Minutes of the regular meeting of the Economic Development Commission held on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 in the Multi-Purpose Building, Riverside Road, Sandy Hook, CT. Vice-Chairman Rau called the meeting to order at 7:30p.m.
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PRESENT: Robert Rau, Bruce Walczak, Joe Hemingway, Ted Kreinik, Chuck Stofko, Brian Aumueller Kim Danziger, and Tom Long. ABSENT: Chet Hopper ALSO PRESENT: Director of Community Development Elizabeth Stocker, Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors President Pat Linnell and member Attorney Anne Ragusa.
Minutes. Upon motion of Mr. Walczak, the minutes of March 21, 2006 were unanimously accepted as amended.
Communications. Mr. Rau and Mr. Walczak will attend a meeting tomorrow that P&Z is sponsoring concerning the Plan of Conservation and Development.
Ms. Stocker received a letter and brochure from the Connecticut Development Authority concerning business assistance programs that are available. She also received a Northeast Utilities quarterly newsletter. She presented information from Expansion Solutions magazine concerning opportunities for advertising.
Reports.
Director of Community Development. Ms. Stocker reported that the following commercial applications are pending before P&Z: Seven Berkshire Road for a 7,500 s.f. building, Newtown Woods for elderly housing units and Spath Construction for expansion on Dusty Lane. She reported that the Board of Selectmen agreed with Connecticut Resources Corp. that the Corporation would put a bond together and secure funding for clean-up with a private developer of the Batchelder property. She is working on changing the format of the ad in the New England Real Estate Journal.
C. Stofko. Mr. Stofko attended a Northeast Utilities seminar. The speaker offered to make a presentation to the EDC and Mr. Stofko provided the information from the seminar to the EDC. He also attended a seminar on eminent domain. He said that Supreme Court Justice O’Connor wrote the dissenting opinion and felt that private ownership is in jeopardy. After the seminar, Mr. Stofko feels this is much ado about nothing.
Old Business
Strategic Plan.
Agriculture and Equestrian Businesses. Mr. Aumueller said that he and Mr. Kreinik will plan to be facilitators for a focus group on agriculture and equestrian businesses. A breakfast meeting is planned for May 16 at My Place. Ms. Stocker will provide Mr. Aumueller a list of possible attendees.
Bringing new businesses to Newtown. Mr. Danziger reported that the meeting scheduled in Hartford concerning the technology park was cancelled. Mr. Rau reported that the Battelle Memorial Institute report on nanotechnology indicates that Connecticut is too late but that the state is trying to do something in this field. Mr. Danziger will host a tour of neighboring technology parks on May 3 to begin at 10:00 at his office.
Brownfields. Mr. Danziger had no report this month.
Public Participation.
Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Linnell said that businesses have concerns with the process of moving into Newtown and issues with signage, parking and access. Also some note a lack of support on the part of some Town officials. She said that Lexington Gardens did not proceed with plans for expansion because of parking issues and that Eton Center has been vacant for so long and Ms. Linnell gets many real estate inquiries about the Center. She said that the Chamber does make businesses aware of the EDC’s business incentive plan. She said it is important for Chamber members with concerns to attend meetings such as this. Ms. Ragusa said that Ms. Stocker writes a regular column in the Chamber’s newsletter. Mr. Rau said that the EDC wants to bring companies into Newtown and take care of the businesses
that are here. He said that the Black Swan was having difficulty in obtaining approval from P&Z to expand and Mr. Hopper attended a P&Z meeting on their behalf and they obtained approval. Ms. Stocker noted that the two businesses mentioned are in the Borough and not under the Town’s commissions, however, the EDC members said that they would assist the businesses in both the Borough and the Town. Mr. Danziger said that the EDC would be willing to propose amendments to P&Z regulations that would assist businesses. Ms. Linnell said that rental costs are high in Newtown for retail and office use. She said that sometimes the attitude in Town Hall is negative towards both residential and business applicants. Ms. Linnell said that at the Chamber’s meeting this Thursday the members will be told that they must make the Board of Directors aware of what they need and what problems they may have. Ms. Stocker’s EDC email will be included in the newsletter. Mr.
Walczak will call Ms. Linnell to further contact between EDC and the Chamber of Commerce.
New Business
Traffic in Newtown. After some discussion, Mr. Kreinik moved that the Economic Development Commission should play an advisory role representing the businesses of Newtown. The EDC confirms its advisory role in any plans relating to the traffic of Newtown per the Mission of the EDC. This statement will be sent to the Board of Selectmen, the Legislative Council and the Police/Traffic Commission. Second by Mr. Aumueller and unanimously carried.
Adjournment. Upon motion of Mr. Stofko the meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
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Ann M. Mazur, Clerk
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