2026-09-21 - Economic Development Committee

00:05Hello all. Welcome to the town of

00:07Grafton Economic Auburn. Sorry,

00:10[laughter]

00:13I just came from Grafton. Welcome to the

00:15town of Auburn economic development

00:18committee on September 21st. It is 6:04.

00:23Thank you.

00:25Okay. So,

00:28first on the agenda is CMRPC

00:31permitting guide update.

00:35>> Great madam chair. I'll take that. Um

00:37probably some of the other ones too, of

00:39course. Uh just wanted to update this

00:41committee because you were involved sort

00:43of at the beginning of the process. uh

00:46just to keep everyone in the loop, I

00:48know we looked at a preliminary, you

00:50know, an early draft of some of the uh

00:53some of the the guide that CMRPC put

00:55together based on staff feedback. Um

00:58there was we this committee did have

00:59some comments. I think most particularly

01:01those comments about the density of the

01:03information and uh sort of the I want to

01:06say the contents, but kind of like the

01:07action page being kind of buried a

01:09little bit. So I gave that feedback to

01:12CMRPC. uh they're also getting some last

01:15minute feedback from a couple of the

01:16other uh divisions as well. So uh it is

01:21I have not so that feedback has

01:22happened. They're in the process of

01:25making those changes. They're also in

01:26the process of getting photos to uh and

01:30mesh into the document. Um so uh I don't

01:35know ex I have not been given an exact

01:37date when that's going to happen but

01:39it's it's fairly imminent now. Uh, two

01:42things related to that. So, we had

01:44talked before about what format it was

01:45going to take. So, as it turns out, um,

01:47and I wasn't fully I mean, I was kind of

01:49clear on this, but it's I'm now more

01:51clear if that makes sense. Um, so

01:53there's going to be two pieces to this.

01:55There's going to be the standalone

01:57document, the version of which you saw

01:59at the last meeting. Of course, that

02:01document will be edited, graphics will

02:04be added, etc. Uh, so that will be

02:06something that someone could print out

02:09and take with them or we could have a

02:10hard copy in in our offices for

02:13distribution or whatnot. There will also

02:16be a uh a web page if you will. Um,

02:21it'll probably reside on the economic de

02:23economic development committee web page,

02:25but it's actually going to be what they

02:26call a story map. I don't know if folks

02:28are familiar with this. It's it's a it's

02:30a sort of an uh it's not new anymore,

02:32but it's a a sort of it's a in more

02:35interactive web page kind of situation.

02:37So, instead of being static pages, you

02:39can scroll things, you can link to

02:41things, and I know CMRPC has been doing

02:43that with a lot of their projects. Uh we

02:46do we did learn that we have the

02:47capability to uh once we get that live

02:51so to speak uh even if CRPC were to

02:54dissolve which they're not but even

02:55though they were dissolved tomorrow uh

02:57with several staff in Auburn have the

02:59license to use that software and so we

03:02would be able to make changes more or

03:04less as we see fit as for example I know

03:07we talked about what if staffs change

03:09what if departments change you know who

03:11knows what might happen in the future so

03:13even if uh So even though CMRPC's work

03:16might be soon done with this, we will

03:17still be able to update the static

03:19document because that's just we have

03:21Adobe, we can do that ourselves or

03:23actually in design is another feature

03:24that we use here. And then we also have

03:26through access GI um not accessgis

03:30um we'll have the ability to uh update

03:34and maintain uh the the the story map

03:37web page as well. So, um, that's kind of

03:41exciting to me that we have both because

03:42I thought we had to choose one and I,

03:44you know, I kind of was tentative asking

03:46the the CMRPZ staff, hey, can we do

03:48both? They're like, yeah, no, we expect

03:49to do both. I'm like, oh, okay. So, it

03:51was, uh, I didn't have to beg too hard.

03:53They were going to do it anyway. Uh, but

03:55once we verified we had the staff uh,

03:57the software capacity, that was kind of

03:59the deciding factor. So, um, I, like I

04:02said, I don't have a date currently to

04:04report. Uh, I hope it is I would expect

04:06it would be done by our next meeting,

04:08whatever that may be. Um, but certainly

04:11if I get anything beforehand, I'll still

04:13share it with you uh to let you know

04:15it's up and running. Uh, so that's uh

04:18that's that. I don't know if there's any

04:20questions about that while I sip some

04:22water.

04:23>> I have no further questions.

04:26>> Sounds good. Yeah.

04:28>> And again, the good part is if we do see

04:30mistakes or if we do decide to

04:32reorganize one thing or another, we'll

04:34be able to do that. Maybe not like on

04:35the on the spot, uh but you know, uh but

04:39given that multiple staff have access

04:41will have access to this. Not myself,

04:43but other people will. And so we'll be

04:45able to I'm encouraged by that. So that

04:47way, you know, I was concerned about

04:49having a dead link. you know, I still

04:50come across uh letterhead here where

04:53there's uh the town managers like four

04:55town managers ago, you know, so uh so

04:57you know, things we need to, you know,

04:59maintain things. So it looks like we're

05:01uh we're we're still in business, right?

05:04So um so yeah, so I'm encouraged. We'll

05:06have hopefully in the next couple weeks

05:08we'll have that update and have that

05:09finalized. So that's exciting.

05:13That's all I have on this. Madam Chair,

05:14should I uh proceed to the next agenda

05:17item?

05:17>> Yes, please continue. Okay. Um, so, oh,

05:21I didn't bring I don't think I bring a

05:22copy for myself, but in your packets, I

05:24provided a listing of the new business

05:27certificates uh that have been issued uh

05:29since the last time we talked about it,

05:31which I think was maybe in March or

05:32something, April, May, somewhere around

05:33the spring, let's say. Uh, so again,

05:35just uh nothing really to, you know,

05:38over analyze here, but just giving

05:40giving the committee a sense of what is

05:43uh what's happening. And a lot of it

05:44seems to be sort of uh you know sole

05:46proprietor home home small business kind

05:48of things. Um which is which is great to

05:50see. Um but uh it's yeah it's it's uh

05:56I think it's you know we'll continue to

05:58provide these lists on a periodic basis

06:00so the committee can be aware of what's

06:02going on that will inform uh what kind

06:04of ties into the next piece economic

06:07development planning updates. Um, as

06:09[clears throat] I think I reported at

06:10the last meeting, there's going to be a

06:12warrant article uh asking for funds to

06:15do an economic development uh uh

06:17updating the economic development

06:19strategic plan. Um, that the current one

06:21we have was done in 2017.

06:23A lot of things have happened in the

06:24world since then, COVID, cost of goods,

06:28etc. It's a very different uh set of

06:30economic circumstances. So, I think it's

06:32timely uh that we update the plan. Um

06:35but related to that, this is the kind of

06:37information these uh these business

06:39licenses and whatnot. Uh assuming we're

06:41engaging a consultant to do that work,

06:43they can help us sort of analyze that

06:45sort of identify trends which we can

06:47kind of see, but identify trends looking

06:49at where it might be gaps in what we,

06:51you know, what we've articulated. I know

06:52we've talked to many times. We'd all

06:54love to see more restaurants. We'd love

06:56to see some maybe some more youth and

06:57family oriented activity venues of one

07:00sort or another. Um, so there's

07:02different things we want to really, you

07:03know, kind of fly the flag and say this

07:06is what we're looking for. Um, I know

07:09that the uh

07:13these items will be going they're going

07:14through the review process right now.

