Wednesday, August 20, 2008 11:16 AM EDT
14-point economic road map offered
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Blue ribbon panel recommends economic czar for Westerly.
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 Blue ribbon panel recommends economic czar for Westerly. |
While praising the work of the local chamber of commerce, town officials have opted to continue talks on a proposed Town Hall-led economic development strategy.
The Blue Ribbon Task Force on economic development presented an overview of its 48- page final report on Monday, pointing to the 14 recommendations as a “framework.”
Councilors praised the report, agreed that more discussion is needed, and instructed Town Manager Joseph T. Turo to draft a plan to implement the recommendations. Councilors said they expected to hear back from the manager in the second week of September.
“I feel (it) is an outstanding report, well done and good recommendations,” said Councilor Diana Avedesian.
She said the town must, in carrying out the proposed strategy, work with existing resources — a step she said in no way detracts from the longtime work of the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce.
Councilor Caswell Cooke Jr. said that after meeting in the spring with representatives from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, he learned Westerly must chart its own course. A point person for the town is needed, he added.
A self-described advocate for funding the chamber of commerce, Cooke said the proposed economic development strategy is “to put it bluntly, the town of Westerly finally stepping up and doing what it’s supposed to be doing in terms of job creation and job growth.”
He said it is “kind of pathetic” that the town has long relied on a chambermade brochure to inform prospective companies.
The council formed the Blue Ribbon Task Force in April, after a number of local companies announced considerable layoffs and closures. Task force Co-Chair Lisa Nelson praised the council for its quick thinking in creating the group, which worked for about four months to research and write its report.
The chamber’s board of directors submitted a separate report to the council, providing feedback on the task force recommendations as well as several of its own ideas. The chamber’s president described the report as “an alternative” and said it does not represent an adversarial view.
Recommendations in the task force’s final report range from launching an economic development Web site to reconstituting the Economic Development Commission to exploiting the town’s advantages, its retail center, airport, train station, health care system and cultural resources.
Task force member Dick Smith, who also serves as chair of the finance board, said the group’s goal is to attract, develop and retain the number and types of jobs necessary to sustain a prosperous local economy.
To implement the recommendations, the task force has advised the council to engage a person, reporting to the town manager, to execute this strategy and serve as the single point of coordination for all town economic development activities.
“Nothing happens without focus, without discipline and without leadership,” Smith said. “So the task force is recommending there must be someone leading this effort.”
Nelson agreed: “Without the right kind of leadership, programs fail to produce needed results.”
Smith said the task force takes no position on whether this individual should be a current Town Hall employee. The group does specify that this position not result in any additional headcount or incremental, above-budget spending at Town Hall.
The task force said that compensation should be highly incentive-based and tied to performance against agreed-upon annual and multi-year objectives. This individual would also chair the Economic Development Commission.
“We recognize that we’re asking you to do a hard thing,” Smith said. “We’re asking you to restructure government and we’re asking you to redirect funding … to support this effort. That’s a difficult thing to do and we recognize that.”
He said it is up to the council to make economic development a priority and, if it does, town government needs to be “opportunistically restructured” following any turnover or retirements. A part-time effort will not work, he added.
Frank Palaia, president of the chamber’s board of directors, told councilors that the chamber’s 24-member board believes the work can be accomplished by a rejuvenated Economic Development Commission working with the town planner and area business groups without the town hiring an economic development director.
“I think that was the crux of where we were having difficulty,” he said.
The task force eyed Westerly’s strengths and weaknesses, surveyed other Rhode Island towns about economic development activities and conducted interviews in Cranston, East Providence, Smithfield, South Kingstown and Brattleboro, Vt.
Council President Mary Jane DiMaio said she would have liked to see Newport officials interviewed.
From other towns, Smith said the group learned that Westerly must take the reins to be successful, and that “hard work and a long term commitment are required.”
“Continuing the status quo is not an effective strategy in our view,” he said.
The Blue Ribbon Task Force on economic development presented an overview of its 48- page final report on Monday, pointing to the 14 recommendations as a “framework.”
Councilors praised the report, agreed that more discussion is needed, and instructed Town Manager Joseph T. Turo to draft a plan to implement the recommendations. Councilors said they expected to hear back from the manager in the second week of September.
“I feel (it) is an outstanding report, well done and good recommendations,” said Councilor Diana Avedesian.
