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Norfolk EDC outlines two-priority plan to support local businesses, schedules 'Norfolk Night' for Aug. 22
Summary
The Norfolk Economic Development Commission agreed to prioritize two initiatives—convening town commissions to compare perspectives and convening business leaders to design a speaker series—and scheduled a "Norfolk Night" at the Five Points Arts Center for Aug. 22 to engage residents and merchants.
The Norfolk Economic Development Commission (EDC) agreed at its June 11 meeting to concentrate its efforts on two principal initiatives aimed at supporting and attracting local businesses: convening town commissions and stakeholders to align perspectives and convening business leaders to identify mentoring, speakers and supports for a speaker series.
EDC members discussed several concrete ideas to support local firms, including a speaker series for small businesses, a business directory on the town website and "How to do business in Norfolk" guides. Commissioners acknowledged past difficulty getting strong attendance at events and emphasized the need for active promotion and relationship-building to ensure participation.
As part of outreach and promotion, Sue Frisch and Susan Caughman will update the Norfolk Map and Guide; funds are currently available for printing but the transcript notes that additional funds may be requested for distribution (amounts not specified). Cheryl Heller said she met with the executive director of the Five Points Arts Center and that a small planning group including Jon Riedeman and Peter Aziz will meet with Judy McElhain to develop a "Norfolk Night" at the center; the commission scheduled that event for Aug. 22.
Assigned next steps from the meeting include: arranging the Norfolk Night planning meeting (Cheryl, Peter and Jon), inviting Rista Malanca of the Northwest Hills Council of Governments to speak at an early session (Peter or Cheryl), circulating a draft Norfolk Cultural District proposal for EDC review (Cheryl or Jennifer), and researching SBA and Connecticut state economic development grant opportunities (Peter).