07:16The the select board had a preliminary

07:18review of the agenda of the warrant

07:20articles. Finom is taking up the matter

07:22at their meeting later this week and I

07:24believe that the select board finalizes

07:27the warrant uh next Monday. Um, so I

07:31have no indication that that this won't

07:32be on the uh won't be on the warrant,

07:34but then it'll of course be up to town

07:36meeting to uh decide how they want to

07:38vote on that. Uh, you know, there is a

07:40cost $75,000 I think was the ask. And

07:43um, you know, as we know, it's always

07:45tight financial times. And so we will

07:48see how all that goes, but I think we

07:49can make a strong case the of the

07:51necessity for it. Uh, so that's so

07:53that's good. Um, let's see. Well, part

07:57of this because it's not listed in your

07:59packets. One that was sent to you

08:00already and one that was handed to you

08:02this evening. Uh there were two I just

08:04thought there were two interesting

08:05articles. I don't like to, you know,

08:07give people homework necessarily. Uh but

08:09I think sometimes when they see

08:10something that kind of illustrates

08:11something we've been talking about or or

08:14highlight something we're talking about,

08:16I I I try to give that information. So,

08:18uh the first one um I don't have it in

08:20front of me. Someone I see Lindsay has

08:22the other copy right there. What's the

08:24Can you give me a refresher? Oh, yeah.

