Economic Development Commission Minutes 11/20/2015 SPECIAL MEETING

Meeting date: 
Friday, November 20, 2015

Economic Development Commission

Special Meeting Minutes

November 20, 2015

“Subject to Approval”

 

 

1.            Call to Order

Kristen Barnett, Co-Chair, called the special meeting of the Economic Development Commission to order at 7:35 a.m. on Friday, November 20, 2015 in the Main Meeting Room of the Simsbury Town Offices located at 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT.  The following members were also present:  Carolyn Bligh, James Devivo, Leo George and Chris Meile.   Also in attendance were Thomas Cooke, Director of Administrative Services, Nancy Haase, EDC Task Force and other interested parties.

 

 

2.            Review of Minutes – November 12, 2015

 

Minutes were not reviewed at this meeting.

 

 

3.            Action on Recommendations from the Economic Development Task Force

Ms. Haase distributed and reviewed the Town of Simsbury Economic Development Task Force Final Report, dated November 2015 and noted that some items have already been approved.  She thanked everyone involved for the work on this report.

 

Ms. Haase briefly discussed the following:

 

1.            EDTF Goals and Objectives

a.            Mission Statement

b.            Goals

c.             Core idea

 

2.            Marketing Group

a.            Website

b.            Library

c.             Refreshing the brand

 

Marketing Group Next Steps:

                1.            Website

•             Create new and simplified, customer–friendly content

                2.            Manage annual photo contest (ongoing)

•             Create a catalog of fresh web images

•             Keep Economic Development Commission in the forefront of the Town brand

 

 

3.            Refresh Branding (December 2015)

•             Re-work brand material created for Simsbury Main Street Partnership to fit color and messaging of the new Town website.  Brand materials and revised graphic standards will be available to use by the Town as it chooses.

 

Programs Group Next Steps:

 

1.            Economic Development Project Evaluation and Discussion Guide/Glossary of Terms

•             Re-present Guide and Glossary of Terms to the Economic Development Commission (EDC) to ensure consistent review of projects.

•             Make documents available to developer prior to presenting to the EDC to make certain the transparency of expectations.

•             EDC should establish the regular review of the Guide and Glossary and update as needed.

 

2.            The Business Incentive Policy (BIP)

•             Consider appropriate mechanism and level of funding for the infrastructure fund in the 2016/2017 budget.

•             Establish a regular review of the policy conducted by Business Development Committee – with continued consideration of state and national programs.

•             Develop communications targeting key business publications, both in print and online, such that potential decisions makers are aware of the new policy.

 

Process Group Next Steps

 

                Land Use Process:

•             Combining Planning and Zoning Commissions requires charter revision.  Analyze whether similar communities with combined commission have benchmarked improved competitiveness and other advantages or disadvantages.

•             Define optimal sequencing of board and commission meetings; adjust meeting schedules to align with optimal sequence.

 

                Staffing:

•             Plan accordingly for staffing requests in the annual budget approval process to support the economic development function.

 

                Commission/Board Members

•             Recommend specific alternatives orientation and continuous education programs and options for funding by the Town.  Outline tools and resources for orientation available to nominees from the very beginning of the “onboarding” process.

•             Town should approve simple, standard method for recording roll call votes at Simsbury board and commission meetings.

 

 

 

Ms. Haase discussed the Concluding Recommendation:

The Economic Development Commission develop three Implementation Subcommittees – Marketing, Programs and Process – to continue to facilitate the Economic Development task Force recommendations.

 

Where it is the recommendation of the Process Group that the important function of economic development be under the authority of the chief executive officer, these subcommittees will take ownership of appropriate recommendations under the supervision of the chief executive officer’s office.

 

Ms. Haase asked Commission members to adopt this report.

 

Board members asked questions to Ms. Haase which included sub-committees involvement and time.

 

Mr. Cooke made a recommendation and discussed the identification of individual liaisons for each sub-committee. 

               

Commissioner George made a motion to accept the Final Report of the Economic Development Task Force and further recommend that Commissioner Deming or Barnett prepare a letter for the Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday, November 23, 2015.  Commissioner Meile seconded the motion.  All were in favor and the motion passed.

 

 

4.            Adjournment

               

Commissioner Devivo made a motion for approval for adjournment at 8:15 a.m.  Commissioner George seconded the motion.   All were in favor and the motion passed.