what they see as our role. >> Well, now I I I really don't I'd like to tell them what we think our role should be rather than asking what they think it should be. Um,

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I think we should, you know, if we really want to do this meeting, let's pull all the details together and and propose it. I kind of doubt with our current staff we're going to get it done. We're actually going to get the meeting

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done before the end of the next fix fiscal year. Maybe it'll go into the the following. If it's done next year in the summer or the fall, it would be in that that following fiscal year. Let's

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pull together the plans and have a a whole plan of from beginning to end and how we're going to do it and who's going to do it. >> What are you talking about? The forums? >> Yeah, the thing that you know. >> Yeah. Well, we raised money with those. We used to charge people.

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>> Well, let's have a proposal. You you both have done it before. I want to see a a detailed proposal of what you think should be done. I don't want to go out and ask, >> you know, somebody else what we should do. I think >> the budget compare with other

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committees, similar committees. Do we know? >> Well, there it's not the same as other committees. I mean, it depends on what the project is. It's like >> I see a second thing >> looking at this. No, the budget

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>> the budget. Uh I know that like the agricultural committee for years had almost no budget and then they proposed the open farm day and they got some budget for it. So it depends on what you plan to do. >> I'm just saying anytime we have an event

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where we have eating and so forth, you know, in order to do it upright, you can chew through. >> But let's put the whole plan together before we ask for the money. Let's get the whole plan detailed and scheduled out and then

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and time and here's when we want to do it. Here's who's going to do each piece of it and how who we're going to bring in and how we're going to invite people in and put that together before we you know the budget then will come after that because it's going to take a while

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to pull that all together. >> Well, then maybe we shouldn't have this on the uh next year. I mean, we need to look for two different ones, >> right? An alternative one that I I think would be good now that this whole tiff thing came. We we actually have a one of

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our master plan actions has to do with economic incentives. So I propose that that be one for next year because I've already proposed my version of of not only a business tiff but also separately

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an econom a policy for housing tiff. So, a is uh 286. Cultural cultural council is 2100. >> Historical 600. >> Yes. >> Yeah. There's a number of other smaller

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ones. It depends on we've got to make the case that it it's going to produce enough benefit to be worth spending the money. And I think anything we do and spend money on, we should arguably say that

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this will pay back benefits to the town. >> The only reason I say what's expected of the economic development, it'd be nice to be able to go back inception and see what the original intent was and then I'm just thinking in terms of our mission or vision, whatever you want to

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call it. It's kind of a a statebased commission that that you know, as I understand it, it's something that they encourage towns to have, an economic development commission, and there's sort of benefits to the town for having that.

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So, I'm sure it it originally was set up based on the the state definition of what that is, >> but we have >> we have to adapt that to our current our situation. I think we have enough

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projects that are valued that we don't need to ask for others to be imposed on us. >> We almost have too many. I guess I'm saying it would help define what you know what we should take on, what we shouldn't take on as all. >> Yeah. And and this is something that

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let's go through these other things and then we'll come back to that in in uh item number six. We're going to talk about mission statement and you said you were going to think about that, >> but let's get back to that in a minute.

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And >> didn't we get a new one? Didn't we come up with a new one shortly? >> I had proposed and I was focused when I said mission statement. I was just looking at the statement that we currently have that's at the head of our our website

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>> which is >> it's too long >> is way too long and hard to understand. >> Yeah. And I I mentioned I was I was talking to the one of the librarians over there about working with them.

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>> Yeah. Yeah. and he said, "Oh, what does the Economic Development Commission do? >> This is what I always >> I wasn't going to read him that mission statement because it's >> you would say what >> I wanted something I wanted a mission statement that would answer

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>> his question." Yeah. >> In simple words >> at the head of the What do you What do you guys do? Here's what we do. Well, let's get back to that. Let's let's finish going through these these updates. Yeah, I think that we should we

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should pull that economic incentive one up and I mean that's another question of how is that going to move forward? I I did meet with Nicole at some length last week and

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talked about was it the week before or was there last week? talked about the um TE agreement and what the goals and she certainly is supporting the idea of having a an a policy

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because it's the only way to to be fair and also to make it clear that that there's a fairly high bar to get a T that it's not >> the Westfield gauge getting it cuz you're the one

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>> it was voted it I thought it was sort of was that a quick thing or it had been in the works. Do you know >> it was rushed to? >> Okay. I thought so cuz that's we're talking about it here. >> It went to town meeting and and it passed. So it's it's there. >> Uh but what we're trying to do it was

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probably too late to do anything about that because you can't come in and impose a policy. Oh, wait a minute. We're going to write a quick policy before we >> Right. >> Yeah. Because I read the article. they were looking at other communities and >> yeah, that's what he said. Um,

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>> but we should come up with one before there's the next person comes. So, we can say, well, here's here's our guidelines. This is what we're going to negotiate on. And that kind of is a clean break from anything we may have done in the past because otherwise we're

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tied to, wow, you gave it to this person, >> right? >> Well, that was before we had our policy. So we got to put a a policy in as soon as possible that >> yes >> has two benefits. It has the benefit of of being a stricter guideline so we

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don't give away too much. >> But it also can have a benefit of drawing people in that may not have come to town without seeing the pit and they see it and say, "Well, I wasn't thinking of Southwick,

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but now that I see the opportunity here, I'm going to give a pitch for it." Because that's ideally what you want to tip for. >> You want to tiff. >> Sure. millions people who otherwise would not have come in without it and and we want want that and

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I think I'm trying to include housing because >> housing can pay bigger than many businesses in the long run in terms of of property tax valuation and it's very

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stable. Businesses can come and go. You know, you can have a business that, you know, is here for 10 years and then gone. >> Housing is probably going to be, you know, 50, 100 years, >> uh, and a value and and

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>> a steady value if it's done right. >> And to get a housing tip, it has to be a certain kind of urban town center location that's probably denser. That's the kind that would also help our businesses more than any other kind.

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>> And >> so the tiff would be for a developer. Is that what you're talking about? Would be an individual homeowner. >> No. No. This would be a development in development. >> It would be a a housing development. Probably a dense housing development. And an example I'll just throw

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>> like how about the depot thing that's still sitting there all kind of >> Bill Malone's place. Oh my gosh. >> Oh, the 42 Street. >> There's a silk fence around that now. >> So, they're starting work. >> Okay. >> So,

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>> there was a back over there. I don't >> It's been there forever. >> Been that's been there, but it's been moved up into the middle and it looks like they're starting to do some some excavation and there's a silk fence >> because don't they have restrictions when the select board don't they have they were supposed to do things with a

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time deadline >> by the end of this year? I think they're within it. >> That was half I think the reason for bringing the >> back in is starting once they dig a hole. >> Okay, that is it started. Okay.

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>> Yeah, we we'll come back to that in a in another one. But uh one example I would have for where a housing tiff might be is in the in the uh

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Captain Fowler apartments. They own like 20 acres of land up above there on the hill. That's all zone 2A uh MDU apartment zoning.

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And that would be a walkable place. It's kind of along the bike trail. It's got an entrance off Feeding Hills Road as well as their existing entrances. They've got a separate entrance. It would be a boost to the >> go down the road. Grampy, Simsbury,

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Avon, they have all those apartments are building all over the place. >> Oh my gosh. And the rent picturing that would be I hope that would be kind of a you know rural setting. Think of of

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our current condo units like Rosewood >> and also the >> the ones up on the hill. >> What is it? >> South View. >> South View. Something like that, >> you know. Nice. But And I I bring up

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Rosewood because that's one of the most affordable >> Oh, it is. Yeah. >> Places to live. And it's nice. It's pleasant. They own there. Have you ever driven back in there? >> Oh, yeah. many. >> So, >> oh yeah, >> I mean that would be acceptable and

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>> Mhm. >> So, >> and it's also the highest tax revenue per acre of any >> sure >> housing in the in the town. It's it's a really efficient use of of our developable the land and so I wouldn't

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mind having a tiff if that's what it took to get get something like that going if it was needed. >> It's the probably question for you. Yeah, sure. >> Um, >> what's the normal model to promote a town in business? I know some people tie

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in with, you know, Mass West or all these other big corporations to develop places >> and what is there a model that we should be doing to start promoting ourselves and the the availability of future lands

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or andor things? What And I know it's kind of under your umbrella a little bit, but I don't think we have a really a formal marketing. >> Yeah. Um, so that's all what I'm trying to learn as well. I mean, I'm my background isn't necessarily economic

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development, even though I've been a part of the economic development team with city of Springfield, but more from the planning perspective, but >> um, you know, whatever I can, you know, learn and and, you know, I can contact my contemporar say, "Hey, what can we do here at the town of Southwick? I'm

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>> I'm you know, trying to figure those things out." I mean, it seems like we have some salailable items, >> whether it be land, future land, upcoming things that But I mean, it depends of you guys. It's kind of hard

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at $1,800 to pull off a marketing plan. >> This is true, >> right? But if we can >> we need through a you know a tiff housing tiff we can push for you know grants that might be available for because there there are grants

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associated with housing you know that's a priority for the state to to do more housing and it should be for us as a town too. That's and if you have stuff out at the distance from the town, it's

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more infrastructure and more especially if you build roads that the town has to take over. the advantage of doing >> the big thing is sewer, you know, >> we're not we're not utilizing all of our sewer >> capabilities that we would captain

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properties right near the bike trail which I assume would be a sewer up >> the mains in there but yeah I assume you somehow but >> that you can >> and we made that connection a while ago right we had to do something was it about five years ago >> I don't I forgot what it was speak on it

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but I believe you're right >> I know when the in the Billy Malone own property, >> there was a concern on water usage more so than sewer usage, >> right? >> So that becomes a challenge in the making sure you have enough water flow to >> support some of whatever it is, you

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know, as well. >> No. >> Oh yeah, >> we'll do that. >> The other thing I believe I read in regards to like a housing tiff, I think the town has to come up with a housing production plan. >> Yeah.