08:26So again, right, so there's two

08:27different things. One was a more big

08:28picture uh article. Uh the first one was

08:31from the ICMA, the inter international

08:33city managers association. Um sort of

08:36the different perspectives that

08:37developers take and government takes

08:39when looking at development projects. I

08:41feel like we have a fairly balanced uh

08:43proper view here in Auburn, but I think

08:45it's just useful to highlight um that,

08:47you know, obviously a developer is going

08:49to be looking at of course they're

08:51always going to be looking at the bottom

08:52line, but they're going to be looking at

08:53the ease of permitting, which is one

08:55thing we're trying to address. Uh

08:57they're looking those are their

08:58priorities and time is time is money,

08:59right? So, they want to have a

09:00predictable process, a clear process,

09:02and be able to do what they need to do

09:04to get through that process. Government

09:06sometimes is a bit more deliberate. We

09:07like to study something. We like to come

09:09up with a plan. we like to uh you know

09:11we don't want to be irresponsible with

09:12you know with with dollars so we take a

09:14bit more time sometimes than I think the

09:16private sector might prefer. So anyway,

09:18it's just it's useful to be aware of

09:20some of these, you know, it's not

09:22necessarily, you know, antagonistic, but

09:24it it's it's just it's sort of there's a

09:26tension there that I think at the same

09:28time actually helps the process better

09:30because I think it's kind of maybe it

09:33asks, you know, government or boards

09:35like this to look at the the private

09:37sector side of things, what their needs

09:38and desires are. And on and it's also

09:41useful for the developer side to

09:42realize, you know, government can't just

09:43can't be a rubber stamp. um there's a

09:45process uh you know that we we want to

09:48we want to make sure the public's

09:49involved as much as possible and so

09:52again I think it's just useful to uh to

09:54remind ourselves of that um but I I

09:56thought that was an interesting article

09:58it's you know sometimes you don't I

09:59don't always you're not always aware

10:01people are thinking about these things

10:02or pay attention to that and in my

10:03various roles in different communities I

10:05can see that you know especially when

10:06you have out of town developers coming

10:07in uh they're not used they're not you

10:09know based in Auburn necessarily or

10:10based in another town and so they well

10:13we didn't town X we did it in three

10:14weeks, you know, oh well, why not town

10:16X? Um, so anyway, so I thought that was

10:19an informative, interesting article that

10:20I shared. Um, another one I shared is

10:23that I just gave to you this evening in

10:24your packets. Uh, I just thought it was

10:26interesting. I I just happen to have

10:27been in Canada a couple weeks ago um in

10:30at McGill, which is where one of these

10:32professors is going. But sort of

10:33pointing to and this ties into the

10:35economic development strategic plan a

10:36little bit that strategic plan from 2017

10:38you might recall identified biotech in

10:41uh uh as a as a you know growth industry

10:44so to speak and something Auburn should

10:46look at certainly we've seen the region

10:49uh expand in that area certainly in the

10:51greater Boston Cambridge area Worcester

10:53has had a a pretty good growth in the

10:54biosciences and whatnot um but given you

10:58know different funding priorities at the

11:00national level a lot of these things are

11:02they're not state funded, they're

11:03federally funded. And given shifting

11:05priorities, uh you know, this article

11:08from the globe is sort of indicating

11:10that you know other governments in this

11:12case Canada are approaching our

11:14researchers and our faculty to do their

11:17research up there. Uh where there might

11:19things might be perceived as being less

11:20political or less government involvement

11:22perhaps, I don't know. Uh but I I

11:24thought it was interesting and you know

11:26there is a close relationship between

11:28New England and Canada as far as you

11:30know flows of work and uh visitors and

11:33that kind of thing. Uh that said you

11:35know we're we're here to focus on Auburn

11:38and it it doesn't make our jobs

11:40necessarily that much easier if high

11:43level researchers are leaving the state

11:45are being you know being enticed to take

11:48their research to other countries. that

11:50has implications for local jobs, has

11:53implications for, you know, things like

11:55patents down the road, how the, you

11:56know, how the how these things get get

11:58to go to the market and how they get to

12:00be an economic driver. So, um, it's hard

12:03for Auburn to weigh in on what federal

12:05governments across the world are doing

12:06to, uh, just something, but I thought it

12:08was just something interesting to be

12:09aware of, uh, as we begin hopefully in

12:12the near future a process to identify

12:14what kind of, um, you know, businesses

12:17and, uh, developments we want to see

12:19here in town. Uh, you know, we there are

12:21some headwinds and, you know, we need

12:23we'll need to account for that as we go

12:24forward. So, um, again, try, you know,

12:27not to be the bearer of unhappy news,

12:30uh, but just to share the the lands the

12:33landscape we're dealing with. And so,

12:35it's just I thought that was helpful for

12:36the board to see. Um,

12:40going down my bullet list here, update

12:43on tax classification data. So uh again

12:46this committee did yman's work in coming

12:49up with some suggested factors that the

12:51select board uh and others could look at

12:53when they comes time to be setting the

12:55tax classification later this year. Uh

12:57at their last meeting uh the select

12:59board I believe they're setting up a

13:02subcommittee uh to focus in on what

13:07particular data criteria they want to be

13:10looking at. Again, at the end of the

13:12day, it would fall to staff to come up

13:14and fill in those blanks with the whole

13:16list of things that this committee had

13:18suggested. Um, so we wanted to kind of

13:21narrow it down a bit so staff wasn't

13:22overwhelmed necessarily. And so we've

13:25already had some internal discussion

13:26about uh, you know, what information the

13:28assessing department might provide,

13:30which is quite a bit, and also what

13:32economic development might provide. So,

13:34I just wanted to advise the this

13:35committee that uh I know we had talked

13:37about it briefly last time that this

13:38committee might have some do some data

13:41gathering themselves. No, you're not

13:42going to have to do that. Uh uh your

13:44work has been appreciated, but uh now

13:46staff is sort of acting on that and

13:48we'll, you know, you'll hopefully see it

13:50in action when the classification

13:52hearing happens. I think it's scheduled

13:53for November. So, update there. Uh

13:57zoning updates. I'd previously reported

14:01uh on I think I had I think they this

14:03had happened by the last meeting that

14:05the uh planning board had voted to

14:08endorse two measures. One was

14:09inclusionary zoning to uh require in

14:13this case 15% of the units of a

14:15development greater than 10 units needs

14:17to be designated as affordable. Uh

14:19that's a state state uh a state

14:21definition and there's a state process

14:23for doing that. Uh the goal of that

14:25bylaw is to help create some additional

14:27subsidized units that we can count

14:29towards our 10% threshold for the

14:32subsidized housing inventory. Uh we are

14:35currently at 9.92%.

14:38Uh and the reason the 10% is a sort of a

14:40magic number. If we are at 10% or above,

14:43we do not have to accept any 40b

14:45applications. meaning a 40B application

14:48is a housing development, but the

14:49development can override uh a good

14:52portion of our zoning. Uh they can go

14:55higher, they can go bigger, they can

14:56have less setbacks, they can have

14:58different configurations of parking.

15:00They have a sort of say cart blanch, but

15:02they can basically not have to adhere to

15:03our zoning. And you know, we we want to

15:06see housing development certainly in

15:07town, but we want to go to the right

15:08places and we want it to be in context

15:10with everything else that's there. So

15:12anyway, this inclusionary zoning bylaw

15:14hopefully if enacted would hopefully

15:17over a period of a couple of years help

15:19us generate we I think we I think by my

15:21math we needed to come up with eight

15:23subsidized units to get us above the

15:2610%. So, eight units isn't that much,

15:28but if we could get a couple per year,

15:31um, you know, let's say using, uh, this

15:34inclusionary zoning bylaw, uh, then we

15:37might not have to deal with any, uh, you

15:39know, uh, 40B projects, you know, going

15:41into tightknit neighborhoods. So, uh, so

15:45that that's that's what that was about.

15:47And then there was also another matter,

15:48you might recall, that uh, we were

15:50clarifying the height uh, allowance that

15:53was allowed in the mall uh, overlay

15:55district. uh the the the existing zoning

15:58was ambiguous and seemed to limit the

15:59height that you could do there, but

16:01that's kind of exactly where we'd like

16:02to see more height. So, this uh proposed

16:05change will remedy that. Uh one other

16:08matter has subsequently been approved,

16:10discussed, and approved. I know we this

16:12committee had roughly discussed it, but

16:13the planning board did vote to endorse a

16:16moratorum on data centers as opposed to

16:20a ban. uh they would like to they agreed

16:22that studying the issue was going to be

16:24perhaps in the town's benefit as many

16:26other communities are doing. It's

16:28certainly been a controversial issue uh

16:30nationally. Uh it's become a little

16:32politicized from my observations. But in

16:34our case, I think what we're looking at

16:36is certainly Auburn doesn't have the

16:38wide open spaces that they have in the

16:40Midwest, let's say that you're seeing

16:42some of these 24 acre sites or whatever

16:44that you you hear horror stories about.

16:46So I don't think those would come to

16:47town anyway just given the geography and

16:50we know energy costs are relatively

16:51expensive in New England compared to say

16:54other parts of the country. So I

16:55honestly don't know how desirable

16:58places in Massachusetts might be. I know

16:59this l has an existing one and and

17:04>> in and Westfield Westfield I believe is

17:06developing one as well. Um so anyway but

17:09that's so the point being there's a

17:10limited scale for it. That said, um we

17:13we wouldn't want to see something that

17:15we regret. And so I think uh if this

17:18moratorum would have passed, it would

17:19give the planning board and the zoning

17:21bylaw committee uh some time to examine

17:24the issue. Many communities have already

17:26looked at this and already done their

17:28own uh updates and whatnot. So we'll

17:30certainly look at what other communities

17:31have done. You know, it's very

17:33frequently in zoning world. You look at

17:35you look at the community next door that

17:36you like and oh that I like that bylaw

17:38and you change the name, so to speak.

17:40and you know instead of having Grafara

17:41on it, you have Auburn on it. Uh I don't

17:43know if we're going to be that, you

17:45know, I think we'll be a little more

17:46nuanced than that, but I think we what

17:47we'll do, we'll look at what has been

17:49passed in other communities, look at

17:51those in our context and sort of

17:55pick and choose which ones seem best for

17:56Auburn. Uh so I know we discussed it

17:59somewhat at the last meeting. Um uh but

18:03anyway, that's that's the planning

18:04board's recommendation.

18:07So, that's the zoning updates and

18:11chamber. Last but not least,

18:15Chamber of Commerce outreach update. Um,

18:17[clears throat] we had a discussion at

18:19the last meeting about uh how we could

18:22this committee could engage better with

18:25the chamber, the Auburn Chamber of

18:26Commerce, and how we can learn more

18:29about what they're doing, they can learn

18:31about more about what you're doing. And

18:33yes indeed I'm certainly the liazison

18:35between the two currently. I you know

18:36I'm on this I support this committee and

18:38I'm also the town's designate for um for

18:42the chamber. Uh so anyway so I I I

18:46broached the topic. Unfortunately the

18:49town usually goes last on the agenda so

18:51people are looking to uh get out the

18:53door. Uh so we never I wouldn't say we

18:55had a robust discussion about it but but

18:58basically it was suggested to me that uh

19:01this committee identifies uh a date or

19:05two to to invite them or vice versa. Uh

19:09I'm not I don't know if we're ready to

19:10do that tonight specifically. Uh but uh

19:15so that was that was one facet that I

19:16wanted to report back on. Um,

19:18>> do you think it might be um to our best

19:21interest to do sort of like a online

19:23poll of a couple of dates? That way we

19:26can be at home and look at our calendars

19:27and say what dates might work for us. I

19:29know we use them sometimes. That might

19:31be a good source for just an online

19:33poll.

