Selectmen Create Energy, Economic Advisory Committees

Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Selectmen Create Energy, Economic Advisory Committees
Both groups emerge after recommendations of the updated master plan
By George Morse
SEEKONK — An update of the town’s master plan has yet to be completed but a couple of its recommendations are already being implemented.
Last Wednesday night, Dec. 21, the board of selectmen voted to create an economic advisory committee and an energy committee. Each of the groups will include five members appointed by the board of selectmen on rotating, three year terms.
Currently, a few elements of the town’s master plan revision are in the works including land use, transportation and public facilities and services. Earlier this year, however, draft versions of the economic development and sustainable energy elements were released for public review.
Along with a set of goals, each element contains a set of recommendations. Both the economic development and sustainable energy elements recommended creating these committees as a way of achieving each area’s respective goals.
According to a posting on the town’s website, the purpose of the economic advisory committee is to “sustain economic development efforts from the town and serve as a liaison to the chamber of commerce.” Currently, Seekonk does not have its own chamber of commerce. Town planner John Hansen said one duty of the group will be to determine if Seekonk should pursue creating its own chamber or if membership in nearby groups centered in East Providence and Attleboro are sufficient.
Here is a rundown of the economic advisory committee’s complete duties:
• Create outreach materials for local businesses describing the costs and benefits of having a local chamber of commerce.
• Invite representatives from neighboring chambers of commerce to talk about their accomplishments to the Seekonk business community.
• Work with the BOS to have EAC members receive training in issues of economic development through the Massachusetts Economic Development Council (MEDC).
• Work with the planning board, in cooperation with the chamber of commerce and/or EAC, develop a marketing strategy for Seekonk that includes highlights of business-friendly approaches within the community for commercial and industrial districts.
• Develop a business outreach program that includes critical information in a variety of media such as web-based material, e-blast notifications, mass mailings, workshops, etc…
• Work with the BOS to identify a liaison within the EAC to the South Eastern Economic Development (SEED) agency in order to better connect Seekonk’s small business community with technical and financial support.
• Work with the BOS to present a written economic development strategy to the commonwealth that would help to leverage additional liquor licenses in the Route 6 area.
• Work with the planning board to research other models of development that are compatible with “large pad” sites including, but not limited to, Mashpee Commons, South County Commons, Patriot Place and Legacy Place.
• Communicate directly with property/industry owners to identify challenges to re-occupation, expansion or redevelopment in industrial districts.
• Work with the energy committee to continue to assess the feasibility for other non-retail uses of industrial lands including, but not limited to, renewable energy facilities.
• Work with the BOS to support the development of an industrial subcommittee within the EAC or chamber of commerce.
• Work with the planning board to identify areas within the community where the use of district improvement financing (DIF) could be used to leverage funding for necessary infrastructure upgrades.
• Identify a liaison to the Massachusetts Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) to identify ways in which this organization can assist Seekonk with economic development and housing issues.
Meanwhile, the purpose of the energy committee is to “support various energy efficiency initiatives.” This group’s duties are as follows:
• Develop a public education and engagement campaign around energy efficiency and conservation.
• Sign up for the MassEnergyInsight program.
• Through the support of the energy committee, develop a municipal energy use baseline in MassEnergyInsight.
• Work with DPW to coordinate free energy audits at municipal buildings through the energy utilities.
• Work with the BOS to commit to reducing municipal energy use by 20 percent, and through the support of the energy committee, develop a Green Communities compliant energy reduction plan.
• Work with DPW to coordinate a street lighting audit with the electric utility, and consider conversion to LED lights.
• Develop a community energy use inventory and community-wide energy reduction strategy.
• Consider the implementation of a weatherization program.
• Provide education and outreach on energy efficiency and conservation, and promote energy audits.
• Consider implementation of a community energy efficiency competition or online rewards program in which residences are rewarded for energy savings.
• Continue to investigate opportunities (including appropriate locations as well as funding sources) to incorporate renewable energy on municipal buildings and lands.
• Provide education and outreach on renewable energy sources, and how home-owners and businesses can integrate these systems into their homes and businesses.
Mr. Hansen said the planning board is scheduled to review the three pending elements at a meeting in January. Following this, Mr. Hansen said the planning board will hold another meeting to review the entire master plan before taking a final vote to finish the project.
Mr. Hansen said he is excited to think about the future of the master plan with some of its recommendations already going into effect. He also said action at this point in the process is a “testament to the individuals” tasked as “responsible parties.”
“The planning board is pushing a lot of these concepts. The board of selectmen has bought into the idea as well, putting forward these two committees,” Mr. Hansen said.
“I’m excited to think about the future of this master plan now. It’s not going to sit there on the shelf and collect dust.”
Anyone interested in serving on either one of these new boards can contact the selectmen’s office at 336-2910.

SourceEast Bay Newspapers