Economic Development Commission Minutes 04/09/2015

Meeting date: 
Thursday, April 9, 2015

SUBJECT TO VOTE OF APPROVAL

Minutes of Economic Development Commission

Meeting of Thursday April 9, 2015

 

Meeting called to order at 7:30 am

Member s present: Chairman Mark Deming, Vice Chair Kris Barnett and members George, Minor, Balboni, DeVivo, Raphael and Bligh.

Also in attendance: Hiram Peck, Director of Planning and Community Development, Sarah Nielsen, Exec Dir of SMSP and Nancy Anstey of FVVA, an several member so the public.

 

Previous meeting minutes of March 5 Special Meeting were approved.

 

Hiram Peck provided an update of activities including a discussion of the Town wide survey that will be conducted soon. The survey will cover an update of the items that were the subject of the 2008 survey and also include survey questions regarding the proposed Senior/Community Center and issues regarding Open Space in Simsbury.

 

Mr. Peck stated that the survey would be done by Great Blue Research firm in a manner which is statistically defensible. There will be a public meeting held before the survey is conducted to allow for public input into the process.

 

Nancy Haase, provided an update on the Economic Development Task Force (EDTF) activities to date.

She asked the EDC to approve a request for the updating of the Town Branding information which was done by Simsbury Main Street Partnership (SMSP). After some discussion as to the mechanism for this update the EDC moved, seconded and voted to approve the funding for the Branding update by a vote of 5 in favor, 2 opposed and 1 abstention. Messrs. Deming and George voted in opposition and Mr. Balboni abstained from voting.

 

The Town website refreshing work is to begin soon with a project completion target of September 15, 2015.

 

Jeff Shea, Town Engineer, gave an overview of the work being done in connection with the Simsbury Meadows Master Plan. The slides Mr. Shea presented were the same slides that were discussed at recent public meetings and are also available on the Town web site.

 

Regarding the proposed use of the Hudson Property at 1 Old Bridge, it was stated that discussions are ongoing and that CT Audubon has expressed an interest in working with the Town to provide or enhance the bird watching experience in the meadows area. No decisions have been made regarding this association at this time or the ultimate use of the property.

 

Meeting was adjourned at 9:15 am.