EDAC chair asks Select Board to streamline site-plan review and improve business-facing website content

Kathy Bergstrom, chair of the Town of Swansea Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC), asked the Select Board for support to make the site-plan review process more business-friendly and to improve the town’s business-facing website content.

Bergstrom told the board her goal was not to criticize staff but to identify opportunities to simplify processes and to make online information easier to find. "Statistics show that a person will click on something three times and if they can't find what they're looking for, they leave," Bergstrom said, arguing that a clearer website path and better-populated business listings would help entrepreneurs and small-business owners.

The nut graf: EDAC is proposing both edits to the town website—consolidating economic development content under a clear header and updating business listings—and outreach or volunteer support to help business owners navigate permitting and site-plan steps.

During discussion board members and staff described how the planning and economic development content currently appears on the site under multiple headers and that Adam (planning staff) performs an initial review to determine whether a site-plan review should come to the planning board. Bergstrom said EDAC can work on refreshing property-availability listings and business-directory accuracy and will coordinate with staff (Katrina, Adam, Stefan) when posting changes.

Bergstrom also said EDAC has discussed collaborating with the Conservation Commission on wetlands ordinance changes but had not yet spoken recently with Conservation Commission chair Sherry Domino about a specific recommendation. "I haven't talked to her about that specific recommendation," Bergstrom said.

Ending: Bergstrom volunteered to work on website updates and property-listing accuracy and asked the board for its support; board members thanked her for taking the initiative and encouraged coordination with planning staff.