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>> To go there. There are there are a lot of requirements but >> you know not necessar it's something we should explore. >> Yeah. >> But could we do that the economic development commission? >> Okay. That's not that's not my expertise.

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>> And we also have a housing um >> or something. No >> the um >> the housing authority. >> Yes. Exactly. >> That's a different thing. They're they're all, you know, for elderly and handicapped and they've got specific properties. They're not really looking

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to develop new sites. They manage, you know, those publicly owned properties. >> Okay. >> It's a different thing than what we're talking about. >> They actually manage state property, right? Estate and field and all that. Aaron Circle. Is that

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>> Yeah, that's over there and houses. Yeah, it's a little bit everything. >> A mix of of different properties and one on street. And >> um >> well, in a good way. We don't have like Springfield or some even Graby, Connecticut. They have an old school that's sitting there on the corner at

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the top of the hill that could be re, you know, that could be made into housing. We don't have that problem here. It could be a good thing, but we don't have those buildings hanging around. So, it' be it'd be a lot of money. to do that. >> Well, part of the problem is the cost of borrowing money from developer or

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builders hasn't exactly been attractive. >> No. Well, um, we should we should push to see what we can do though. And I I see the, you know, our commission is a volunteer group and we have limited

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resources, but being a source of ideas and a source of driving the priorities that we think we should drive. And I, you know, we'll get into mission statement again later, but these a lot of these priorities were laid out

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for us in the master plan. And I I agree with most of the ones that are in there and and we are just here to help make sure those those don't get forgotten or fall fall through the cracks.

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keep them in the forefront because that that's the vision of of what we want the town to become. So anyway, let's go through these others before we come back to that mission statement. And we've got, you know,

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we've got the the tip policy is one of them later on here, too. But let's let's go back here and talk about Southwick and Bloom. What's happening? We've got to get this >> Well, we're going to have to be I've been spending a lot of time just trying to get things worked out with Danielle

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and you and um I haven't met with the committee. I haven't met with Julie or Diane. We met once and Sharon, but um yeah, we have to. I mean, well, what we did say was that we want to keep it. We're not going to have the judging at the farm day. We want the

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residents to do it >> and I changed the language. >> Yeah, I thought you did. I thought you did. >> And if you have any change in the registration form, I can do that. >> Yeah, I don't think so. >> I got the signs in my car. I mean, I don't know what else what I can say, but Julie wanted to. And I agree. And Diane

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to go door todo, especially Main Street College Highway that you're going to do >> and we're going to do that. >> I just have to come up with a time. I'm going have to call I thought Julie would be here today, but I'll have to call Julie and Diane. that's submitted. >> When our employers do then by June 30th or

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>> Yeah, we need to get them in. I don't want to wait till the last minute either. >> But I will walk them through accounting, whatever I need to do to get them paid quickly. Okay. >> And I'm going to solicit >> sign off and do all the paperwork, the cover sheets, whatever. >> I'm going to try to solicit myself the

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people that were there last year that participated. >> Just contact them. Yeah, we have all their information. >> Right. And and the promotion sheet, I don't know if I brought it with me. That QR code from last year is fine. Yeah, >> because Diane thought we needed to

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change it. We don't. No, >> because we changed the site that it goes to. So the cub code should never expire. >> So I think that's on cruise. I think that it's, you know, come together. Yeah. >> Yeah. Let's >> let's

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put it on acceleration. No, it's got its own rate that it's got to go and you know it just it'll it'll come. >> I'm just worried about >> you know it'll be too late for people. >> Well, I think we had how many people last year? Like 20 maybe somewhere in that somewhere in that vicinity and they

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came on at the end. I mean we only had like 10 or 11 and then all of a sudden people were >> I know that myself I've already planted everything. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Finished all my plantings and I planted one. >> Are the churches that you know are they going to participate? Do you >> I I'm I'm gonna do it for Chrysler.

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>> Okay. >> Got planted. >> Okay. >> Um but I haven't talked to any any other prospective >> uh entrance. >> I know Paul Sato is all planted too and

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hanging. He's got his pass. I mean he I think he was the winner last year. Paul and um what was the other one that won? >> Yeah. And I I mean even if it turns into acknowledgements of people who are doing it already, that's an encouragement, right? But ultimately we want to make

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this something that inspires people to to do more because the whole point of it is to >> beautifification. beautify the the town center and and it's something that catches on when people are really trying

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to beautify then then a a rundown place stands out a lot more and people are motivated to >> not let places get run down. That's why why I need to take the mower over to the the handsome place. And >> you'll do that tomorrow.

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>> It's going to be cooler tomorrow. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think I can find the time to to do that. >> Okay. >> Because I was every time I've driven by it >> several times the last couple days. >> I know. I've learned I go, "Oh gosh, the

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grassh." >> And then if you can get some plantings there, that would really highlight it. >> I'll get I'll get a meeting with if it can't do Diane, it'll be and Sharon, it'll be at least Julie and I and we can figure it out with the other two because it's really four of us that are

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involved. Yeah, >> Sharon Ensign from Reinspired. >> That'd be great. Yeah, more people involved. >> Okay, as long as we're moving forward there. Uh,

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EDC input to zoning revision. I've given Alvin a lot of input to my thoughts on zoning and I have some strong pots especially in terms of having transitional zones at the entrance of the town where you have mixed business residential. We

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really need those zones that would have preempted the problem we have with with Dollar General. >> Oh, you have where you have residents. Certain businesses are acceptable, others are not. And we got to define that in our our transitional or mixed

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business zone. And then we've got to the other thing I'm we really need to do is make more businesses by right in our town center. >> Yeah. >> And our business restricted should be not as restricted to I think the only thing by right is a bank or something.

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>> That's correct. U need a lot more things that are acceptable so that it it reduces the barriers, makes it less expensive for people to come in. It's more inviting. We should be >> make it as easy as possible for the

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right kind of businesses to to come in. It should be welcoming. >> Yes. So what what what's the action item here then? What do we need to do? Well, I've been doing most of it, but if you have the input to your thoughts about >> we need to talk about I mean,

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>> well, let's what what other what >> I don't know. This is all new to me. I mean listening, so >> well, you're familiar with our business restricted zone in our other uh our town center zones. We've got the zoning map on our website. I put that up last year.

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Um, but the idea and is the things I just said are the the main things. And I'd love to also have more 28A uh designations close to the town center if that's possible. >> Yeah. How's that possible? Through the

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planning board. How do you how do you get zones? >> Alvin will do it. Right. >> Oh, and one other question. But before I forget this, what is this stuff about the temporary spot that the bus is stopping? I didn't even know the bus came through the town >> just today. >> PBTA. >> Yeah, the PBTA because I follow the

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news. It just because we never had the bus go through, right? >> No, they just added that um I think it started this week or last week >> as I saw the sign outside my office. I go, "Wow." Then I've seen them around. I said, "Oh, so that's good." >> That's right. >> So, it's a bus stop. >> I like that. >> So, that's you know their PBTA

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connections to get to Springfield or Westfield. >> That's fabulous. And and if >> is that a I'm sorry, not cut. Is that a trial or is that um >> I believe it's a program. Yeah. If it gets supported. >> All right. I think I think we thought I heard it happen once before and it

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really wasn't supported. >> Yeah, that's what I heard too. >> And what things can we do to support that? Will they >> probably you know the website connection of you know how to how to do it maybe? I I don't know.

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>> Yeah. is I haven't seen anything in the paper about it. I just happen to see the signs. >> Got that. Cliff. >> Oh, is Cliff on there? Cliff. Cliff. >> Yeah. We need a a huge front page story about the PBTA service, too. >> Yeah. I've never seen the PVPA in town.

