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06/16/2009 EDC Minutes
Town of East Hampton
Economic Development Commission
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
East Hampton Town Hall Meeting Room
6:30 PM

MINUTES

Present:        Chairman Richard Leone, Cindy Rooth, Todd Schrager, David Shulman, and Jack Solomon (arrived late)

Absent:         Commissioners Kimberley Fontanie and Alan Pawlak

Also, Present:  Mary Ann Dostaler, 56 William Drive; Chris Edge, Connected to CT; Kerry Nielson, Director of Community and Environmental Planning; Jeffery J. O’Keefe, Town Manager; Sue Weintraub, Town Council; Elizabeth Harris, Streetscape Committee and Lori Lanzi, Recording Secretary

1.      Call to order:  Chair Leone called this regular meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.

2.      Approval of Minutes:  David Shulman made a motion to approve the April 21, 2009 minutes, seconded by Todd Schrager, vote in favor, motion passed.  Vote:  Yes 4 – No 0 – Abstentions 0 (Note:  Jack Solomon had not arrived at this point.)

3.      Announcements:  Chair Leone announced we have a new member that was recently appointed, Jack Solomon.  We welcome him.

4.      Town Manager:  Town Manager Jeff O’Keefe would like to see the Middlesex Redevelopment Committee added to the agenda as Chair Leone is a member and can bring updates to this committee.  Particularly about opportunities for grant submittals.  Mr. O’Keefe met with Planametric’s, today, and they have a draft initiative they are working on especially in regards to affordable housing. The Village Center may fall nicely into the incentive zone grant.  Chair Leone asked if it would include redevelopment of existing structures and new development.  Mr. O’Keefe said yes.  Cindy Rooth asked in talking about affordable housing is this, the same thing as Royal Oaks and Mr. O’Keefe said yes.  Mr. O’Keefe is meeting with the new Chief Operating Officer of Bevin Brothers on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 and is looking forward to getting a better idea of his plan to bring the factory back up to a much higher production operation.  Rich Leone offered to get together with them after Mr. O’Keefe.  Mr. O’Keefe had a great meeting regarding the 11 Skinner Street fitness center project.  Jim Carey and he meet with a development team about their ideas and things are still moving forward.  Strawberry Fields Festival was pretty well attended. Mr. O’Keefe expressed his disappointment in hearing Bella-Victoria is closing their doors.  Town Budget passed and this is good news.

Town Council Liaison:  No report

Community Dev. Director:  No report

5.      Public Comments:  Mary Ann Dostaler, 56 William Drive, expressed her concerns regarding the June 3, 2009 P&Z meeting she attended regarding the Home Based Business Initiative.  Ms. Dostaler stated she did not see anyone from EDC in attendance and the P&Z board tabled the proposed regulation on Home Occupations for the time being at this meeting.  Mrs. Dostaler expressed her concerns about some home based business and the town not being protected due to the tabling of this regulation.  She asked what EDC is going to do about this, if anything.  Rich Leone stated there was a scheduled joint workshop with EDC and P&Z that two commission members attended.  Chair Leone was informed it did not workout to be a productive workshop between EDC and P&Z.  Chair Leone had hoped for a good working relationship between the boards and is going to bring this issue to the Town Council.

6.      Presentations:
  • Streetscape Committee presentation on way-finding signage initiative:  Streetscape Committee member Elizabeth Harris and Sue Weintraub, Town Council presented a design option for the town’s logo to be used on way finding signage.  This logo can also be used on other town signs, town vehicles, and other town buildings.  Teri Prestash of Red Barn Studios who was unable to be present worked on the design logo also.  The design includes a bell and ship with various color combinations on it.   Sue Weintraub presented a “draft” list of where signage would be located and those buildings the signs would be directing the public to.  A life-sized sign with the logo and wording was presented to the committee. A colored picture of how the way finding sign would look on the pole on the corner of Main Street and Route 66 was passed around to the committee members.   Sue also presented a proposed welcome to East Hampton sign that could be placed at the entrances to East Hampton.  She also briefly talked about the Gateway sign that used to be present at the corner of Main Street and Route 66 that had been removed by the DOT project.  She suggested potentially moving the banner portion of the sign to the piece of property the town owns at Route 196 and Main Street.  The Steering Committee will do a presentation for the Town Council next.
  • Connected to Connecticut activities report:  Chris Edge reported to the Commission (handout made part of the record) the contacts, visitations, and meetings he made during May and June 2009.
                