19:34>> I'd be happy to create that if that's

19:36what the if the committee think that's a

19:37helpful idea. I know we tried to do that

19:38with uh doing some uh finding these

19:40meeting dates. Um I can certainly do

19:43that. And um I'll also be speaking uh

19:47the I'm not going unfortunately, but the

19:49chamber has a they're having their own

19:50strategic planning meeting tomorrow. Um

19:53so I can sort of

19:56remind them of our discussion and just

19:57clarify what they what they assume the

19:59best I I said well they could they for

20:01the first resp

20:06on on the third Friday of the month. I

20:08said, "Well, look, you know, I think

20:09most folks have their own jobs they're

20:10going to and they're not in Auburn." I'm

20:12not well, you know, not speaking for

20:14everybody, but you know, I said I didn't

20:16think that was going to be as

20:16logistically feasible. Um, you know, I'm

20:20willing to offer it, of course, uh, but

20:22I think a more likely option would be to

20:24have some of their members come to one

20:27of these meetings. Maybe not, you know,

20:28they don't have the same quorum and

20:30procedural issues that we do, but we

20:32could certainly invite them as guests.

20:33However, they did suggest in addition to

20:36dates. So they said if if there were

20:38questions or topics

20:40um you we you know we would like to hear

20:43we'd like to discuss with them and again

20:46I know uh you know whether that's uh

20:48things I've heard before. We've talked

20:50about special events before I know

20:51Patrick had some engagement last year

20:53with the chamber on a holiday event. Um

20:57we've also talked about sort of an

20:59ambassador type program of you know how

21:02what is the chamber doing to recruit

21:03people? can you know what can the how

21:06can the chamber how can the EDC help the

21:09chamber with that and vice versa you

21:12know what kind of businesses would we'd

21:14like to see that they might have

21:15contacts for so uh I throw it to the the

21:18committee for discussion if there are

21:20what topics might be uh of what what

21:25what information or topics we might want

21:26to have the chamber folks discuss with

21:29us if they were to come to one of our

21:30meetings

21:35What do you want them now or you want us

21:36to just get back?

21:37>> No, I mean I'm happy to let's throw

21:38maybe throw some ideas out now and then

21:40we can

21:40>> Well, one is employee retention. Whether

21:42you know some of the mid midsize or

21:44smaller businesses, what is it that

21:46their employees look forward to when

21:48they're employed and they're working

21:49here in Auburn? What what what do they

21:52like about being in their Auburn office?

21:58I think we talked I think I'm sure we've

22:01talked about it as a group before, but

22:02that's the idea of like of their

22:04restaurants or their afterwork spots

22:06people could go to.

22:07>> You know, I don't like going there

22:08because there's two places to eat. Like

22:10we'd love to hear that because that just

22:12solidifies us saying we need more

22:14options for dining.

22:17>> That's a good idea.

22:19I think it would also be useful to try

22:21to understand through the chamber from

22:25representing representing their members.

22:28Um, you know, what kind of positive or

22:30negative things drive them to come to or

22:33potentially leave Auburn, especially

22:35considering that the Chamber of Commerce

22:37is part of the overall Wester Regional

22:40Chamber. um and and as as such, you

22:44know, has many different potential

22:46external influences beyond just the town

22:49of Auburn. Having voice in that, I think

22:51it would be important to try to

22:53understand any of those things. What

22:54makes Auburn particularly easy,

22:56difficult, challenging, not thought of,

22:58whatever those things might be,

23:00>> right? Is it the location? Is it the tax

23:02rate? Is it who

23:03>> permitting

23:04>> permitting per right? Who knows?

23:05whatever it might be.

23:07>> But if we can use the the you know

23:09executive committee at the chamber or

23:11whoever they designate as a liaison

23:13directly to hear you know from that

23:16group of of the overall town

23:18constituency which is is the businesses

23:20we're trying to attract and retain.

23:23>> That's a great one.

23:25>> And I think I'd be curious to hear from

23:26them just like a landscape and trends

23:29sort of what are they seeing for Central

23:31Mass for our area? what you know what

23:34types of businesses are they seeing kind

23:37of coming to the area or leaving the

23:39area broadly um because I I think it's

23:41it's hard to know we we feel like a

23:43little bit of a small small fry in in

23:46some of the mix here but um we are

23:48really strategically located for certain

23:50types of businesses and so it would be

23:52interesting just to hear from them what

23:53they're seeing like what they're

23:54predicting maybe if they have any any

23:57forecasting of what what we might want

24:00to look at for from a strategic planning

24:02standpoint. Right.

24:03>> It's a great one.

24:08And again, this isn't not going to

24:10final, you know, this is not the

24:11definitive list right now, but just I

24:13think it's good to have begin this

24:15discussion. I can start to share some of

24:17this. Uh, so employee retention, uh,

24:20positive negative attributes of Auburn,

24:23you know, of of what what attracts or

24:25dissuades someone from coming here or

24:27leaving? uh what's the overall central

24:30mass landscape given um you know the

24:33chamber is in a unique position because

24:35obviously you know Worcester is the the

24:37city of Worcester is the big economic

24:39you know hub for the region uh and the

24:42chamber has of course the Worcester

24:44chamber but they have the they have the

24:45affiliate chambers as well.

24:47>> Do they also see do they also see us as

24:50a smaller community in greater

24:51Worcester? Do they see us benefiting

24:53from some of the larger companies that

24:56are or industries that are going into

24:58Worcester? For instance, you know, we

25:00have Quest Labs, but maybe we could

25:01offer business space to an extension of

25:04UMass Medical because we've already got

25:06Reliant here, even if it's to use up

25:08some of the smaller offices, office

25:11space that might be currently untapped

25:14because it's vacant. like what would

25:16appeal to them to approach some of their

25:19Worcester medical facilities and say,

25:22"Hey, we've got some open space in

25:23Auburn. Do you have sections of your

25:25business that you could outsource that

25:27would come to Auburn?"

25:29>> No, I think that's a great idea. Um,

25:33my perception is

25:34>> how would we get them here, right? Well,

25:35my perception is the OB, you know, the

25:37the Worcester Chamber and I was about to

25:39say, you know, they have an affiliate

25:40chamber with Clinton, they have an

25:42affiliate chamber with us, and I believe

25:45they also support the South County

25:47Chamber, which is basically Sturbridge

25:49more or less. I think Sturbridge,

25:50Southbridge together, perhaps. Um, so,

25:53so I think in their perspective, they

25:55want to get it to the region.

25:56>> So, that they're somewhat agnostic as to

25:59which community it might go to. Uh, but

26:01I can say that uh uh our uh what I want

26:05to say our representative from the

26:06chamber uh Virginia Murphy is uh she

26:10supports each of the regional sub

26:13subregional

26:15uh chambers. So she's in unique position

26:17to perhaps comment on this because she's

26:19sort of seen she works with the

26:21individual community level kind of

26:23chambers but she's also

26:25works at the chamber. So, um,

26:30absolutely. And my hunch is Patrick, not

26:32to answer Patrick, but to build on what

26:33Patrick said, my hunch is that's

26:35probably somewhat of what the last

26:37strategic plan was thinking when they

26:39were talking about let's be bio biore

26:42ready and biotech ready. Uh, knowing

26:44that, you know, between the the hospital

26:46and the research going on at UMass and

26:49now some of the other the biotech park

26:51and whatnot.