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>> South. >> Yeah. It's one of the smaller commuter buses. >> That's good. >> Um passenger, I think. >> Yeah. >> I mean, people have to know the schedule and all that, but >> Fantastic. That's great. >> All right. So, I interrupted you talking

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about the zones. >> Yeah. Question regards to the the process with the zoning modernization project. >> Uh, currently we're in our first phase. The first phase is simply uh just correcting the existing language. We're not making any substant uh changes to

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the document. just uh sort of making it more user friendly and then also adding a use table as to what you can and can't do in particular uh zones within the town. our phase two which will I think uh we'll start uh this this uh let's say

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the end of summer >> um that'll be to hopefully we'll be done with our first phase of correcting the language and then we'll move on to our second phase which will be uh trying to introduce u transitional zones as uh

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Greg alluded to um having like a town center um overlay district which um will um We're looking at more dense uh let's say more housing in in a town center

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area which would be um we're hoping to tie into not just commercial but mixed use. So having like a a mixeduse district across the town center um >> not necessarily facing college highway but in a radius

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>> Yes. Yes. College Highway. >> Yes. Yeah. So you mean like a barber shop in the basement living above? >> Exactly. So for for new developments that come into town or you know or >> Yeah. I mean t typically um if somebody wants to do a new development on college

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highway, this is something that they can tap into where they can put a commercial on the first floor and residences on the second floor. Um and again the transitional zones to kind of address issues of you know commercial adjacent

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to uh residential uh districts. So just making sure that we have uh uses but that the uses are a little bit calmer than than what's um currently allowed. And then also addressing the BR district which uh currently again only has one

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particular use that's allowed and we just want to ensure that we have additional uses but making sure that the uses are proper for um mostly the town center which is mostly where the the BR runs through. Um really it's it's a

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majority of let's say um twothirds of college highway. Um so and again it keeps us out of legal uh trouble as you know >> just because it's more defined. >> Exactly. Exactly.

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>> Cuz before wasn't it? You need you need a special permit for this and that and that would also >> Yeah. >> outside of a bank. Yeah. >> Problem. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And and that's where we ran into trouble with Dollar General that >> can >> it was a special,

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you know, permit to do what they wanted to do, but they could, you know, they could look and say, "Well, you did it for Dollar Tree and >> so if you decline something, then that kind of makes it uh it brings up issues like, okay, why did you decline this versus

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if we define it, then we won't have >> have that?" Did >> you say just new development? I mean, what if you know Serena wanted to >> Right. >> I have a barber shop downstairs. I'm not going to live upstairs then. >> Yeah. >> But next door to me, they gave whoever owned it, Bob Pellegrini a long time

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ago. They did they didn't want him to live above his his hair salon, but finally that happened. >> Well, I think the zoning changed through the center. >> Yes. >> At some point we did five years or 10 years ago maybe. I don't know.

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>> To to a certain area. Yeah. >> Yeah. I think you can you can do it with a special permit, but again, you know, we want to make it sort of more uh by right use. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And not to bring up that church, but the church that's still that didn't happen

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or didn't >> I have not heard anything, so I'm not sure where they are. >> Another church or something church. >> I've heard it fell through, but >> that's what I heard, too. But and I saw them I saw people there um last week parking lot was full again like it was

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>> it was like they were using >> as a church. Yeah. Or something function area but >> Julie a wedding or something tell us >> it's too bad if it did >> it is too that's a >> beautiful building. >> It is it's a fabulous building. It's and from what I understand it's what 30

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acres in the back but it squeezes in then there's just 30 acres in the back. 30. >> So talk about Yeah. So talk talk about a place you want housing. I mean that would be beautiful back there. >> Yeah. It's not exactly walkable from that point, but it is another potential. >> Yeah.

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>> Housing. If it could if it could be a a condo development where we wouldn't have to >> to take there. >> Yeah. That might be an issue. It's it's >> it's on a hillside and it may may be a rough area to to drain, you know. Well,

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it seems to me that, you know, before you go into the phase two, it seems like we and urged ought to take, you know, a fall meeting and, you know, not cover everything else, but talk about these things that, >> right? Last year, we we brought in

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Bill's wife who gave us a whole primer on self-examing. Remember hearing that? >> I think I was there. No, >> Bill. Bill. Um, Bill his his wife was on the planning board

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for for years and two new zoning. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Ros. >> Yeah. Ros. >> Oh, Ros. Yeah. >> Yeah. Well, Terry and Ros. >> Well, I'm just saying if we need to talk about those things relative to his phase two, then we shouldn't be doing that as

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a committee, right? So, >> Well, yeah. We we I put it on the the agenda every every month so that we you know >> but I mean it's not a fiveminute conversation. We need to say here's a half an hour we're going to designate

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toward this and >> get educated. >> Yeah. I'm not educated on it at all. I haven't studied any of that. >> We did we did that whole you know an hour of it last year. >> Mhm. uh there we can

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>> but if you look for input then we need to be able to >> if they want us to put have input into it I don't know >> we'll we'll gather what materials you've done to now >> sure >> and share it >> and we currently have a community survey

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as well and I could get that to you >> right I' I've seen the initially there was only like 20 something >> well we haveund and about 100 about uh 130 responses. >> Okay. >> Oh, we do from the survey. >> So, >> I'd like to get I'd like to get the raw

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data rather than the data. If if they could just give me a dump for the raw data above that >> and they were passing out the sheets last night at the town meeting, too. >> Yes. So, we should have more responsive. >> So, was that mailed that survey was online? >> It's online.

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It's on the town's website. It's um Southwoods put in their publication. We put out um um QR codes at the library, at the uh post office, u different offices in the town building, >> and they're trying to pass it out to everybody who came

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>> in the town hall, I should say. >> Did it go on the town Facebook page? >> I I believe so. Yeah. If not, Margaret could help you get that out. Yeah. And then sometimes you could go to police and fire and ask them to share it

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because they have a lot of followers. >> Yes. >> So that could help too. >> Oh, that that would be good. Yeah. >> And then uh a couple weeks ago I put it out there to the uh the public school I'm sorry the um the regional um school system. So there was a little

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apprehension at first, but um I think we've worked through it and I think that's why we've the >> the kids take it home to the >> the amount of responses has exploded cuz like two weeks ago we only had like 30 responses. Now we have over well over >> that'll be a more dependable

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sample. Yeah, I really like to look that. So, as soon as we can get that and who else wants to see the survey and whatever else >> I'd like to have it at the meeting and then we can talk about I mean >> I'm not good outside of the meetings

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here, but if we just need to designate an hour or whatever it takes to >> Yeah, we should do it. Yeah, we're certainly getting input from the >> Yeah, we'll try to digest some of the survey results and and all that and I'd like to see a schedule of when we're

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going to actually have have zoning that potentially could take effect. >> Yes. >> You know what kind of schedule that would be? Okay. Uh then the property tax I I've been working

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myself on the property tax analysis. I've got the new uh valuations put into my spreadsheet and that's just analysis I've done. I can share if if anybody wants to get into the whole filtered

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spreadsheet. I'd be glad to send it to any of you to research if that's something that you want to get into. And I could schedule a time where I look at, you know, my conclusions. It's it's where I've gotten the the data on what

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kind of developments pay out because I I ran everything as dollars per acre, tax revenue per acre. Uh and the top of it is uh Rosewood conduct. >> Is that density?

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>> It's the very highest. It's it's higher than any other res most businesses. >> Lakewood doesn't or is it because of the >> Lakewood is harder to calculate and because that's not on a unit basis. So I don't

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know what the rents are because this is about >> condos I can do because I can divide the taxes >> the tax is shown per unit and I can divide the total area by the number of units. So I can get a a tax per area. The

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>> the lake would all I know is the total tax which is >> for all the facilities >> was evidently way undervalued until this past year when the revaluation was done. It shot up higher than anything else. and it had shot up the last couple

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years. So for years that was way undervalued their times. >> But is all this to say that I mean you know Hong Kong probably has a very lucrative fetal per square foot tax. Is that really where we're going with the

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town here? Is that really what we want? I mean as point you know it's not really good to her a bunch of people into a small space and then have to deal with the attitudes and all. So, um, >> well, there's there's a lot of it

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depends entirely on how it's done, but some of the the best environments are in the denser uh inhabited towns because they can support the the walkability and the kind

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of uh town >> infrastructure needed. Yes. >> The infrastructure and the town amenities. That's what makes uh towns you like to walk through is they are a bit denser. You know, the Southwick suffers from the lack of

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>> We don't have that. Yeah, we don't have >> a denser uh residential. >> We don't have a central business district. >> We could have a We do have a central business district, but a lot better, >> right?

