Town begins to look at economic development
By
Chance Viles
Reporter
Posted Aug 21, 2018 at 9:55 PM
Updated Aug 21, 2018 at 9:55 PM
HUBBARDSTON — Officials are looking to fill vacancies on the Economic
Development Committee and Finance Committee as they begin to plan for
future growth and economic development.
Todd Miller is the new Quabbin Regional Economic Development coordinator and will be serving Hubbardston as well as the rest of the towns in the region: Hardwick, Barre, Hubbardston, New Braintree and Oakham.
His job will be to look at the needs and wants of residents in the area and work with local officials to secure those changes.
In only a week, Miller has begun working on his analysis of what Hubbardston needs to do to achieve the desired economic growth. Miller was brought in and will be working for a full year after the five towns wrote a grant for about $100,000 for the position.
“With all of these Quabbin-area towns, like it or not, our faiths are intertwined together,” Miller said.
“We succeed as a region or we don’t, and I think we are on the right track and will be OK.”
Miller is looking to immediately fill vacancies in the committees. The Economic Development Committee has a total of five seats, three of which are vacant, while the Finance Committee has one vacancy.
“I am trying to breathe new life into the committee. These will be the people that will work hand in hand with me and the Board of Selectmen to make sure that the development that occurs in Hubbardston is copacetic and what the folks want,” Miller said.
Miller has begun to analyze current reports and data collected and presented by the Economic Development Committee, and with this he has made rough drafts for possible routes the town may take in securing economic development.
What the committee found and presented recently to Miller and the
Board of Selectman can be found on the town website, or on the YouTube
page at the beginning of the Aug. 20 board meeting. The rough synopsis
of the report is that the majority of money the town gets from its tax
levy is from residential development.
Miller, using this information, will work with the committee and town officials to possibly work to incentivize young couples or groups to move into town, as they may have no children, avoiding putting an immediate stress on the school system. These couples are likely to buy more-affordable homes in town, according to Miller.
In turn, a growing population would bring in more commercial growth, as companies avoid moving into towns as small in Hubbardston because their customer base is too small.
These are rough plans and are in no way final, but they are rather examples of how Miller and town officials are looking at the wants of the town and how they can achieve them.
“We need to make Hubbardston more fertile ground for commercial growth,” Miller said.
Miller and officials will also take the time to look at different regulations for development, looking at the possibility of loosening them, like the acreage requirement in town, to allow more affordable homes to be built.
“I have ideas, but keep in mind I have been working on this for about a week, so as I meet with the town and the boards it is subject to change,” Miller said. “That is why we need to fill these vacancies. We need to get some folks that care about Hubbardston and want to get their two cents in and enact change.”
Anyone interested in filling any of the town vacancies can call the Board of Selectmen or contact Town Administrator Ryan McLane.
Todd Miller is the new Quabbin Regional Economic Development coordinator and will be serving Hubbardston as well as the rest of the towns in the region: Hardwick, Barre, Hubbardston, New Braintree and Oakham.
His job will be to look at the needs and wants of residents in the area and work with local officials to secure those changes.
In only a week, Miller has begun working on his analysis of what Hubbardston needs to do to achieve the desired economic growth. Miller was brought in and will be working for a full year after the five towns wrote a grant for about $100,000 for the position.
“With all of these Quabbin-area towns, like it or not, our faiths are intertwined together,” Miller said.
“We succeed as a region or we don’t, and I think we are on the right track and will be OK.”
Miller is looking to immediately fill vacancies in the committees. The Economic Development Committee has a total of five seats, three of which are vacant, while the Finance Committee has one vacancy.
“I am trying to breathe new life into the committee. These will be the people that will work hand in hand with me and the Board of Selectmen to make sure that the development that occurs in Hubbardston is copacetic and what the folks want,” Miller said.
Miller has begun to analyze current reports and data collected and presented by the Economic Development Committee, and with this he has made rough drafts for possible routes the town may take in securing economic development.
Miller, using this information, will work with the committee and town officials to possibly work to incentivize young couples or groups to move into town, as they may have no children, avoiding putting an immediate stress on the school system. These couples are likely to buy more-affordable homes in town, according to Miller.
In turn, a growing population would bring in more commercial growth, as companies avoid moving into towns as small in Hubbardston because their customer base is too small.
These are rough plans and are in no way final, but they are rather examples of how Miller and town officials are looking at the wants of the town and how they can achieve them.
“We need to make Hubbardston more fertile ground for commercial growth,” Miller said.
Miller and officials will also take the time to look at different regulations for development, looking at the possibility of loosening them, like the acreage requirement in town, to allow more affordable homes to be built.
“I have ideas, but keep in mind I have been working on this for about a week, so as I meet with the town and the boards it is subject to change,” Miller said. “That is why we need to fill these vacancies. We need to get some folks that care about Hubbardston and want to get their two cents in and enact change.”
Anyone interested in filling any of the town vacancies can call the Board of Selectmen or contact Town Administrator Ryan McLane.
As the town's around us move forward why is our Town standing still ? The State Officials are all for regionalization as a means for everyone to develop programs to help them grow. Big grants provide necessary money to get this done. Templeton did little in the way of opening the door to the future. The simple act of getting through the fiscal year with out back filling a budget passed in the spring of the same fy, seems draining to the administration ! These are enough reasons for the people of this community to be more than concerned. Keep your eye on the ball, as it does not bounce in your favor.
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