26:51>> Well, I just know that ReadyMed and like

26:53we did get readymed here and we have the

26:55Reliant building. So, I feel like we

26:57benefited from some of that growth. Um,

26:59I'm just wondering what's the next best

27:01big thing, you know, whether it's Clark

27:03University or or I'm sorry, not Clark,

27:05um, Holy Cross or some of those

27:07institutions, you know, to that. So,

27:10just throwing it out there what they,

27:12you know, I I don't want to make it a

27:14leading question because I might be

27:15there might be an industry booming

27:17coming up through that maybe could be

27:19beneficial for Worcester to get and

27:21there could be some re space on the

27:23outside that we could offer as well.

27:26Absolutely.

27:26>> Because I'm thinking, you know, we've

27:28got, you know, when we want to recruit

27:30businesses, we have two things. They're

27:32either going to occupy or they're going

27:34to build, right? And if they can occupy,

27:36that's better for us because we've

27:37already we don't want a lot of unused

27:39tap space.

27:42>> Absolutely. Um,

27:46>> one more thought a pivot and maybe a

27:49hopeful transition to this nice ULI tap

27:52report that we've got. I I could imagine

27:54a pretty interesting conversation with

27:56the com chamber of commerce about this

27:58report and the recommendations around

27:59Drury Square and potentially then

28:02looking more broadly at all the various

28:04kind of like pockets of

28:07economy we have in town because we we

28:09don't have like a perfect central

28:11downtown hub which came through very

28:13clearly in this report. I think we all

28:15know that. Um but it would be

28:17interesting to just hear their

28:18perspective because I know they also

28:19played a role in you know being

28:20interviewed for the reps for Absolutely.

28:23No, that actually that um that's a great

28:25idea only because I think that's that

28:27could be um uh you know a hook as part

28:30of any potential discussion with them.

28:32We not yes we should talk about some of

28:34these other things but I think you know

28:37they should be aware of this as well and

28:40uh it is a good transition. Uh

28:43>> I just could see I could see there being

28:44some real strategy to have between the

28:47ED

28:48chair. [laughter]

28:50>> But what are the what are the salient

28:51what are the things that we could

28:52extract from this that they would want

28:54to see as priorities to attract business

28:57to make that that downtown area more

28:59appealing? Um, and you know, do they see

29:02some of the weaknesses and strengths?

29:04Are they aligned in

29:05>> Yeah, that that's and that's I think

29:06it's relevant too that you you might be

29:08aware that many of the members of the

29:11executive board of the chamber are I'll

29:14just say on uh are heavily featured

29:16along Auburn Street. Uh so uh so a lot

29:19of the banks are represented on the

29:21chamber and a couple other things. So if

29:23we're talking about Drury Square, we

29:25already have you know those folks are

29:27well positioned to uh you know be part

29:31of that. Uh so that yeah that could be

29:34that could be a good nexus here uh for

29:36that. Uh but in the interim um again I

29:38know I said I was going to give you

29:39homework but uh if if if you if if if

29:42you're if you're up for it seems like

29:44maybe some already have done it. Just

29:45scan through the report. I mean you

29:46don't need to worry about typos. I mean

29:48feel if you catch any typos by all means

29:49let me know. Uh but again, this isn't

29:51like our report. This is them reporting

29:53back to us and we kind of heard a lot of

29:55this already at the presentation. But if

29:58you, you know, you want to take this

30:00home and digest it and uh and uh you

30:03know, and give me some comments in the

30:04next day or two, uh I'll be happy to

30:07share those comments uh with ULI. Uh but

30:10I think this is seems to be a fairly

30:12near version. I noticed the one place

30:14there was a couple things like they

30:16called Auburn a city at one point.

30:17That's no big deal. We can change that.

30:19Um, and I think there's one other like

30:21language question like that. I forget

30:22what it was now off the top of my head.

30:24Anyway, but if you, as I say, I've just

30:26given this committee an opportunity. You

30:27don't need to, you know, uh, word smith

30:29it, but if, uh, if you see something

30:31that jumps out at you, feel free to give

30:33me any comments you might have. U, but

30:35this is, so the the vision here, let's

30:37uh, after and some staff are going to

30:39review this as well and provide

30:40comments. Um, but I think the next step

30:44basically will be ULI will incorporate

30:46any of those final changes, edits. Then

30:49this will become a live document

30:50essentially and uh we'll, you know,

30:52we'll we'll embed it somewhere in our

30:53website. We'll probably have some, you

30:56know, we'll probably have a social media

30:58post that some interest and traffic to

31:01it, but that'll be timely, too. if we're

31:03going to start to engage with the

31:04chamber at at a maybe a meeting in the

31:06next couple months or something, uh this

31:08will be a good a good to have that be

31:10public uh and available for everyone to

31:13look at will be that'll be I think good

31:14timing.

31:19Great. Um,

31:21and

31:24I don't um I'm trying to think I have a

31:26I didn't discuss them during the

31:28economic development planning updates,

31:29but and I don't want to be koi. Um, but

31:32uh we've when I say we, I mean uh me and

31:35the town manager. Uh I've had some or

31:38been having ongoing conversations with

31:41uh potential housing developers and a

31:43potential restaurant tour uh uh trying

31:46to find suitable locations in Auburn. Uh

31:49and one thing we're finding is the you

31:51know what land is vacant and available.

31:53It's not necessarily cheap. Um and so I

31:56don't know if that's if if if [laughter]

31:59the sellers are asking too high or if

32:01there's actually a demand to to do that.

32:04I know we've seen the the I think the

32:06anecdotal situation we're most familiar

32:07with is the the quoteunquote langu site,

32:10the old Yankee drummer site where that

32:12was approved for something and then the

32:14price miraculously went up once that got

32:16approved and that's been sitting vacant

32:18for you know many years now. Um and so

32:20is is the cost of land a barrier to new

32:22development? Probably. um will you know

32:25I don't know how we we can affect that

32:28math but I I'll just say that again

32:30we're um

32:33luckily we have some friendly or or

32:35specific way we have some developers

32:37eager to come to Auburn if they can find

32:38the right locations and so we're you

32:41know pretty on a pretty regular basis

32:43talking to different realtor brokers as

32:45we see the signs go up or as we see the

32:47ads go up on the on the broker pages or

32:50whatnot and you know hopefully have more

32:52conversations with uh other owners in

32:54town, too, because a lot of the times

32:55these things uh aren't brought to

32:57market. The the sales and arrangements

33:00are kind of done, you know, want to say

33:02behind the scenes. That sounds

33:03nefarious, but it's not necessarily put

33:05up before sale sign and someone knocks

33:07on their door and buys it. There's

33:08conversations going on all the time

33:10among some of these owners. So, uh

33:12anyway, so that's again, I don't mean to

33:13be koi about that, but uh I'm just

33:15saying it's it's it's something we're

33:18actively working on. Um and you know

33:21with you know optimistically we can find

33:23a location for one of these places. So

33:27>> I think the question we always run into

33:29is just why why is it so comfortable to

33:31sit on land? I don't I don't you know

33:35earning any money from it. So how is it

33:38so e it seems very easy for decades to

33:41sit on land in town and I'm certain it's

33:45happening in other places. But it's

33:47Yeah, it's it's interesting.

33:49>> Yeah. Unfortunately, I don't think it's

33:51unique to Auburn.