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>> Um and with And it's it's better. My my point if we're going to add residents to the town the denser closer in ones are a lot more profitable in the long run >> for the town >> than for the town because you you have like

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>> but is it better for the people? I I I don't know as a value judgment. >> Do you know the development with me lane and dairy lane up on the hill? I forget the the name of the entrance. >> Said northard

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and feeding hills road. >> No, this is >> Hillside you mean? Or you mean? >> Yeah. Off off hillside road in there. It's it's near the the ranch golf course and everything. They have >> That's me. >> Meadow View. >> Oh, Meadow View. Yeah. >> And and anyway, their roads are

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crumbling. >> Oh, they have been for years. Yeah. And that's an very expensive for the town to maintain. And you do the analysis of the tax revenue and it's good tax. Those those houses have a high valuation. >> It's on the list this year.

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>> But >> their tax revenue is barely enough to cover that kind of maintenance because road maintenance has got >> well that's the problem with the ranch, those houses up there and all that problem. So that that is why >> why if we're going to do new

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development, let's not create a bunch of roads that down the road and and plus all the other infrastructure and and sewer and everything. >> Well, the pro the argument you'll have is there's always a strong voice of what Southwick's becoming and what it they don't want it to become.

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>> That's right. That's right. Exactly. Yes. you know, it kind of fights. I understand the concept you're talking about and if and >> but I've never heard anybody complain about Rosewood or Winfield Circle or View South View.

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>> I mean, it doesn't have to be something that people even are hardly aware of. But it has >> No, I'm not disagreeing. I'm just saying that you always have a allowed presence of people that you know they want it to remain

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and all that. If you look at Graanby the Graanby Center where that new >> Oh, yeah. >> It's >> We don't want something like that. >> Well, no. I'm just saying. But it's those are high-end rents, but there's nice restaurants. There's a lot of stuff in there that attracts a a higher

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clientele than than some. So, >> yeah. But there there's in reading a lot about housing markets, there's a a whole lot of people who prefer they like kind of the country living, but they don't want to take care of a big yard and lawn.

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>> And some of these like depot, they feel like they're in the country, but they have, you know, the amenities and the the lower maintenance work >> in the condo. And and the same with

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South View, I'm sure that they they feel like they're out in the country and we have more opportunities for that type of thing. And they are out in the country. They're in small town life. It's not, you know, in the middle of >> I'm not saying it can't be tucked. I'm just saying. >> I know what you're saying. And I know cuz I grew up here, too. Yeah. I know

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what it's all about. What I'm saying is that the thing that hurts our agricultural thing is too many developments spread out into, you know, the farmland because that also is not as profitable for the the town because in the longer

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run there's a big maintenance bill like there is for Metal Lane and Derry Lane. Um, >> well, that's when development happens and his department's making sure that the roads are designed from the start and DPW the right way.

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>> That's right. >> They don't release bonds until they're signed off on. And I don't necessarily think we have a history of doing the right way. >> First, the first 20 years might be profitable. >> Yeah. No, we don't. >> No, we're we're going to talk about that complete street thing, too. Well, the first 20 to 25 years is probably

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profitable, but then the maintenance bill hits and then suddenly now we've got to do another development to pay for the maintenance of the one that has to be redone. You know, if so, I should be very careful about doing developments

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where the town has to take on the road, even if it's 20 years out. um those are are less likely to to pay out in the longer run. >> Well, then that's a different issue. >> Yeah, I agree. That is a different issue. >> Yeah. I mean, so if that's where we want

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to focus from an economic development standpoint, then then we should do that, right? That's that's my opinion and I'm I keep throwing it out and we're I'm open for debate, but I think that fits in with what we'll get to in a minute and maybe we're

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working toward that mission statement. >> But we have no control over that whether a development comes in here. We're not going to say, "Well, 20 years from now, how's that street going to the street's going to look?" You know what I mean? We don't have >> Well, we can we can pro promote Yeah. We we can't control it, but we can advocate

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>> for certain kinds of development. We can point we can do the math, >> which is why I've done this property tax analysis. Say, here's the map. You know, here's the the the properties that are profitable for the town because we have

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a limited amount of developing land. >> And if if you got a limited amount of land, you want to do it put it to the highest per acre value to the town. And you say, "Well, that's there's more things that matter than just the the

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money." Well, that's true, but you can't, you know, maintain the town without money. And, you know, if our school beds, it keeps going up a million dollars a year. Well, ours, >> we don't have any money.

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>> You have our knees don't go up. If you have a commercial or an industrial picture on that piece of correct Yeah. You know, >> to to me that's right right now is the the low fruit if you and I know there's

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a lot involved in it, but the low fruit is developing industrial part. >> Oh, absolutely. >> Without a doubt. Without a doubt. >> There's a lot of hoops to jump through and and that. But to me, developer wise, different businesses, different opportunities. That's the road

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that could lead us somewhere 10 years down the road. >> Right. But there's a limited amount of space in our industrial >> 400 acres or something like that. And >> I'd rather see that I would too. >> All solar fields. I mean, >> that's true. >> Yeah. If we can, you know,

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>> as much as I I think the the for WG >> WGI >> was, you know, rather generous, I love them as the type of business we want to have. I've always identified them as

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kind of the top tier on the ideal type of business to have, >> right? But if there was I mean a t I think it requires what 30 30 employees over 10 years or whatever. A you got to make sure that that's happening, >> right?

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>> Um but b 10 more of those buildings went in and there's another >> 100 300 employees. >> Yeah. you know, that add >> to the, you know, going to get a coffee or >> Yeah. >> That's a great thing, >> right? And I would, it's low impact on

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the town because it's in and out there. >> Exactly. >> Right. And and I've always advocated that we fill up our our capacity on on the industrial parks and have you done any

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analysis of what that capacity is specifically? What infrastructure is needed? And I know that that we've had we've talked to who was a mass development that you know could do plans for that if if they could help out doing

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that if we think we need that kind of help. >> Yeah, I'll look into it. Um I know our indust u industrial restricted area um let's drive in that particular area. Um

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it sits I I think that well it has water and I believe sore in that particular area there. The only other issue is that um it it sits on top of the the town's aquifer. So then there's kind of development issues there as to what you

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can and can't have there. But um >> again I I'll look into sort of the >> Yeah. When you say 400 acres, you're counting all the IR >> I that was the number I heard to learn. >> Yeah, that would include all the carvado land that's now

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>> well some of it sold but um but you also >> I would guess have the opportunity for Sam West Road or the >> Yeah, that's right. >> where the car dealer or the >> auto parts place is and there's some areas that could be developed to >> Yeah, I agree. Miller and approved if

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need be. Yeah. Although >> Sam West is is residential versus >> kind of mix. Yeah, there's a mix. Yeah, >> it's like a a building, a building, a house, a building. >> But there are some open industrial slots. So

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>> there there are Yeah. >> Okay. I think making that connection would make it advantageous for for you know books. >> Yeah. I if there's some way to kind of

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lay that all out in an organized way, uh we could even take it to the Western Mass Economic Development Group and say, "Here's >> a resource. Let's organize it, present it to them, and say, "Here's

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>> the industrial area that we have, the specific, you know, business area. Here are the kinds of businesses we're looking for to go in there." Because as we listen to those presentations, they're targeting two kinds of things for western mass, two particular

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industries. One is food science. It fits into South Lake I think really well. And the second is quantum computing, but either of those and and I don't know what part of quantum I'm picturing research into quantum computing at this

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point. Um, you know, so high-tech And you know, food science might be high-tech. I don't know if it's actual indoor growing or research or whatever, but those are two two categories they're targeting in. And we should take an

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inventory, so to speak, of our industrial area and make it available to the the leadership of Western Mass. >> Okay. >> Economic development there. based in in

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right in the center of Springfield Square. >> I think that's something we can also post on our our website. I mean, much of you know, >> we can come up with >> with something that's that can be pushed

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out to the public to even a a map of here are places that are available for lease or even purchase or whatever. Um, and here's a whole list of the kind of things that we think would be ideal. Here's our tiff policy fully worked out,

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but >> yeah, let's pull all that together. Okay. >> For sure. Russ, you would know this. It's kind of off subject, but you know where Charlie Pratt's house is? >> He owns a lot of that land. He's passed away because his daughter owns it. And

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that's like right behind here. How many acres you boy it's >> it's big and I would think it's valuable land to the town. >> Yeah. Um >> because you know from the fire department how you you well you know the whole town.

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>> So part of the interesting part of that though is I'm not sure the houses that are out and back from college highway with the covered bridges. >> Yes. Oh yeah. Those. Yeah. >> So that that's what abuts that. >> Oh really? So that's a pretty big parcel. Yeah. Um, you know, because we

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had concerns about the covered bridge and I didn't be able to get over I remember that lean and and everything else. So, having a separate access to up top, but I think it's that was Charlie's land and I don't know who the land is that developed all the other >> but I think that was an older

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development that had so much open space and so much you know. >> Yeah, cuz I think there's a lot of acorage back there. >> Remember Charlie told me about his land. even ties into where the police have their gun range and >> Oh, does it really up next to the >> Oh,

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>> Edgewood. I think that >> Oh, it does. Huh? >> ties into that. >> It's a lot. >> All the great B comes through. There's a lot of wetland and >> some of it. That's it's up. So, that that's pretty sandy up in there, I think. But yeah, lower is great.

