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EDC hesitates to post business directory on Pembroke website, favors internal list and permission-based approach
Summary
Committee members recalled a previous, outdated town business listing and agreed not to publish an unmaintained directory; they recommended a permission-based form and suggested starting with civic organizations before expanding to businesses.
The committee discussed whether the town website should host a public business directory and recalled problems from a decades-old list that became inaccurate and difficult to maintain. Committee member S6 said the EDC had previously decided against posting a business listing because it became out of date and required ongoing maintenance. "We had decided at that time not to put it on the website because the maintenance of that would..." S6 said, noting businesses often move or close without notifying the town. (SEG 736-739)
Members proposed alternatives: begin by listing civic organizations (scouts, booster clubs, library) that are less likely to change frequently, or require businesses to submit a permission form that the town could renew periodically. The group discussed automating validation using state records (Secretary of State) or third-party tools. S6 suggested keeping a comprehensive internal database for staff use and sharing curated examples with the select board as a proposal for public-facing content.