33:52>> Um I've [clears throat] seen it in

33:53particular um uh in Worcester. Uh

33:58there's, you know, there's, as you know,

33:59there's been a lot of downtown

34:00development in recent years. Um but

34:02there are a couple on the northern end

34:05of Main Street is a couple of they just

34:07use it for parking lots. Um because

34:09they, you know, they can, you know,

34:12other people going to the courthouse or

34:13going to concerts or whatnot. um you

34:16know, so they can they don't have to do

34:18anything. They can just have a guy stand

34:19out there and they can collect their $20

34:21and probably pay for their taxes after

34:23one event. Um I won't speak for

34:26Worcester, but I have seen other places

34:29um they have I'm trying to think what

34:31they call it, but there is kind of a

34:33vacancy tax, if you will. Um that's

34:36probably not the right word for it. Um,

34:38but it it it incentivizes the developer

34:41to not sit on a property and that they

34:44uh, you know, they might get taxed at a

34:46different rate or they get a sir charge

34:48or something if they're just speculating

34:51on land or there and I've seen in a lot

34:52of cases where there's absolutely

34:54landlords and they're not taking care of

34:55a property. Um, you know, doing it that

34:58way too. So, there are some probably

35:00some tools out there. Um, I don't want

35:02to get ahead of it because I think that

35:04should be done. That's a great that's a

35:06great topic for future economic

35:08strategic planning process, but I think

35:10that could potentially be a great tool.

35:12Um, you know, luckily, uh, you know,

35:15it's not like Auburn is a vacant

35:16wasteland or something like that, but

35:18there are some key strategic parcels

35:20that I think we all know, uh, on our in

35:22our major corridors that are just kind

35:24of sitting there. And you know we can re

35:28you know we for example with the langu

35:29site the town was on this happened

35:31before my time here. Uh but there was

35:33some maintenance issues with the uh the

35:35hotel the hotel building being there and

35:37so there you know it was an attractive

35:39nuisance as they say. Uh, and so the the

35:42board of health kind of worked with I

35:44don't want to say made the owner, but

35:45compelled the owner uh to to demolish

35:48the site so it wasn't going to attract

35:50graffiti or broken windows or squatters

35:52or all the other unattractive things you

35:54might see in that kind of vacant

35:56development. Um, and I think in every

35:59community I've worked in, we've had this

36:00this conversation. um in most particular

36:02in Spencer where I worked previously. Um

36:05you know it's certainly underinvested in

36:07Spencer but there were a couple of land

36:09owners who owned

36:12a dozen of the parcels and you're

36:14talking out of a universe of maybe 40

36:16parcels that's a significant percentage

36:19and they were just sitting on it you

36:20know and they was getting whatever their

36:22tax rate was and that was it. Um anyway,

36:25so so that that's a um although I just

36:27spoke about it for five minutes, I don't

36:29have any real solutions just yet, but

36:30there are tools out there and I think

36:33that's something that should be

36:36considered at some point. We don't want

36:37it as burden developers or board burden

36:40owners, but if they're not taking care

36:42of a property or they're not taking

36:44efforts to develop their property and

36:45they're in strategic locations, I think

36:47the town probably should have an

36:49interest in trying to find some tools to

36:52uh incentivize, let's be generous,

36:54incentivize the development. Uh whether

36:56that's

36:58>> a direct incentive or passive incentive

37:00or stick. Yeah.

37:01>> Yeah. Whether it's a car or stick to be

37:03determined. But uh given that we kind of

37:06have a narrow universe here, I think

37:08that could be a useful tool for us.

37:10>> I think there's also like I thought

37:12reflected on this a bit just from our

37:14neighborhood having sort of a

37:16challenging issue with a hostile

37:19developer wanting to purchase like an

37:20untouched piece of land that has its

37:24trees and water shed. And there there's

37:26there's a lot of stuff going on there.

37:28And there's I think a lot of very valid

37:30concerns about access to that piece of

37:31land and the what it's going to do. the

37:34water table. I mean, I think there are

37:35some very valid concerns about

37:36development of that land period. It

37:38doesn't it's not to do with what is

37:40being proposed for that but um I think

37:43it's there's also a piece of it of like

37:46steering from that end and looking at

37:48what little undeveloped properties are

37:50held in trusts and family trusts and

37:53maybe partnering with land trusts and

37:54others to see if there's any areas of

37:57land that you know because because

37:58that's a piece of this too is resilience

38:00and and climate you know I mean these

38:02are real things that are happening

38:03whether people want to believe them or

38:05not and like we we have very few levers

38:07as a tiny town, but we do have some

38:09really beautiful green spaces and um

38:12that can be a real attractor for, you

38:15know, economic development in the long

38:17run. And I thought that that came out in

38:19the ULI tap report really clearly. We

38:22have a few small assets in town, but

38:24they're obscured. People don't know

38:25about them. There's no access to them.

38:27Um and I think the pond is not the only

38:30PE, you know, place that's attractive

38:31like that in town. And because we're so

38:33separated as a town, being strategic

38:36about green spaces for each of the sort

38:38of pocket communities, I I I just think

38:40that there's that that's all a piece of

38:41the puzzle. And and maybe pushes some of

38:44that developer who wants land that's

38:47maybe going to be cheaper but is

38:49untouched versus land that already has

38:52plumbing and electrical and parking.

38:55Yes, it needs to be updated, but it's

38:57there. you know, the infrastructure

38:58piece and how do you solve for that

39:01mismatch because it's yeah, it's it's

39:03creating some some challenges in town.

39:05[laughter]

39:07>> I think you're right on. Uh if if uh no

39:11your larger point is taken, but if I can

39:13give you a couple minor updates. Uh I

39:15believe the fi um uh the fire department

39:18uh Chief Coleman I believe has is in the

39:21process of working with the conservation

39:22commission to get the proper

39:26permitting or permission to uh at least

39:29trim back uh some of the existing

39:31vegetation along the pond. Um, so that's

39:36that's not a permanent solution

39:37anything, but it's it's a small thing.

39:39Um, a secondary thing that's a bit more

39:41for uh future oriented. Uh, the town

39:45currently has something called a

39:46municipal vulnerability plan. It's

39:48called an MVP.

39:49>> What?

39:49>> Municipal vulnerability plan. It's

39:50called the MVP is what it's called.

39:53Yeah. That's done at the state level.

39:55And it's communities identifying uh

39:58impacts due to uh essentially due to

40:02climate change. what heat impacts are

40:04going to happen. Uh not so much

40:06addressing the causes per se of the

40:08climate change, but how can the

40:09community if if we if we know flooding

40:11is going to happen in this part of town,

40:13do we need to how do we how can we

40:16reinforce the roads or is there a pump

40:18station nearby that we need to protect

40:19from getting flooded? So, that's the

40:21kind of things that an MVP plan would

40:22look at. The reason I bring that up is

40:25is the our current MVP plan, I believe,

40:29expires like this year. Um, and so

40:31there's a new process that the state is

40:33putting forth. They call it MVP 2.0.