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Well, >> could be a place for density housing that you wouldn't even know it's there. >> It was nice to hear the pickle ball court when I was walking in. People playing over there. >> You heard the court. >> Yeah, I heard the people the court. Whatever. I'm looking go, what's that noise? Oh, there's people playing over

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there. >> No, it was nice to see that. >> No, I go out at 8 9:00 and playing basketball and >> Yeah, that's everything. >> That's nice. Okay. Well, >> I got to leave. I'll leave it to you, madam. But if there's any you need me to

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help out with, I will talk to Nicole about the um >> the budget, >> the social media, >> the social media, you know, agreement that >> I want to get moving on. >> Might be something I'm not thinking of. So, >> and it's she was confused when I first talked about it that it was connected to

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the town social media, but we're talk about it something we would manage for just >> I don't believe >> it's proportion of businesses right now. >> We did it with fire police do their own. Um I think there's other groups that the

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I'm not sure if the library puts one out, but there's they're kind of not part of the town's website. >> Right. Right. Right. I mean, you can link them, but um >> Oh, yeah. We should we should link everything, but but it's a matter of management.

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>> The town website needs a little work, I think, right now. The new one, it's seems a little clunky to me. >> It's prettier, but not as as user friendly that you're impressing for like a calendar or an agenda and I'm like, where where is it?

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You know? >> Yeah. >> Um it's funny. I know of another town that did the exact same thing and I went looking for the the agenda and I'm like where's the agenda? >> Was that Graanby? >> I couldn't mention it. >> Actually, it was two other towns, but sorry.

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>> Um >> yeah, I mean it we're only keeping it se separate so we can keep it keep it going so we don't have to go through another to keep it updated. You know, we had it so long a certain way that it was time

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for a refreshing and it's easy to to criticize, but right, these things take a while to process. So, >> but whatever we have, we've got our website that's already linked in. >> We have the shop Southwick is right up there and I put this in a couple years ago. It's right at the top

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>> permanent menu on on the town website. Y >> there's a one that says shop southick which takes them to our EDC website. Do you know what you get for traffic on it? >> We have over the last years. Yeah, I know exactly. >> Why did I not Why did I think there this

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would not be a surprise. >> We just topped 4,500 unique users, 1,500. And >> that's good. >> We topped 14,000 500 page views. >> Oh, >> that's good.

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>> So, it's not too bad for a talent 9,000. >> No. Whatever. >> So, it's being used And part of the reason for this Facebook one is Facebook will send people to the business director. >> My my personal feeling is we're way

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behind >> and and that the town should should be having somebody that is that's what whether it's a contractor or whatever. Everything's linking to each other. Everything's feeding off each other. Everything's pushing each other. Um >> right. And you can always add that. You

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can No, I know. But we have links. >> We have it. We have it. No, >> we're all We're all little islands, you know, >> other than, you know, I've got that link that is permanent link work to get that permanent link to shop South Lake. So, that's one main a big source of some of

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our traffic comes through that. >> You know, we talk about transparency all the time and we're not very transparent if we can't find anything. >> Exactly. There you go. >> Okay. >> I'm out. >> Appreciate you being here. >> Thank you, Ross. Good to see you. Uh again, give me a call if you need something. >> Okay. Thanks, Chris.

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>> And give me a call because you sent me an email about the board and your the um master plan and it sound like I might have been dropping the ball on something. If I am >> I sent you an email about the idea of

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the concept of creating that subcommittee to look at grants. I think that's >> that was one of them. But there was something else like you had a box to check for the master plan involved the select >> board. I know and that's what I referred to before is the select board was listed

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as a supporting party for one of the items and and I sent a couple emails and said if you don't respond I'll assume this board doesn't have an input. That was for completion. We had to >> okay >> the requirement for completion was we

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had to check with all the supporting parties. So I sent you >> because I got confused. I'm like, well, wait a minute. I'm the liaison. I'm trying to make the meetings now. I'm >> I know it gets it gets confusing. So >> it was as a supporting party. So if you don't have any input, you're good. Okay.

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>> And that and uh and it's taken care of because I'm going to submit it before the end of the month is completed. >> Thank you, Russ. Good to see. >> Thanks again. >> Get the puppy out of >> Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I know about that. >> Okay. Uh

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so anyway talked about the property tax analysis that also fits into the qualities for desired qualities for new business which ties into this idea of of having a a plan for the business uh for the industrial park.

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>> Okay. So, if we can make progress on that, I would love to to put that out because that fits right in to this wish list and say, >> you know, the first place I would go is is to Western Mass E CDC,

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>> which is involved in all the towns from Ham from the four counties of Western Mass basically, including out to the Birkers and up to Franklin County. uh and we get together and you're welcome

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to join that. It's on Thursday mornings. It's not really once a month on second Thursday of the month in the morning and it's one hour uh zoom call >> plus they have sometimes inerson things and they also

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>> they're involved in that big economic development meeting we went to. >> Yeah, they have an in-person meeting coming up. Well, I don't think it's their particular event. I don't know if you saw the email. >> Yeah, there's something June 3rd. I'm gonna be on a family vacation of the

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month that day, so I can't make that. And it was about uh financing. It didn't interest me that much, but maybe you want to go down. >> Oh, it's >> Yeah. >> So, what do we do with this creating wish list? Well, if if Alvin

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can gather as much information about available space, what's available for sale for lease, and we'll combine that with a wish list of the ideal types of businesses we we'd love to see come into

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our industrial park. You know, we don't want a big logistics trucking company. We don't have the infrastructure for that. uh for the industrial park. I mean, we you know, we've talked about >> doctor's offices or >> Yeah.

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>> you know, uh I don't know what we can do to get the doctor's office, >> but I'm just saying there there's probably much more than just >> this is a good start. The other place to put in the wish list

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is on the zoning. Which businesses in our town center, business restricted or in our transitional center do we want to put in the definition? Those would match the kind of businesses

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we would love to have. And you know, doctor's offices certainly should be by right, but any business we think is desirable should be in by right. So if you can develop a a list and we can bring it in and talk about it that would

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fit into that project. You know the zoning project should identify things we think are are highly desirable and things that you know you know car dealers, used car sales

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would have to be by by permission. I things that we we think are desirable should be in in there by right and I I think there's nothing wrong with

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with specifying certain businesses that way you know some has to do with you know that that they fit in and others are just their desiraability for the town. That second cannabis shop still hasn't

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opened yet. >> Is that a problem? >> You can't answer that question. All right, you don't have to. >> I did uh see the the developer came in a couple weeks ago. >> Name it Haven. >> Yes, Haven. Um, so I believe at that

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point they were looking to do I think they got the some permissions from the state to potentially open up a medical um marijuana. So they were looking to push that forward >> and they're the ones growing too and they had a

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>> No, I thought that was fine. >> Yeah, that was the other one. Yep. The >> one over by where Family Dollar was. >> Yeah, that's Yeah, even Yeah. So, so yeah, I'm not sure exactly, you

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know, where they are, but um yeah, sounds like they they they are making progress, but they just have they may have um had a wrench in in their plans. >> Okay. It's not us holding them up. They're no up from their side. Okay. >> So, how many of you do we want in the town?

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>> No, I mean, >> it's saturated now. There's too many of them. The town voted to have it done, so there's nothing we can do about it. Um that should that should be I don't think there's any more coming in. >> Yeah. So I think the town allowed um >> there supposed to be four. Did they

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interview three? I don't know. >> I thought it was three. >> Maybe three. >> Two could be retail and then one had to be medical if I can recall. >> But anyway, that that was sold a couple years ago. M

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>> uh okay then quickly on the last one noting that the soap fence was up on 42 depot I'd like to keep the pressure on because once they start actually developing I want to you

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know have a proposal if we can do it if we can get the the grant or the financing to do that quarter mile rail rail trail connector because there are 60,000 trips on that rail trail that we could

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funnel some of that traffic into our town center without you know some biking, walking, whatever traffic that will be customers without more parking. >> I don't understand what you're saying

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here. What's the relevance of the silt fence to supporting park and wreck? >> Because the my my proposed route for the the rail trail connector goes across the the property of 42 off a little corner

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and we presented it to them year and a half ago now and they said, "Oh yeah, we we'll cooperate. Anything you want to want to do, we'll we'll work with you to to run the rail trail through there, the connector So that's why it's tied in, you know, as

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they develop, we want we want to, you know, develop the plan for the rail trail, the connector at the same time. >> Mhm. >> And that would that's going to be 100 units and be great to have a walking route for those 100 units to come into

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the town center, help all the town businesses, a 10-minute walk, you know, without going through the traffic and the intersections. So it it it's several streams coming together, their development, our grant

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writing, our planning or whatever to make that all come together. But I think that would be a great boost for the town center. >> It sounds like this other is happening before the grant writing though, right? Maybe a show don't >> well just because they put up a sill

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fence as Alvin says they may just be putting a shovel in the ground to say >> to say that they're working on >> the starting point. >> I mean it's been a long time. >> Yeah, >> it's been years now. >> But they put a foundation in essentially

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>> has it just turned hands? It's a you know venture capitalists that are buying and selling that place. What is it? >> Well, they they bought it. It's a money thing. >> Two, three years ago for two million $2 million. >> Yeah, I know. >> They they've got to get their pay out on that investment because it's sitting

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there doing nothing. >> Bill alone didn't get that much money >> and the assessment has gone up. >> Yeah, I it may gone through a couple changes of the last >> How many acres? >> 22 something like that

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>> in the house and that's it. Yeah, it's not that big really. >> You know, if you go up the hill next to the house, it's it is a beautiful pile of land that goes kind of in a long rectangle, >> you know, facing the rail trail. And

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>> it it would be nice. It get 100 units in pretty dense connected units, not high-rise, but low >> twotory, I think. Uh it would be >> You've seen the plans, I'm sure. Right. That they had do they have plans?

