NHCOG OKs $25,000 contract with Connecticut Main Street for workshops and approves downtown inventories using housing funds
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Summary
After debate about consultant value and pace, NHCOG voted to enter a $25,000 contract with Connecticut Main Street for workshops and to fund downtown inventories (~$33,900) and a Ginkgo platform subscription using recently awarded housing funds; one town recorded opposition during votes.
NHCOG members voted to contract with Connecticut Main Street for a regional workshop series and to commission downtown inventories for all member towns using new housing program funds.
Rista, NHCOG housing/downtown specialist, presented the Promise program and said NHCOG staff recommended using an already-budgeted $25,000 match to pay for Connecticut Main Street workshops focused on downtown visioning and capacity building. "We developed this workshop series so that we could meet communities where they were at," Rista said, noting workshops were intended to be iterative and tailored by community.
Several members supported the work as a relatively low-cost way to build local capacity. "Every little bit helps," said Greg Lacava (Warren), who volunteered his town's participation. Others, including a representative from Burlington, voiced concern that Connecticut Main Street had previously moved too quickly and that consultant work could become a "check the box" exercise; Burlington registered a recorded opposition on the vote.
The council also agreed to procure downtown inventories and a subscription to the Ginkgo platform so towns can maintain on-street and business inventory data. Rista said the inventory work would be a one-time cost (about $33,900) with roughly $6,400 for the platform subscription. She recommended using $41,000 of the $100,000 housing allocation to cover programmatic work, including inventories.
Procedural notes: The motion to enter the $25,000 workshop contract passed with one opposition (Burlington). A separate motion to authorize the inventories using housing/RSG funds also passed with one opposition recorded. Members asked that staff ensure the content/inventory work serves all 21 towns and that Main Street staff demonstrate measurable deliverables.
Why it matters: The workshop and inventory work is intended to help small downtowns attract businesses, compile local data for the developable land inventory required under the new housing law, and position towns to compete for funding that will be tied to housing growth plans.
Ending: Staff will finalize contracts with Connecticut Main Street, set a schedule of workshops and inventory work, and return with updates on roll-out and deliverables. Rista asked member towns to submit business lists and content for Discover Litchfield Hills to speed the work.