40:36Very creative. Uh, uh, but apparently

40:38it's a a slightly new process. I've been

40:41involved with the MVP process in

40:43multiple communities. And usually it's

40:44kind of more of a staff exercise. It's

40:46usually a public meeting or two. Um, but

40:48it's more of a staff exercise like the

40:50DPW and the fire department and planners

40:52get together. Where are our problem

40:54areas? What do we need to do? The MVP

40:562.0 no process. It's still new, so I

40:59don't know all the details. Um, uh,

41:02apparently requires much more robust

41:04community involvement and community

41:07meetings and meeting with not with just

41:09town staff, meeting with, you know,

41:11other stakeholders in the community. Uh,

41:13which is always a good idea anyway, but,

41:15you know, wasn't being done through this

41:17process. Uh so uh nothing is 100%

41:22certain but I am fairly certain we'll be

41:24applying to do the uh the to apply to

41:30the state to do the MVT 2.0 planning

41:33process if that word smith there word

41:36word jumble. Um so

41:39that will be another opportunity uh for

41:43>> you know if I could just interject

41:44Auburn we in the municipalities the

41:47state requires that you do what they

41:48call an emergency municipal emergency um

41:51management plan and it almost sounds

41:54like the vulnerable vulnerability plan

41:56is almost the opposite 180 of what it's

42:00you know okay if that happens well where

42:02are you going to be most affected what

42:04are the exterior forces that We might

42:06not have to deal with a tidal wave

42:08coming in off of the shore, but we could

42:10be on a fault. So, it's almost a

42:12vulnerability plan is almost recognizing

42:15the opposite of a plan for emergency

42:17management.

42:19>> I think you your mitigation plan versus

42:21your your response plan. You got to have

42:24both.

42:24>> No, I I think you're raising some good

42:25points. I mean, I think they're sides of

42:27the coin, right? uh but I think they but

42:30the the for them to be for either plan

42:32to be useful they need each need to uh

42:36reference each other you know so I think

42:38that's uh that's always a goal when when

42:41we try to do planning processes it's not

42:43just simply a standalone it's bringing

42:45in not only you addressing current and

42:48past planning where are the

42:50opportunities to cross over uh going

42:52forward and get with things like

42:55responding to you know issues stemming

42:57from climate change. It's, you know,

42:59from the town standpoint, it's multiple

43:01departments. It's all hands on deck. So,

43:03it's important to have that

43:04cross-pollination. So, it's not just,

43:06oh, well, the management, the response

43:08management is over here and the, you

43:10know, the the pre-es they used to call

43:12it pre- disaster mitigation.

43:14>> You know, it's interesting because I've

43:16brought this up and I know it's an it's

43:18not it's easier said than done, but

43:20being on the finance committee and being

43:23in finance for my career, we always know

43:26there's opportunity costs. We know

43:27there's a value associated with these

43:29plans, but yet I find it interesting

43:31that when we read them, they don't talk

43:33about the value component, the money

43:36component of an emergency plan or the

43:38opportunity cost towards a vulnerability

43:41plan because there are there are costs

43:44and then the question becomes, you know,

43:46probably because we do have general

43:48funds and stabilization funds and stuff

43:50that that merits some of the area that

43:53would be tapped into for funding. But I

43:55just always find that these plans lately

43:58don't have a financial component to

44:00them. They don't think there's a

44:02financial component when there actually

44:04is.

44:05>> Yeah. So, I mean, no, I think that's a

44:07great that's a great point that Patrick

44:09raises. I know um

44:12we haven't done a mass a new master plan

44:15here. Well, in my time here, we haven't

44:17done that, but I know that, for example,

44:19in a recent mastermind I worked at at

44:21Boilston before I got here, it didn't

44:23have a dollar figure attached to it, but

44:25it did have a like a a small, medium,

44:28large um you know, uh factor because

44:32some things were just like, oh, it takes

44:34staff time. You know, staff can spend a

44:36few hours on something and get something

44:37done. That's a theoretically a low or

44:40you know, let's just put up a stop sign

44:41over there. You know, that's that's a

44:42relatively lowc cost item. But rebuild a

44:46culvert, expensive item. Redo a road,

44:49expensive item. Do a fire station, very

44:52expensive item, you know. So, so I agree

44:55that that can all that can at the end of

44:57the day, it's the committees and also

44:59the staff who are looking at these plans

45:01and we have a thousand action items.

45:03Which ones do we do first and which ones

45:05can we afford? And you know, my take is

45:08the more the plans sort of intersect,

45:10where you see that intersection is where

45:12you should start. There's value there,

45:14right?

45:14>> See, if if multiple if the economic

45:17development committee and the MVP

45:19committee and the planning board are all

45:21speaking about the same thing, that

45:24might hey, that might be a given that

45:26staff has limited time, given that there

45:28are limited dollars, we should go over

45:30the things where we can have the most

45:31impact. And I think those areas where

45:33there's overlap, but I but I think your

45:35larger point might be some of the plans

45:37don't even think about outside their

45:39outside their silo and or or think about

45:42the implications of the municipal budget

45:44side of things. Um and I think that's an

45:46important thing to consider. Absolutely.

45:50Um this is a good talk. Um the last

45:53thing I will say on updates um

45:57feel like I've been talking a lot.

45:58That's okay. Um

46:01again not to be koi uh so we get

46:05one on the many one of the many lists of

46:07opportunities I get is um the the state

46:10will send I don't know if it's weekly or

46:12not uh the state site selection

46:16office will uh send things out to

46:19municipalities and we're looking for x

46:22square feet to do to you know to locate

46:24the central Massachusetts office of the

46:26department of health or something to

46:28that effect and they'll say we want to

46:30be you know they might they might put

46:31out different criteria a lot of times

46:33Auburn doesn't qualify for the criteria

46:35like we want to be in a gateway city

46:36okay we're not in a gateway city we want

46:38to be in a community greater than x okay

46:40we're not there um so whenever we get

46:43opport whenever we see something come up

46:44that says oh Auburn's maybe on the list

46:46uh so one thing that an opportunity that

46:49was put out recently um was apparently

46:53uh quinigamin community college is

46:55looking for some kind of satellite uh

46:57facility

46:58uh and I from the gist of it didn't

47:00wasn't fully specified but it seems like

47:02it'd be you know for uh evening oriented

47:06classes and and whatnot and so uh you

47:09know unfortunately the town doesn't have

47:11any kind of land or offices it could it

47:13could you know lease or offer however uh

47:16I did uh share this with some of the

47:19some of the owners in the you know the

47:22uh the owners of the uh the uh the

47:23business park

47:24>> the business park

47:25>> business park and also uh mid-state

47:27office part uh and I can say the and I

47:29want to say midstate was represented by

47:32I don't want to misspe one of the I'll

47:34say one of the larger real estate firms

47:36it's not they don't have their own

47:37office they they work I don't know if

47:38it's Keller Saddowski or I think it's

47:40Keller Sidowski might be Glickman anyway

47:43point being I forwarded the opportunity

47:45to them and they they may or may not be

47:47pursuing that opportunity but were

47:49appreciative of us alerting them so

47:52again it's a small thing I I forwarded

47:54an email it wasn't you know I didn't it

47:56wasn't elaborate But I'm just saying I'm

47:58glad we at least

47:59>> it initiates back and forth.