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There's a limit plan. Not the final necessarily, >> but it would be great. It's it it's not going to be even visible from anyone going through town and it's it's going to be pleasant. Um, in any case,

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>> is there a restricted community or >> I don't think it's it's I think it's just, you know, whoever wants to, you know, like South. It's probably like South. Yeah, >> be very similar to Southfield,

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>> which is a pleasant area. Not that there Mill Road, you hardly even notice it >> that it's there. A lot of people don't know it's there unless they look for it. It's a private road. >> Yeah.

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>> Quiet. >> And there's parking there for the rail trail, too, at South View. >> No, they >> because I've been there plenty of times. They that it's supposed to be for the rail trail, I heard. >> I've >> You don't think so? >> I've always, you know, anytime I go back

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there, it says this is private parking, not public parking. >> So, yeah, it's obviously right along the edge of the rail. >> But we're going to get more parking for the rail trail. If we do the connector, we'd have some parking right in town. Plus, if the dog park goes in, there's park going to be parking

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>> at that end, too. Is that going forward or is that a standstill right now? The dog park. >> What's that? >> Yeah, the dog park. >> I don't I mean obviously they they've got some fundraising some issues. It's not being held up. It's it's still going

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forward as as planned. Yeah. I was just on the rail trail early this morning and ran into David. >> Oh, okay. and his wife and touch base on, you know, moving forward on some of these,

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>> you know, noted the complete street grant and other things that we just got to keep things growing going there. Yeah, that's the next one. We've talked mostly about it, but I'm going to keep

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checking on what can we do to get this group. I think we we just need a working group of people that are looking at it, >> you know, maybe a couple times a month and reviewing and and managing the

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process and the schedule and deciding when you have something to take before the select board or whoever to get get it approved to the next step and and get some applications for >> grant with those complete streets. What is what can you find out? Yeah, the

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first thing is they create a policy, a complete street policy, which basically if I'm going to say it, and I developed one, John Gddard developed one. I submitted one already months ago, saying this is what I think it could be. Few

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pages long. It basically says we're going to consider safety when we we develop uh when we do new developments and whatever in especially in the town center. It doesn't necessarily apply to

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out in the rural areas, but we're going to make sure it's it's safe for pedestrians and uh public transit, which we evidently now have some public transit, so we want to have some safe, you know, stopping points for them.

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>> Just things that we want to do anyway. And then if we have that policy and it's approved, then we can apply for a grant up to a million dollars. >> But what does this complete streets really mean? I guess I'm I don't >> complete street the the the term

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complete is that it it's not just cars but it's good for pedestrians it's good for bicycle it's good for public transit uh you know whatever it it's complete in that it it encompasses all kinds of

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street users not just cars >> so is it for just new streets or to refurbish the ones that we already have >> when you refurbish a street not counting a state highway. So really college highway doesn't it doesn't

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apply. That's a you know >> state do um but when you redo streets consider you know pedestrian use and that type of thing in in doing it. Don't they have a

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list somewhere that that um >> Well, we write it into our policy. >> I mean, isn't there some guidelines that >> Oh, there's a whole website and I've referred to that, you know, many times as I put this on the agenda. I've got links to the website. I can give you

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that link again if if you don't have it, but you can go to the state website and it explains the program in great detail. In addition to a million-doll construction grant, you can also get a 22,000 something development grant.

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So to to create the plan, you can get a grant for the work to create the plan as well as as 500,000 or up to a million if it qualifies. Uh so that's where I'm pushing it as much

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as anything. It's another source of revenue for uh for economic development where we don't have to use taxpayer money. So the plan is for one street. When you refer to the plan that's for one street or

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>> well once you have the policy is for the town when they consider new development especially new town center. Then after you've got the policy approved then you propose a specific project. And that's where we're talking about. We need a a

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committee from different departments >> to decide on which which project whether it's be this bike connector, it might be Point Grove Ability,

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whatever we decide. Then then you write up an application. You have to come up with estimates and all of this. You have to have all the planning, you know, covered. That's why

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you can't wait till the last minute. If wait, if we wait too long, we're not going to get into the next round, which would be this November starting. >> Uh, >> it's once a year. >> Yeah, once a year. November to January is the application window.

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>> And then if you get approved, then >> who here writes the grants? Someone like Alvin? I could um right I probably work in conjunction with the folks at DPW. >> Yeah. In any case, DPW has to be involved because they they know the

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>> the details of the road issue. What would be the first project? And what do you The two projects I'm thinking of are the bike trail connector because it it does talk about network connectors because on the website for complete

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strict it gives all the qualifying projects and one of them it says bike trail network connections. Uh, you know, there's John Goddard thinks that might apply to a different

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grant. I mean, there may be several grants that any one of these projects could do. I think it could apply to the Point Grove Road because that's a very unsafe street now. A very uncomplete street. >> It is. It is. >> And there's room for a sidewalk probably

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on both sides or >> at least one >> particularly from >> incomplete. Yeah. From Brad. ramp. >> Yeah, >> brass rail. There's public parking right there, too, next to the boat ramp. >> Public general parking for not even boats. Free parking. It should go from

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there to the at least to the rail trail and that connection. You could run it all the way down to to the Lakewood apartment, >> Connecticut line. Yeah. >> To the Connecticut line. >> Yeah. But if that's too much for now, run at least to the public parking at

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the bow ramp because there's in that radius of about a half a mile there are over 300 residences. >> Yeah, it's very congesting. It's it's dense a lot of so by half a mile it's all walkable

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or bikable or whatever you know they can walk down in there and there's >> five restaurants maybe with Kongaban pizza closed if there's somebody else coming in there >> you know you have you have the blackboard the lodge the >> um

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>> brass rail >> brass rail the >> bar shop >> the bar something else in there >> uh rail trail in all of those are in that group. Plus, you have the public boat ramp. There's a

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gazebo, a pier going out, fishing, you know, place for people to go to the waterfront. It should be a pleasant walkable area. It's kind of run down and unpleasant and unsafe to walk right now.

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>> So, I mean I mean anything we did as a town would have to be fully funded by a grand, right? I mean, we're doing, right? That's the goal here. That's why we want to do something like a complete streets, a million dollars, >> get free money, >> could do a lot of cleanup work there.

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And and you because basically you're just putting in walk and crosswalks and whatever to make it safe to to walk through there from all the the side streets, the little side streets. people could walk in there and it would it's

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absolutely economic development because it'll help all the businesses in that area and the recreation assets in that area and connecting the rail trail to the boat ramp to boating fishing you know

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>> all that stuff together from what I understand is connecting to commercial corridors helps the score high >> right and and that's a commercial corridor and and also the connection from the rail trail to our town center is certainly a commercial corridor in

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the town center. >> So it doesn't have to be a street project then >> it it it's a rail trail. It's a it helps. Yeah. And that's that's a question whether that would apply. I think reading their you can go to the

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website and read their list. I think it's worth trying. You know, maybe it worth something else. There are other grants that we could do. There's mass trails grants. There's, you know, there's federal grants even that that

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you we can try for. Um, it wouldn't apply to College Highway because it doesn't apply to state roads. >> So, we can't do it right in the town center, but Point Grove would Yeah, definitely work.

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So that's >> So where's the real real intersect point rule? >> It's just at the rail trail end. You know where the rail trail end? >> Yeah. Where that? >> Yeah. It comes in kind of underneath.