7.      EDC Liaison Reports:
  • Summary discussion of other Board & Comm. Activity:  Chair Leone attended the June 9, 2009 Town Council meeting representing EDC regarding a town noise ordinance that surrounding neighbors of Angelico’s was petitioning for.  He stated he supports Angelicos’, he did not support a noise ordinance, suggested a band shell with soundproofing.     
                b.      Formal liaison assignment discussion:  Tabled.

8.      Old Business:
  • Blight ordinance action plan update:  Chair Leone indicated this initiative seems to have stalled due to unforeseen circumstances.  Jeff O’Keefe volunteered himself and Kerry Nielson, Director of Community and Environmental Planning, to work on acceptable language for this ordinance.  The board was in agreement they do so.
  • Home Based Business Initiative – joint mtg. w/P&Z:  Alan Pawlak and Cindy Rooth attended the May 6, 2009 P&Z meeting.  A meeting they understood to be a joint workshop between P&Z and EDC.  Cindy Rooth expressed her disappointment in the way they where treated at the P&Z meeting and expressed her concern for the lack of cooperation EDC has received from P&Z.  Cindy Rooth discussed what EDC came up with Planametrics and the guidelines would be very simple to follow.  This is an area that needs regulations and residents can be hurt without this initiative.  Cindy Rooth felt she and Alan would have been part of the discussions during the entire workshop.  She found she was only allowed to speak during the public comments portion of the meeting.  During this time she discussed the efforts EDC put into putting the proposal together.  After discussing her disappointment in this workshop with P&Z  the EDC board agreed to:  (1)  Discuss EDC’s concerns and disappointment at the next Motherboard meeting; and (2) Jeff O’Keefe will speak with Jim Carey to get his take on the workshop.
  • Town/EDC Budget/CTC:   Chair Leone announced the town budget passed and EDC’s budget was not cut.  The CTC contract expires at the end of this month and Jeff O’Keefe and Chair Leone will review it and make a recommendation to the Town Council.  Chris Edge will get a copy of the contract to Jeff O’Keefe.
  • Update on New Businesses in Town:  Sweet Cravings and Xchange for Change are doing well.
  • East Hampton Bell Ringer:  Chair Leone reiterated the commission needs to find a way to print the flyer in a more cost effective way.  Chair Leone asked Jeff O’Keefe to find out what it would cost to make copies of the flyer on the Town Hall copier.  Jeff O’Keefe suggested obtaining the files from the company who produced the previous flyer as these should be town property.  Chris Edge will call the printer they used to see about getting these files.  Chair Leone and Chris Edge are working on a bid for upcoming flyers from a local company.
  • Business of the Month concept:  Chair Leone suggested we piggyback on the wayfinding project when it comes to signage for this concept.  Todd Shrager asked how EDC would decide who is awarded business of the month.  The commission needs to develop criteria for choosing the business of the month.
  • Farmers Market Grant Opportunity:  Grant submitted, no update.
  • Strawberry Fields/Village Center Event:  Todd Shrager said the event was very successful and hopes it becomes bigger than Old Home Day.  He thanked everyone for their help and said he would like to expand on it.  The businesses who participated where very happy as where the vendors.  Jeff O’Keefe said expanding on it will be a natural process year after year.  They should look to do four or five events a year.  The Christmas event should go well and Bevin Bell is donating bells for this.  Todd Shrager said they are thinking of sponsoring a Clambake.
9.      New Business  

Jeff O’Keefe gave an update on the DeStefano property:  AT&T had to move wires and then CL&P will come in to move their poles.  It should be about two weeks before any movement for DeStefano’s clean up and planting of grass begins.  He hopes the town will get money from the STEAP Grant to purchase this property.  Mr. O’Keefe suggested we draft a Bid/RFP to solicit what developers would see as their vision for the center of town.  

Cindy Rooth asked why Bella Victoria is closing and Mr. O’Keefe said that they just want a break and if they decide to reopen, it will be in Glastonbury.  

Mr. O’Keefe would like Economic Engines added as an item to the agenda (i.e. what are they/what they should be, and what we can develop) to explore what businesses we can bring into town.  Cindy Rooth suggested we register East Hampton on the Connecticut Film Industry Production Resource Directory.  Chris Edge will follow up on this idea.

Chris Edge distributed a handout  on 7.8 PO/R Zone;  Professional Office/Residential – Main Street from Route 66 to the Village for the commissions review.  Please bring your comments back to next meeting.  

David Shulman informed the commission four members of the community have received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce in the past five years and hopes a fifth member of the community will be next.

10.     Public Comments:  None

11.     Adjournment:  Chair Leone moved to adjourn this regular meeting at 8:45 p.m.


Respectfully submitted,
Lori Lanzi
Recording Secretary