48:01>> Correct. And I know we're thinking of

48:02them. We're trying to help them help

48:04ourselves.

48:04>> And that firm already said, well, hey,

48:05it' be good to meet you. We should get

48:08together sometime and which we're going

48:09to do. So I I highlight that not as so

48:11much of a promise that Quincig is coming

48:13here or something like that. I don't

48:14want to convey that uh image at all. Uh

48:17but when we see these opportunities,

48:19whether it's like these, like I said,

48:20the restaurant or housing developers

48:22we've been talking to, this kind of

48:24public request for uh you know, a modest

48:27amount of office space. Um you know,

48:29they're already they're already paying

48:31taxes at Midstate on their building. So

48:33I don't know, wouldn't necessarily get

48:34more taxes for us, but if you had a

48:37couple hundred students of some sort

48:39coming to town, they might be using some

48:41of the businesses. And it certainly

48:42increases Auburn's Auburn's profile if

48:45we can point to we have a you know uh

48:47you know an institution of higher

48:48learning in town. We had mentioned you

48:50know Clark or Holy Cross earlier those

48:52are great institutions as well that are

48:54nearby. Um so anyway say it's the kind

48:56of thing we're we're trying to do. So,

48:59um, yeah, and the last thing I'll say,

49:03which relates to everything I just said,

49:04is we're we're reccalibrating, uh,

49:07again, as I think I reported previously,

49:10um, we had an initial wave of

49:13conversations with some candidates for

49:15an economic development coordinator

49:16position. Uh, we were going to make an

49:18offer to somebody, but then they pulled

49:20themselves out of the mix. And while we

49:22had some other strong uh candidates,

49:25they just didn't seem to have exactly uh

49:28what we were looking for. Uh so we

49:30haven't closed the door on certain on

49:32certain folks yet, but uh we're we're

49:34reccalibrating the job description to

49:38see if that might uh garner uh a bigger

49:42universe of folks that we might be able

49:44that might uh that might be uh a good

49:46candidate for for that role. And so um

49:50more to come on that. I know the

49:52priority right now is to get to town

49:53meeting. Uh but at the same time, I

49:55don't want to lose sight of that either.

49:56Nor do I want to lose sight of would be

49:57great to have before the our fifth

49:58member uh on the committee as well. Um

50:01so, uh hopefully more updates on that at

50:03the next meeting. Uh and I know we'll

50:05probably talk about that part shortly.

50:07Um but sorry, I'm not sorry not sorry. I

50:11gave you a big brain download tonight.

50:14uh and I be uh but I also appreciate a

50:16lot of the feedback you gave me that I

50:18can share with uh other pieces of the

50:20puzzle here. So with that, Madam Chair,

50:23I will conclude my uh economic

50:25development director update.

50:27>> Thank you for the update. It was very

50:29detailed.

50:31Um moving on to um the minutes. Um,

50:37the minutes of the August 20th, 2026

50:41meeting have been distributed.

50:43>> Um,

50:46are there any corrections?

50:49>> Just one. I I was not in attendance. So,

50:53I was not in attendance. [laughter] So,

50:55you need to

50:56>> Oh, that's right. I

50:58thank you. You were absent. Thank you.

51:01>> Yep.

51:02>> And sorry again that I was absent.

51:06Um,

51:07>> you were in you were in spirit, so

51:10>> I read all the material, but this is

51:12only for physical and then I had a sick

51:14kid at home, so I just couldn't come.

51:18>> Could I have a motion to accept?

51:20>> I'd like to make a motion to accept with

51:22the change to uh, Miss Baker being um,

51:26moved to members absent.

51:30>> Second that.

51:31>> All in favor? Hi.

51:32>> Hi.

51:36>> Uh through the chair Patrick, I'll go

51:38ahead and make that change and and just

51:40give that to the clerk.

51:41>> Thank you.

51:44>> And then the discussion on um the next

51:47meeting dates. So there were two

51:52options. Yes, the

51:53>> Yeah, I don't have the I left that paper

51:55downstairs of all the other papers I

51:57brought up, but hopefully one of you has

51:58in your packet. So there was I think

51:59there was two dates that were

52:01identified. the 21st and 28th maybe.

52:04>> Yes, they're both on a Wednesday

52:05evening.

52:07>> 21st.

52:08>> So, the challenge I face is the third

52:10Wednesday of every month the finance

52:12committee meets. So, the 21st is um

52:17>> it'll be right before town meeting,

52:18right Patrick?

52:20>> Um well, yeah, we may cancel that.

52:22That's part of the problem is that you

52:24know we would have met on the 16th but

52:27then we bumped it to the 17th then I

52:30canceled here on the 17th so I could be

52:32available for that and so as it turned

52:34out so um I would say um that we should

52:41meet when all of you can and then if I

52:43can't make it

52:45you know

52:46>> and I believe through the chair I think

52:47this would just we're going off calendar

52:49so to speak just for like I think this

52:51is the last month. I think we'd be back

52:53to the quote unquote regular meeting

52:54schedule in November, which would be the

52:57third Thursday.

52:57>> So, if we wanted to do Well, the 28th is

53:00um before town meeting, right?

53:03>> It's right after the town meeting's on

53:04the 27th.

53:05>> 27th. Okay.

53:08>> And I think the others besides you,

53:10Patrick, I think I think the 21st and 20

53:13at least back when we did the poll, uh

53:15the other members were available on

53:17those dates. And I'm

53:20I don't want to say agnostic. Uh but at

53:22the same time, I could foresee a

53:24situation where if there were a fincom

53:26meeting on the 21st, um that's probably

53:29a meeting I might also have to attend.

53:31>> Um

53:32>> um so that being the case, maybe I might

53:35suggest we choose the 28th. Um and then

53:39>> okay,

53:40>> if that's if everyone's comfortable with

53:42that as possible and then

53:43>> you should be able to make that then.

53:47>> Okay. And then as we said, we can

53:50confirm that at that meeting, but I

53:52think we'd be back to sort of the

53:53regular routine. But then again, that

53:54raises the question too, and I don't

53:55want to get to November just yet, but

53:57the third Thursday is the right before

54:00Thanksgiving.

54:01>> That's the 18th.

54:02>> Yeah. Or the 19th, I think. But

54:04>> 13th's the 19th, right?

54:05>> But anyway, so we can we can we can

54:08discuss that. But uh uh I don't think

54:11that's necessarily a conflict,

54:13>> but anyway. All right. So, we'll

54:15proceed. I would assume the 28th and we

54:18will

54:20take the steps when it gets closer to

54:21that date.

54:25>> So I should put on the minutes that the

54:27meeting for the next meeting will be um

54:3010 currently October 28th.

54:32>> That's safe. Yes.

54:37>> Is there any further business to come

54:39before the committee?

54:44If none this meeting is adjourned 658.

54:49Thank you.

54:51[music]