In February, Susan covered the town’s creation of an Economic Development Committee. At the time, Selectmen were concerned about a grim economic future for the town. They determined the need to attract new business to town to improve the tax base.
This week, The Metrowest Daily News ran an update on their efforts.
[Committee member, Selectman Dan] Kolenda said the 10-member committee has done “fantastic” work thus far. It has made it a point to hold meetings at several local businesses, he said, in order to show the business community that town leaders are committed to the initiative.
“Some of our objectives include outreach to businesses in Southborough who pay taxes but sometime have some challenges navigating through our system, including our permitting process,” said Kolenda.
Part of the effort, Kolenda said, is codifying internal processes for handling businesses either looking to move to town or expand.
If you are concerned that the committee is looking to turn Southborough into a commercial hub, don’t fear.
The end goal, Kolenda said, is to retain and attract modest-sized businesses to increase economic growth.
“We’re not going to be setting up a Costco or BJ’s in Southborough,” he said, but are looking to attract businesses that fit with the town’s rural character.
For the full MWDN story, click here.
