Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council advisers seek funding and scope for a town economic development study
Summary
Council staff announced a $50,000 legislative earmark to fund an economic development strategy and said they will apply to the state Best Practices Program for additional grant money; members discussed scope, timeline and coordination with the Planning Board.
At its July 12 meeting, the Council of Economic Advisors discussed launching a consultant‑led economic development strategy after staff said the town has secured a $50,000 legislative earmark to support the work.
"We are getting an earmark from the legislature to help fund that. It's $50,000, which is is good," staff member John said, adding the town will also pursue the state's Best Practices Program grant to expand the budget.
The study, as described by staff, would document a shared strategic vision for the town's commercial sectors and be developed with multiple partners. John said the work typically takes about a year but that the schedule depends on scope and funding. He emphasized the importance of coordinating the study with the Planning Board so that study recommendations can inform potential zoning or bylaw changes and future town‑meeting items.
Members asked the committee to prioritize the study's key questions and noted several near‑term analytic needs — notably vacancy tracking, business‑inventory data and targeted regulatory analysis — that could produce actionable recommendations before the full study is complete. John said staff will prepare a draft scope, collect members' questions over the next two meetings, and seek consultants once grant decisions and the earmark timing are clear.
John also warned of a fiscal timeline: the earmark is expected to need to be spent by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2027, which will affect how the town phases work and contracts with consultants.
The council did not take a formal vote on the study at the meeting; members agreed to refine questions and to align the study scope with Planning Board priorities and four related planning studies already funded through the town appropriation.
The next steps are for staff to compile member suggestions into a scope document, post it with the next agenda, and proceed with grant applications and consultant outreach as funding becomes certain.
