By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE
The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) at its Nov. 24 meeting unanimously voted to not renew a yearly membership in the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC). It also discussed the streetscape request for quotations (RFQ) and set 2016 meeting dates. At its Dec. 22 meeting, it unanimously voted to construct a website to promote business in Middlebury. It also welcomed new member Todd Anelli, who was appointed by the Board of Selectmen Dec. 21.
At the November meeting, a motion to not renew membership in the CERC Sitefinder Search database at a cost of $600 per year passed unanimously. Commissioners agreed there was not enough benefit in paying for a search capability also available directly from the CERC web site. After a discussion on what nearby towns are doing for marketing, Chairman Terry McAuliffe agreed to bring a website proposal to the December meeting based on good ideas from Newtown and others.
At the December meeting, McAuliffe said the planned website will follow the general design used by the Newtown, Conn., economic development commission and will cost about $115 per year. A Facebook page also will be created. Members discussed a possible photography contest to be held in early 2016 to obtain attractive quality-of-life images of Middlebury for the site, with details to be worked out in coming meetings.
McAuliffe told members he had spoken to Chief Financial Officer Larry Hutvagner and First Selectman Ed St. John regarding the Streetscape and Zoning Regulations request for quotations (RFQ) going out for bids. Hutvagner said the bid package would go up on a statewide bidding web site in early January and also be published in the Bee-Intelligencer for local awareness. St. John said there was funding for the Zoning Regulations and that part of the work would be a first phase of the entire project, to be phased as funds or grants became available. The package also will be sent to Hiram Peck and Hugh Sullivan, the local architects who prepared the package, for forwarding to other firms known to respond to such RFQs.
McAuliffe also reported at the November meeting that updates made to the Tax Incentive program would be on the agenda for approval by the Board of Selectman (BoS) at their Dec. 7 meeting. As expected, the BoS approved the updates, which added information about the Oxford Airport Enterprise Zone incentives. The BoS also voted at their Dec. 7 meeting to proceed with the streetscape RFQ.
That RFQ was written as a result of an August joint meeting of the EIDC and the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z). A streetscape plan is expected to cost about $100,000. Funding will come from P&Z funds and grants such as the Small Town Economic Assistance Program and Eversource Main Street grant program.
The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Conference Room.