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It goes >> by the OK package store. >> As you drive over, you have to look to one side or the other to real even realize you're going because the rail trail goes underneath. Excuse me, the railroad there. Yeah, >> but you can go behind the rail trail and

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and go down the hill to the rail trail >> and connect to it. >> And there's no real connection there, is there? >> It's It's kind of a gravel road that's kind of steep, but you Yeah, it's connection. A bicycle can go down. A walker can go down there. It's

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connection. But yeah, it's you could walk around there to to see. I've >> I've never done it times my life, >> but even just to drive down to the boat ramp and and look at that road and it's

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it's got a decent amount of traffic because it's one of the passages into town from Connecticut there. >> Very busy. >> And it's it's fairly busy. So it's it's needs. >> When they were pulling that truck out the other day, you should see all the vehicles there. Were you down there?

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>> I I wasn't there. I saw the story about it. >> You heard about the the truck that was in there. >> Robot on the ice. >> Everybody in the world was there. A little overkill, but >> Well,

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it's a good show. I'm glad they got it out without >> releasing a lot of gas or pollutants. I hope u so the these are the type of things that I think fit well into economic development that we can you

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know our role is to advocate for these kind of things. I we don't as many times say we don't have the power to make things happen directly but we can influence other people push them advocate promote

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and that's what I'm I'm trying to do. Uh >> yeah, I just I'm trying to differentiate between what we take on and and make happen because we can make things happen or we push that verbal string and

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waste time when it's I I think that we're getting attention. you know, we had you were here when we had John Goddard and David Glory and >> that's we're starting to get some of these people together that I don't you

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know the way I describe it is to have a strategic and intentional pursuit of grants. I don't think we've ever had that. You know, we've we've had we've we've applied for different grants here and there as they come up. Has

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anybody actually said, "Here's a list of all the grants that we might apply for. Here's a list of all the projects we might be able to use grants for. Here's a schedule of how we might, you know, get the applications ready over the next

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three years to maximize the number of grants we get. It's if we can get a million dollar grant, it's worth a little bit of effort." >> It is. I'm just thinking about we were talking about the central business district so to speak and how back maybe

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I don't know 15 20 years you know we were talking about the master plan and um you know the town center and all the things we're talking about right now but >> for some reason it never got ahead of steam and it just >> that an alternate town center is kind of

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a huge leap we're talking about little >> I'm not talking about that no that's just yeah >> no I'm just saying this the exact same things we're talking about now with you know mixed housing and >> y >> and uh >> well we're going to I don't know if we'll be successful but it's worth trying a million dollar grant

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is $250 per taxable property >> but if we can resurrect some of these ideas because there was a lot of thought that went into them back there instead of reinventing this proverbial wheel um >> well bring up bring up anything you want bring up >> no I'm saying they they are they're town

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documents I don't know where they are I somebody must have these things. But um it's just interesting to hear the same things being discussed right now that >> well if they failed before doesn't mean we're going to fail. So >> no I'm not even suggesting that. I'm

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saying I don't the homework's been done. It seems like it's out there instead of starting from scratch. >> Well if it's 10 20 years ago I think we'll have to start from scratch. I don't think that what they did 10 20 years ago is going to be helpful. But if you find something prove me wrong. But I

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have spoken with um a select board member uh Doug Moin and he sort of let me know that hey this effort you know was was tried before. >> He's been around a long time. >> Yeah. So I'm sorry. >> Which effort? >> The um the town center and creating like a a town center. Uh

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>> we alternative town center. >> No I'm not. >> No it's not alternative. It's >> Oh this town center. >> Yeah. >> Well we do have sidewalks. There wasn't sidewalks when I came here. So, I mean, something has been added. It's not ideal. I don't like the

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>> the drag strip style. Um, >> you know, it's too bad is the utility poles. I mean, too bad they couldn't have been underground. That just looks horrible, doesn't it? >> But one difference is my my approach. I don't want to create some kind of

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big huge plan. I want to do it an incremental thing here and there. I'm very much believe in an incremental approach. We can find this project. Let's do that. Then find another project over here. Let's do that. If we can do Point Grove Road, we don't have to have

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a master plan for the whole town to do Point Grove Road. I'd rather just do that one. If we can do it a rail trail connector, that's worth doing by itself. I don't have to have another plan. If we can do crosswalks across the College Highway, I would do that in a minute

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without having a master plan for everything else. doing incremental things is a way to actually make it achievable. >> I just know that uh there's things that we could probably be doing as EDC such as um you know, sourcing grants that are

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available for the little individual businesses, you know, to upgrade their fronts. >> Yeah. >> And you know, which doesn't cost us anything and it does enhance the town just like South Wick and Bloom. There's there's a lot of that stuff we could be doing as well. Yeah, please jump in and and do it.

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>> But I'm saying we're getting a mile wide and an inch deep. And that's what concerns me with some of this stuff. There's so much that needs to be done, you know, that. And it's >> Well, you're you're suggesting other things, but >> what's that? >> Like doing grants for individual businesses. So I'm suggesting that we,

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you know, even on our website, if we were knowledgeable about these things, we could make it available to these businesses because none of them are going to investigate this on their own. So to me, we should be a source for these business. >> Okay. Well, come up with some

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information. I'll put it on the website. >> It's easier said than done when you're >> Well, you're proposing it, but you're proposing things, too. I'm just saying what >> Well, I'm I'm proposing things I'm actually going to do. So, >> but you're part of a committee here. That's why I'm saying, >> right? So, please jump in and and

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propose some things that you will be involved in doing as well. >> I think it's a little unfair, but we >> Why is it I mean, we've got to all pitch in the They all take work. Um, and we've got four people right now plus

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Albert. you know, I I think we need to be supportive as we can to, you know, what's what's on the table right now, but >> right, I'm I'm doing a tremendous amount of work outside of this this group and I'm willing to do do more if it's

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worthwhile. And um so I think the things that I've been suggesting all are doable. Even, you know, if I don't get any help, I think they're doable. So I'm pushing it. If other people come up with ideas, yeah,

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let's do it. I think South and Bloom is a great idea. I don't have the time to take it on myself, but you guys have >> have brought it up and I I fully fully support it and I'll do anything on the side of the

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>> entry to to support that, but I can't be involved in detail in every single project. So, I'm just saying if if there's uh something you think we ought to be doing, you know, if you can, I'll support it,

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but I can't do it myself. Everything every idea that comes up, >> nobody's asking you to. That's don't misread that. >> But we'll put it on here. >> Let's post it. Let's try to to finish this. We

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already talked about the tiff policy. We did keep going there. Uh, let me skip ahead to the the Ed. So, welcome with Tyranny W. Did you come up with a proposal? >> No, because is it your friend? Is his name John? >> John because we were going to talk about

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that. We're maybe because at our last meeting we said maybe we should invite him to a meeting or should we go there? Is he going to have a ribbon cutting? I don't know. Do you know? >> I >> do. We We don't really do that in South I don't think. Ribbon cutings, do we?

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Yeah. And I >> Westfield does, >> right? And >> is that something I think it's something we should do? >> We did that. I know for when Jordan Health went in there. Remember, we went down there. Um, >> right. >> I don't know if it was a ribbon cutting,

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was it? I'm not sure. >> Yeah, it it was. >> Yeah, >> it was a ribbon cutting cutting and include the select board and and other parties. So, it was a fairly big thing and and I don't know if they who initiated it. >> I don't either. Uh if it if you don't

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know who it was, then it wasn't EDC. >> Uh but I >> I think it was EDC. >> Yeah, I went to it just when I started. But >> yeah, you were just And yeah, >> if Angel was there, I think I'm not sure. >> Amanda was there from

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>> from the chamber. >> Chamber. >> Yeah. So do you do you talk to John Tourney? >> Is >> he there? >> Right. >> Is he there? All right. He's got attorneys in there. It says on the sign.

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>> Oh, he's got um >> And is that tax service part? He bought that building. Is that right? >> Keith Roy is in there. >> Oh, Keith Roy. Is that Is that what K whatever is? Oh, all right. He's into taxes now. I didn't know that. So, but does John own the building?

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>> He does. >> Okay. >> Well, I'm willing to do whatever. I guess I'll knock on his door. >> You want to if if you want me to go along and just, >> you know, schedule a visit at his place to welcome to invite him to this meeting, whatever you want to do.

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>> You know him? >> I'll call him. >> Will you ask him? Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. just ask him if he'd like to to have a discussion about what if there's anything we could help him with. You know, as a economic development, we love

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having him in town. >> And if nothing else, I like to make him feel welcome. When when the bagel shop opened, I went in and talked to the the owner and and he introduced him to the business directory. >> Stop in.

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>> Go ahead and stop in. >> I should I would stop in. Yeah. Yeah. And one I haven't put him in the business directory yet because I thought we were going to get together with him, but that can be a reason to get together. >> I'll call him and I'll call you >> to show him the the business directory and

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um you know get his listing set up in it. >> His name is John, right? John Kink. >> And I'm I'm around anytime except June 3rd to >> Okay. >> 7th. got a family vacation and go out.

