Economic Development Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes
Recorded by Sharon Rossi
July 20, 2015
Attendees: PRenaud, AWood
7:00 p.m. Meeting Opened:
Due there not being a quorum present, the May 26, 2015 meeting minutes will be addressed at the next meeting.
Broadband Information from PRenaud:
Ellen Scarponi is the director of Government Affairs and Business Development for Fairpoint and has been very hard to make contact with. I would like to get her to attend an EDAC meeting.
FairPoint recently opened a data center in Concord and is toting this as ‘a business where businesses can store any data at that location. It’s is a cloud environment where rental space is available for businesses to use their data center. An established business could benefit from this, but not the little small business companies. At this time the connectivity in Greenfield has always been problematic, and this wouldn’t be a good solution for the town.
The fiber optic lines that FairPoint is putting in are geared towards increasing their middle mile capacity. TDS is another possible option, since they have fiber going through the town center. EDAC will contact them in the coming months.
With the info that Paul has gathered, EDAC needs to start looking to finding funding sources.
PRenaud has a list with descriptions of funding sources compiled by the state. Grant writing assistance may be available through DRED.
A new state law has passed allowing Special Assessment Districts which enables better internet to be brought in to the unserved outskirts of town through a new tax. A property owner who wants the internet would be taxed higher to bring better internet to them. A majority of people in the district would have to agree on this. The law becomes effective on Sept. 12. This would help towards infrastructure, but could have some adverse reactions. PRenaud has an idea to expand EDAC within a Community Development focus which could help bring broadband to town.
AWood suggested a separate broadband committee. As it stands now, we need another person for the broadband committee. Community development would be more interesting to townsfolk rather than EDAC, so new members could be of help in bringing the broadband issue to the town.
Community Development would cover things like the Meetinghouse restoration. EDAC meetings would be quarterly whereas the Community Development would meet, maybe monthly. Some ideas for EDAC/CDAC to pursue: senior housing, tax increment finance district. Land use plan is another item to be looked into by a community development committee.
AWood said everything we’ve learned from all these meetings is there isn’t a large push for an industrial area, but mainly small businesses and bedroom community is the general consensus that the town wants. The appeal to tourism would be enhanced by embracing the State Park and all it offers. New small businesses is where the money comes in, but if we don’t have them, no way will the town get the taxes needed for growth. Making it very viable to work from home is a perfect way for the town to grow.
PRenaud said solar panels is another means of promoting growth in our town as there are certain locations in town that would be perfect for net metering of solar panels.
AWood said “All the broadband companies want guarantees if they put in the hardware, and in this day and time, the town can’t finance this. Perhaps if a broadband meeting should take place and asking the different broadband companies come and explain would be a good way to inform the town of these options.”
In closing, PRenaud will be meeting with the Select Board in the next two weeks to discuss the organization and goals of the EDAC.
List of items to be addressed to the Select Board:
Community Development/EDAC separate committees
Member issue
Broadband dichotomy/separate committee
Land use issues: possible fixed wireless antenna ordinance
8:28 p.m. Meeting adjourned.
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