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Westerly EDC proposes year‑round marketing plan, urges policy changes to attract industry
Summary
The Economic Development Commission outlined a marketing strategy based on interviews with some 25 local employers and recommended targeting intermediaries, tailoring messages by industry and pursuing policy changes — including vacancy‑tax enforcement and adjustments to commercial tax policy — to attract year‑round businesses.
Douglas Brockway, chairman of the Westerly Economic Development Commission, told the town council on Nov. 17 that the commission is developing a year‑round marketing plan aimed at attracting medium and small businesses and strengthening the town’s off‑season economy. The EDC said it has interviewed roughly 25–26 local firms across manufacturing, health care, arts and hospitality to shape targeted outreach.
The draft plan, Brockway said, focuses on three target audiences: intermediaries such as commercial brokers and lawyers who steer business location decisions; employers that might be persuaded to locate in Westerly; and regional educational institutions to cultivate a local talent pipeline. Brockway also highlighted a Dec. 10 Rhode Island Department of Transportation community meeting about a proposed commuter‑rail connection to Westerly and asked that town representatives attend that outreach session.
Why it matters: EDC members told the council that marketing alone will not solve structural problems in the local economy. The commission flagged a mismatch between available jobs and local labor participation, constrained industrial real‑estate supply and policy settings that may discourage long‑term investment. The EDC proposal is intended to dovetail with potential policy changes, not to replace them.
Key details: Brockway said the EDC’s interviews show manufacturing and health care are promising targets but that those employers often need physical space and a reliable workforce. “If we had [commuter rail] in this state, then MBTA could drop you off in Boston,” Brockway said, arguing the rail proposal would make regional connections easier for workers and employers. He also said the EDC is testing slightly different marketing messages by industry — what would attract a health‑care practice differs from what would attract an engineering firm.
Policy levers under discussion include boosting the town’s commercial tax rate, rewriting and enforcing a vacancy tax to deter long‑term property hoarding, reviewing American Opportunity Zone designations, and tightening short‑term rental regulation to preserve workforce housing stock. Brockway and several councilors said each policy would need additional study and resources to implement and enforce.
Council reaction and next steps: Councilors generally praised the EDC’s listening campaign and suggested the commission continue refining the plan through December and January, with an eye to an early‑February review by planning staff and the council. Brockway said the EDC will engage Commerce RARI and explore whether an outreach or “concierge” staff role is needed to help businesses navigate town permitting and services. The EDC plans further meetings in December and January with a goal of presenting a more detailed draft for review in February.
The council did not vote on policy changes at the meeting; members agreed to continue the discussion alongside the EDC’s evolving marketing draft.
