HomeMy WebLinkAboutIDC COMM 5/17/2016D
MINUTES OF MEETING -;.° OFJ IG%
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIOYL1jbU$J ?2 P 121
May 17, 2016 F .)
The meeting was called to order at 7 PM by Acting Chair Krista Hill Cummings
Members present:
Krista Hill Cummings, Acting Chair
Beth Ashman -Collins, Secretary
Matthew Cummings
David Martin
Others Present:
Maria Correia, Mansfield Holiday Inn
Debra Britt,
Sharon Friedman,
Jackie Curtis
Frank DelVecchio
MOTION to approve March 22 minutes (Martin, Cummings). Motion Passed.
Discussion with Industrial Realtor Steve Clancy Postponed. Clancy is not feeling well and will
reschedule.
Recap of Downtown Subcommittee Meeting
Getting on the Record
MOTION to establish a downtown subcommittee and appoint four members: Nancy Wall,
Krista Hill Cummings, Matt Cummings and Beth Ashman Collins (Martin, Hill Cummings).
Motion Passed.
Focus Group of Downtown Business Owners planned for June 23. The goal is to get
perspectives on the advantages and challenges of downtown as a business location and
brainstorm ideas. The focus group will be followed with a survey to validate findings with a
larger number of business owners.
Cultural District Application
The Downtown Subcommittee has agreed to collaborate fully with the Mansfield Massachusetts
Cultural Council in doing the planning to seek designation as a Cultural District. Jackie Curtis
pointed out Easton as a model of a town that revitalized their town center with the support of
cultural district planning and designation.
Cultural asset mapping: Could the IDC gather the asset list of cultural groups that are in the
community? The application process will prompt us to map our cultural assets and then try to
imagine how to extend them. For example, the mural is an asset, but there aren't signs or maps
to show people where all the locations depicted in the mural are located.
Debbie Britt has applied for a grant to rent the vacant storefronts for artists in town. As part of
the proposal artists would have to hold courses for town residents. She expects to hear back on
that proposal in June.
Martin shared a point of information from his day job as Executive Director of the
Massachusetts Health Council. Sturdy is working with Wheaton and some of the larger
businesses to promote health. The push is about the Blue Zone Project. There is grant money
for this type of initiative promoting healthy communities: Moving, Socializing, and Healthy
Food. This could be another lens through which to think about the Cultural District application.
It might prompt us to think about a rental bike -rack at the bike path.
Main Street Fire Station. The plan of the town is to sell the Fire Station. It would be timely to
discuss this with Selectmen this summer.
Discussion of IDC Survey and Marketing Program
Tomorrow is Elizabeth's senior presentation at Mansfield High School. Hill Cummings will
attend.
Hill Cummings went over the work items including the brochure, the Facebook page, the
Chamber video, and the need to get the survey data up on the town website.
Discussion of the brochure:
• Add education profile data
• Fire and Policy have been recognized nationally for their response records. ISO
insurance rating puts Mansfield in the top 10% which is a benefit to property owners.
• Town is proactive in providing for affordable housing
• The police car photo seems out of place.
Homework: Send feedback on Brochure. Want reactions to "Home of the business -minded" or
"Mansfield where your business works," Please feel free to make alternative suggestions. Please
highlight items that seem too subjective and provide feedback to help make the statements
more objectively fact.
Homework 2: We need each member of the subcommittee to each contribute to the Facebook
Page, Why Mansfield 02048 once a week.
Homework 3: Email Bill Ross feedback on the Chamber Video Script per his April 26 email.
Survey Data on Website: We have 10 pages of infographics on our survey created by student
interns. We need to get that on the Mansfield Town Website. We need a home on the Mansfield
website. Beth will go through the town manager's office to ask what we need to do to get that
done.
Member Questions and Comments:
Matt Cummings shared that Jeffrey Mann from the Xfinity Center is interested in getting
involved and intending a meeting. Matt will invite him to attend our next meeting. The thought
is he would be an informal participant similar to Maria Correia, rather than a guest speaker.
Future Meetings. Next Scheduled Meeting: Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 7 PM.
• Bill Benford, Mansfield Bank is scheduled June 21 and Martin will confirm.
• Clancy may also reschedule for June 21, and if so, the agenda will be very full and we should
not include other items.
• Matt Cummings has a conflict with June 21.
• End of semester means Thursdays evenings are now possible
• A date has not been set for the joint meeting with the Finance Committee. This may be on
hold since this was requested by the recent past chair.
MOTION to Adjourn passes (Martin/Cummings) 8:05 PM.
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Signature of Clerk, Beth Ashman -Collins