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>> Okay. I'm going I'm going to be gone May 28th through June 2nd. I want a trip to London. >> Taking my sister and >> but no, I'll call. We'll set up a time. >> Okay. >> All right. Um I'm going to come back. I

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think we run out of time to do any more on the mission statement, but what I I just wanted to point one thing and I pulled this up on the website. The website stay out. Where is the

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>> Do you want to go with us too? Sure. Okay. >> There it is. >> Now, is your office here? It's >> Yeah, right upstairs. Oh, it is. Okay. >> Yeah. Up, you know, where the land use >> Yes. >> just go down the end of the hall. >> Okay.

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>> And to the left. >> Um, this is the vision statement in the master plan. >> Now, it's kind of wordy, but the things I pull out of it, the vision is saying, here's what we picture Southwick being

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in 2040. Okay. uh we picture it being a thriving business community based on agriculture plus a healthy variety of enterprises and employment opportunities small business to light industrial. So the key

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words here, agriculture, light industry, small business is kind of the the mix that the vision is with a quaint and walkable downtown area with the Bur local shops and restaurants. So that's

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part of the vision and I I think that's doable. I mean, we've got a a small base of it. just need to to encourage and upgrade it by making it more walkable. That's why I wanted to get crosswalks in, slow down the speed limit. I want to

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get the bike trail connecting and I want to get more of that kind of business. We want to change the zoning so it's easier for these kind of small businesses to come in by ride. >> Isn't that speed limit a dead issue now or no? >> Oh, we can always bring it back up.

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>> What's that? >> The speed limit thing. Well, the cops have that sign now. Do you see that? We got a sign like the other towns do. >> Oh, the the >> the speed you're going, you know, whatever that's called. >> Whatever. No, I I think if we the reason

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for the speed limit was so we could have crosswalks. I think it's it's unsafe. I go by there all the time where people are trying to dodge traffic running across there at the top of the hill. >> Oh, yeah. >> We need a flasher by summer house.

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crosswalk by the summer house some and we need a bump out so it's got a safe >> Yeah, it is bad over there. It really is. >> And you need a a protected you need the ball the temporary flexible >> getting in and out of that summer house is crazy. You can do it fairly cheaply

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with a and make it and just having the crosswalk there with the the flashers and that will make people slow down rather than fly over the hill and it'll be easier for people to pull out there. You know, some of those businesses near

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the hill, you got to really pull out because they come, you can't see the cars until they're, you know, >> so I mean that's an approximity of this uh rail trail thing. So, would that be part of the complete street? >> Well, complete streets won't apply to

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College Highway specifically, but they might apply to that connector, >> right, >> that comes off the rail trail. >> Um, anyway, the the picture is quaint and walkable downtown area with diverse local shops. You want it to be a

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pleasant place to walk. It's not a pleasant town center to walk in. >> No, >> no one walks. I never seen anybody walk. Yeah, it's not >> there's there's still people >> not a lot. >> It's not it's not a place I want it to

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be a place where you know in my neighborhood it's it's not a three street so there's a a half mile block and people walk all the time. It's not that people don't walk but if they have a nice place to walk you >> constantly off of tannery there's a

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block of Salem Lexington. >> Oh yeah yeah yeah I know you are. Yeah. Yeah. >> And people are >> Yeah. People want Oh, my where I live in Westfield, people walk everywhere. >> And if we had a pleasant downtown area, people would walk. And a lot of the

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businesses in the the small businesses >> are not necessarily places somebody sets as the destination. I'm going to drive to this business and park, but if people are walking by, they'll stop in. Mhm. >> Uh and and that's the idea of a walkable

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town is you got a lot more walk-in traffic to the the businesses, walk-in people, >> uh then >> Well, Alvin's here now. Who's people are going to want to stop see Alvin? >> Yeah. No, the first thing I did with Alvin was to walk

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>> I know you told me you walked him around the town >> and to say, "Here's what I would picture what we need to do to make it quite walkable." and that's that's my driving vision. Uh and then the other businesses spread out

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need to complement the character of the town uh and and keep the economy viable and sustainable. You don't want to get to the point where there's not enough money to keep the maintenance up and everything starts to go down and it

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looks shabby and people leave and instead you want to have enough economic vitality that that we can keep things maintained and and looking nice and flowers planted. >> So, we have some of this, we just don't have it all.

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>> Right. This is the vision of what we want to see. And I'm and that's why when I wrote my my quick statement and I have it somewhere in my my stack. I was trying to refer primarily to the master plan for the

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detail because I wanted something that was really short and say okay what do we as as uh the economic development commission do? Well, we try to do things

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that will support um you know, our master plan goals. And I we don't have time to get into it here. We're already after eight, but give some more thought to that. I would like to put a revised statement on >> mission statement

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>> on the homes website. You know, what we have in there is just kind of ridiculously wordy. >> Yeah. Yeah, it is. Anything you want to add, Alvin, for the end of this meeting?

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>> Well, uh, planning board related matters. I did meet uh today with the um WGI in regards to they're looking to expand obviously uh they were awarded the TIFF. >> Um, so I looked at their their

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preliminary plans uh today um for 60,000 square foot. Um, >> does it physically connect to their current building? >> It does not. This would be a separate building, >> but it's in the the property >> industrial park. Yeah. >> That's contiguous to their current property.

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>> Yes. Adjacent. Um >> and so this would have uh closer frontage to uh Hudson Drive. SWAT the the other well the existing building more faces even though it has a Hudson Drive address.

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Yeah, >> this one will have >> will go out to the far end kind of where the Hudson Drive ends right now. >> Yes. Closer to Hudson Drive. >> So they own that property. >> Yes. Yes. So

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>> they've owned that for years. They're taxed on it. But by developing it, it'll be worth far more. Yes. >> In tax when we finally get to >> They're nice people though. So GI >> Oh, I love having them in the town. very ideal >> business for the town. This

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>> Oh, yeah. >> He's give away. >> Yeah. >> Um, outside of that, I'm trying to think >> how's the tea house doing? >> Yeah, Grapes Tea House. They are coming uh next week, Tuesday, to the planning

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board for the um to extend their outdoor cooking um permit. So, like every six months they have to renew their their outdoor cooking. After our last meeting, they were approved for a minor site plan modification which uh required them to

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um cuz along with their use of the accessory uh outdoor structures, they had to have ADA accessible paths that would connect from the structures to the uh main door. And then we also realized that the the playcape that they have also has to be ADA accessible. So,

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they're going to have a couple of paths um that will lead to the building. Um so, they uh they were approved at the last planning board meeting. That's good. >> For uh for that plan, >> I'm trying to think of what those um the

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launch 81 points >> the launch. Yeah, about it. >> So, they have a new restaurant. I believe it replaced the Kagaman Pizza. It's now I believe it's called On the Hook, Off the Hook or something. And so they are looking to have a tiki bar out

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closer to or >> to the water >> here by the pier. Yes. Yes. >> Well, that would be nice. >> So, um yeah, so they got to figure that out with their liquor license. And then also they'll have to come before planning board if they do move forward with it. Um because it's within the

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flood plane. Um they'll have probably they have to check in with conservation. So that they'll have to >> Is that the owners of the marina that own the launch or is it separate people? >> Um that I'm not sure. >> Yeah, I'm not sure. >> Yeah, if we could make that road and

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walkable in front of the launch that would add so much to the atmosphere of the tiki bar and everything that >> Well, remember we had one of the wasn't one of the on the economic development. >> Frank >> Frank, wasn't it Grill? >> Gillow. I don't he owns

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some some slots near there. I don't know which ones. There were an issue with beavers and stuff where you know was had a lot of problems with pancoms conservation.

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So we'll see if they move forward. But that that's uh that's what I have for um planning board matters that uh intertwine with economic development. Oh, and I heard too, friend of mine told me where Krabby Joe's was, where that marina,

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>> gem marina. >> Oh, yes. Yes. >> Heard that it's under new management. Someone's in there now or they're going to be opening. >> Well, Mr. Eckles is the owner of the building. He um I marina, right? >> Yes. So, I believe he has a new tenant.

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Um I know heard he u is likely to get his liquor license. I've spoken with him in regards to that cuz he wanted to expand upon his marina slips for more rental. Um I guess to uh accommodate for shortfall.

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So now that he's going to get his liquor license, I think he's going to abandon that plan. >> Okay. Because he was looking for parking spaces and stuff, right? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. That's all it's all >> good good development to go forward with.

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And and as far as the next month agenda, you can submit any ideas all month long. You know, when the next meeting is is June 17th, >> I I do the agenda >> a week ahead, >> a week ahead. I want to have it submitted the Thursday prior to to our

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meeting, the next meeting, June 17th. So, please send me agenda items that >> that you want to put in there at any point and I will, >> you know, send my proposed agenda out by the middle of that prior week. Okay. Uh, >> motion to adjurnn.

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>> Motion to adjurnn. I'll >> make a motion to adjurnn the meeting. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. meeting today.