Economic Development Commission Minutes 11/14/2013 ADOPTED

Town of Simsbury
Economic Development Commission
Regular Meeting
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Simsbury Town Offices – 7:30 am – Main Meeting Room

MINUTES

1. Call to Order
Chairman Mark Deming called the regular meeting of the Economic Development Commission to order on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 7:33 am in the Main Meeting Room at the Town Offices.  The following members were also present: Kristen C. Barnett, David Balboni, Louis N. George, and Charles A. Minor.  Also in attendance were Mary Glassman, First Selectman; Hiram Peck, Planning Director; and other interested parties.

2. Approval of the minutes for October
Commissioner Deming entertained a motion to approve the minutes for the October meeting, as presented.  Commissioner Balboni made the motion which was seconded by Commissioner Minor and unanimously approved.

3. Reports: FVVA; SMSP
Nancy Antstey of the Farmington Valley Visitors Association announced that the 2014 guide to the valley will be delivered at noon that day. The Haunted Miniature Golf Tournament was highly successful with over 2,300 attendees.  She has been contacted by a tour company in the Midwest to include Simsbury in a New England Holiday Christmas Bus Tour on December 4th.  They are also working on the Tri-Simsbury Triathlon.  50,000 copies of the brochure will be printed.  Some people access the brochure online.  They are working on a website and have noticed an increase in phone calls and letters.

Sarah Nielsen of the Simsbury Main Street Partnership was unable to attend the meeting but a woman spoke on her behalf and passed out and discussed a brochure on the Simsbury school system.  She also discussed Small Business Saturday, Salvation Army Toy Drive, and an eight page article in the Hartford magazine about Simsbury.  She then discussed applying for a preservation of place grant from the Connecticut Main Street Center to create a pond.  She also discussed state tax credits for historic buildings.

4. Status of: The Hartford Land Use Study and outreach; Big Y; Simsbury Meadows; recreational area
Hiram Peck, Planning Director, discussed a meeting of The Hartford Land Use Committee.  He stated that the trick is to make sure that any potential user finds the code to be user-friendly so that the code can be adapted to whatever the user wants to do.  He said it is unlikely that the building will only have one user and will more likely have multiple tenants.  He stated that the general feeling is that they have about 24 months to find a new user.  Commissioner Deming asked Mr. Peck to describe the concept of “site-ready”, or “certified site”.  The State of Connecticut DECD currently has no such program.

Regarding Big Y, construction should begin in the spring.  Commissioner Balboni asked about a Zoning approval process regulation that requires a project to begin within two years of approval.  Mr. Peck clarified that the regulation has been changed to five years due to the economy slowing builders down.

Commissioner Balboni expressed concerns about the potential dangers of the large transformers near the special needs housing site.

Commissioner Deming asked about a grant proposal for Simsbury Meadows.  Mr. Peck stated that there has been no indication that it has been approved.

Commissioner Barnett asked about making a book of potential Eagle Scout projects.  Mary Glassman, First Selectman, said that Scout leaders prefer to tailor projects to the Scout, but they do have a list of potential projects.

6. Discussion of the EDC website
Commissioner Deming decided to skip to discussing the EDC website.  Commissioner Barnett discussed the EDC website of the town of Ridgefield.  She chose Ridgefield because it has demographic and economic similarities to Simsbury.  Commissioner Deming said that the current EDC website is “less than optimal” and should be made more interesting to read and use.  Mary Glassman said that the technology task force is currently working on it, but the process could be expedited.  Commissioner George stated that developers are going to want to see GIS mapping on the website.  The commission then discussed the costs of maintaining a website separate from the town website.  Commissioner Barnett offered to compile the commission’s thoughts on what they want to see on the website.  Commissioner George suggested that the website be moved along quickly because developers will be interested in The Hartford property.  Commissioner Deming suggested forming a subcommittee.

5. Allocating the EDC budget
Commissioner Deming stated that most of the EDC budget is allocated to the Simsbury Main Street Partnership, and some money is allocated for outside activities.  He asked if the commission was willing to contemplate allocating money to organizations willing to do an activity that the commission thinks will add value to the commercial tax base.  Commissioner Balboni asked if this was designed for other groups to compete against SMSP.  Commissioner Deming clarified that the groups wouldn’t compete against SMSP, but for SMSP.  His idea was met with some skepticism.

7. Proposed 2014 Meeting Schedule
Commissioner Deming entertained a motion to approve the proposed 2014 meeting schedule.  Commissioner George made the motion which was seconded by Commissioner Balboni and unanimously approved.

8. Old/new business; Celebrate CT with CERC on 11/26
Commissioner Deming discussed an invitation to the Bushnell to meet with EDC commissioners and developers from around the state.  Mary Glassman handed out tourism farm brochures to promote agri-business in Simsbury.  Commissioner George mentioned planning events at the Hartford and it may be a benefit for EDC commissioners to attend.

9. Adjournment
Commissioner Deming entertained a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Commissioner George made the motion which was seconded by Commissioner Balboni and unanimously approved.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:42 am.

Respectfully submitted,
Stephen Yenke, Commission Clerk