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Stratford’s new community engagement and business teams report outreach results and programs after six months
Summary
Council heard reports from the community engagement manager, small‑business manager and economic development director about outreach to more than 1,000 residents, 80 businesses, new programs (e‑gift card, workforce development), and a housing and redevelopment pipeline; councilors asked for clearer follow‑up and data sharing with district leaders.
Three staff presentations at the June 8 meeting highlighted the administration's first six months of work on neighborhood engagement, small‑business support and economic development.
Community engagement manager Erin said neighborhood outreach has reached more than 1,000 residents through district meetings, that staff are building tracking systems and that the office has resolved a range of constituent issues by coordinating police, social services and other departments. "We have... over a thousand residents at the meetings... we've been able to resolve a lot of issues," she told the council, and described how tips from meetings produced multiple narcotics arrests and removal of improperly parked or abandoned vehicles.
Councilors praised the volume of outreach but requested clearer data sharing and advance notice for district leaders. Several councilors asked that meeting follow‑up be copied to district representatives and suggested adding neighborhood updates to the town newsletter so residents who do not attend can see outcomes.
Ann Gados, manager of small‑business development, said she had contacted 80+ businesses, organized at least ten ribbon cuttings, created a centralized marketing asset library (≈200 items) and will launch a Stratford e‑gift card program to encourage local spending. The program will be virtual, use a Mastercard product, include more than 70 businesses at launch and offer a limited promotion at rollout.
Economic Development Director Jimmy Capra summarized priorities to expand the commercial tax base: redevelopment of the former Army engine plant, train‑station area initiatives and remediation of the contract‑plating site, all aimed at diversifying revenue and creating jobs. He said more than 1,000 market‑rate and affordable housing units are in the pipeline and that the department is pursuing transit‑oriented and mixed‑use opportunities.
Councilors and staff agreed to strengthen communications so district leaders and residents receive clearer follow‑up on issues raised in meetings and to continue linking neighborhood outreach to economic and housing initiatives.