She said the town must, in carrying out the proposed strategy, work with existing resources — a step she said in no way detracts from the longtime work of the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce.
Councilor Caswell Cooke Jr. said that after meeting in the spring with representatives from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, he learned Westerly must chart its own course. A point person for the town is needed, he added.
A self-described advocate for funding the chamber of commerce, Cooke said the proposed economic development strategy is “to put it bluntly, the town of Westerly finally stepping up and doing what it’s supposed to be doing in terms of job creation and job growth.”
He said it is “kind of pathetic” that the town has long relied on a chambermade brochure to inform prospective companies.
The council formed the Blue Ribbon Task Force in April, after a number of local companies announced considerable layoffs and closures. Task force Co-Chair Lisa Nelson praised the council for its quick thinking in creating the group, which worked for about four months to research and write its report.
The chamber’s board of directors submitted a separate report to the council, providing feedback on the task force recommendations as well as several of its own ideas. The chamber’s president described the report as “an alternative” and said it does not represent an adversarial view.
Recommendations in the task force’s final report range from launching an economic development Web site to reconstituting the Economic Development Commission to exploiting the town’s advantages, its retail center, airport, train station, health care system and cultural resources.
Task force member Dick Smith, who also serves as chair of the finance board, said the group’s goal is to attract, develop and retain the number and types of jobs necessary to sustain a prosperous local economy.
To implement the recommendations, the task force has advised the council to engage a person, reporting to the town manager, to execute this strategy and serve as the single point of coordination for all town economic development activities.
“Nothing happens without focus, without discipline and without leadership,” Smith said. “So the task force is recommending there must be someone leading this effort.”
Nelson agreed: “Without the right kind of leadership, programs fail to produce needed results.”
Smith said the task force takes no position on whether this individual should be a current Town Hall employee. The group does specify that this position not result in any additional headcount or incremental, above-budget spending at Town Hall.
The task force said that compensation should be highly incentive-based and tied to performance against agreed-upon annual and multi-year objectives. This individual would also chair the Economic Development Commission.
“We recognize that we’re asking you to do a hard thing,” Smith said. “We’re asking you to restructure government and we’re asking you to redirect funding … to support this effort. That’s a difficult thing to do and we recognize that.”
He said it is up to the council to make economic development a priority and, if it does, town government needs to be “opportunistically restructured” following any turnover or retirements. A part-time effort will not work, he added.
Frank Palaia, president of the chamber’s board of directors, told councilors that the chamber’s 24-member board believes the work can be accomplished by a rejuvenated Economic Development Commission working with the town planner and area business groups without the town hiring an economic development director.
“I think that was the crux of where we were having difficulty,” he said.
The task force eyed Westerly’s strengths and weaknesses, surveyed other Rhode Island towns about economic development activities and conducted interviews in Cranston, East Providence, Smithfield, South Kingstown and Brattleboro, Vt.
Council President Mary Jane DiMaio said she would have liked to see Newport officials interviewed.
From other towns, Smith said the group learned that Westerly must take the reins to be successful, and that “hard work and a long term commitment are required.”
“Continuing the status quo is not an effective strategy in our view,” he said.
Avondale Jim wrote on Aug 20, 2008 11:19 PM:
" this should of been done 10 years ago---this co chair duet need to quiet down and realize it's over now for economic increases for westerly "
Re: In a Bubble wrote on Aug 20, 2008 6:46 PM:
" You're right, but knowing Westerly like I do, it won't just be an Economic Development Czar. It will, also, be an office, clerk typist, and before we all know it, an assistant or two. That's how this Town works. They con us by saying "Oh, it'll only be one new position." YEAH RIGHT! How many times have we heard that one?????? "
IN A BUBBLE? wrote on Aug 20, 2008 12:16 PM:
" Its as though certain folks in Westerly are living in a bubble. They can't hear the troubling economic news all over the country, nor see it, nor understand the consequences of it. What in the world would make these people on this Task Force think for even one second that the folks in this Town are ready, willing or able to support a new position with benefits, i.e., insurances, pension, etc.? The cost of simply living our lives has risen so high that I believe it has sunk in with most people, with the exception of certain folks like those on this Blue Ribbon Task Force. Climb out of your bubble and see what's actually going on around you! "
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