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Concord economic vitality committee updates business outreach, tourism partnerships, food-safety grants and stormwater fee plan
Summary
Committee members reported progress on a business-owner survey, video profiles with Minuteman Network, expanded food-safety trainings and grants, third-Thursday retail nights, and a stormwater enterprise fund rate-setting process that will shift costs toward nonresidential properties.
The Town of Concord Economic Vitality Committee received a series of program updates on Wednesday covering business outreach, tourism promotion, food-safety training and a stormwater fee proposal that will change how stormwater costs are allocated.
Beth (Tourism Manager) reported that a promotional partnership with the Minuteman Network will produce short business-profile videos to attract and recruit businesses. She said travel and media interest has increased: “We have a large spread in the Boston Globe ideas section. They are doing a section for 02:50 on April 6 that we will have a 2 page spread between Concord, Lexington, and Merrimack Valley.” Beth said press outreach has included national and international outlets and that a March meeting for businesses will be recorded and shared.
Committee staff reported a business-owner survey distributed to three shopping districts (Concord Center, Thoreau Depot and West Concord). The survey’s stated goal is to build customer profiles so the town can develop a bench of prospective tenants to shorten vacancies.
On public events and retail supports, Beth described plans for a “Third Thursdays” program in Concord Center to keep shops open later monthly from May through December and to pair retail hours with small cultural pop-ups and music. The committee also discussed the April 19 events schedule and logistics affecting downtown parking and deliveries.
Economic Vitality staff said a food-safety training program will certify roughly 80 local staff in ServSafe manager and allergen awareness certifications and will distribute grants to support farm stands ($3,000 grants) and to enable food businesses to operate at larger events. "We've been able to help people come back and retest," staff said of training results.
Public Works Commissioner Sven Weber summarized the stormwater enterprise fund process. He said the bylaw was approved at a prior town meeting and that the public works commission set a proposed $1,000,000 budget for the enterprise fund; the commission will hold a rate hearing before town meeting. Weber explained that the new fee will be based on impervious area and will shift an estimated $490,000 of costs from residential taxpayers to nonresidential property owners because nonresidential parcels account for approximately 49% of the town’s impervious area.
Carlin Reed (Finance Committee member) urged Economic Vitality Committee members to present to the Finance Committee or to attend FinCom’s review of warrant articles to ensure those articles’ fiscal implications are considered. Committee members agreed to identify point people for two pending warrant articles (accessory retail/industrial and commercial parking) and to prepare communications and decks for planning-board hearings.
The committee also discussed local lodging availability for large events, noting that state use of a Best Western property will end later in summer and that hotel room inventory and rates for large conference dates were tight.
The committee set its next meeting for March 19 and adjourned by voice vote.
