A wide representation of Newtown staff, along with elected and appointed officials, gathered with Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) representatives January 13 for a presentation illustrating how local agencies could better attract, enhance, and retain local commercial enterprises.

Robert Santy, CERC president and CEO, told The Newtown Bee ahead of the gathering that Newtown was among the first two dozen among Connecticut’s 169 communities that he was visiting to pitch for intra-agency collaboration in the interest of increasing commercial tax bases.

The statewide nonprofit CERC is among a number of partners, also including the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS), Connecticut Main Street Center, and the Metro Hartford Alliance, providing the two-hour session titled, “Transformational Approach, The fundamentals of Municipal Economic Development.”

Local planning and economic development agency representatives have long maintained that targeted commercial economic development is a critical component of Newtown’s strategic plan.

“It’s important that our commissions and boards understand the intricacies of the local, state, and global economy, and help develop a strong and successful economic development foundation for our community’s future,” Economic Development Coordinator Betsy Paynter said in an invitation to the forum.

Since the workshop was geared to every town staffer, board, and commission member with influence related to creating and maintaining economic development projects, Ms Paynter said she was very happy to see such a diverse turnout of local leaders.

Whether the session, designed to get everyone working together, is an ultimate success is yet to be seen. But it did get representatives from First Selectman Pat Llodra, Director of Planning George Benson, and Public Works Director Fred Hurley into the same room with members of the Legislative Council, the Fairfield Hills and Water & Sewer Authorities, Economic Development and Planning & Zoning Commissions, even the Booth Library Board to illustrate how each commission and its work can help Newtown’s growth.

The session, which also featured CERC Economist Matthew Ross and Fairfield Director of Community and Economic Development and former Stratford town manager Mark Barnhart, reviewed research, marketing and general economic development practices that were working well for certain state communities, as well as providing resources and tools CERC and its partners make available to help towns achieve positive economic development results.

Presentation Details

The three-part presentation involved Mr Santy covering key definitions of economic development — transactions and transformation, Mr Ross reviewing a package of demographic comparisons that matched Newtown details against similar trends in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and the nation, and Mr Barnhart wrapping up with an overview of the roles and responsibilities of Newtown’s “economic development team,” including strategic planning for development.

Mr Santy reviewed the differences between economic growth and economic development, which he defined as “building wealth for a community and its residents.”

“If you do it right, it will grow the commercial end of your grand list,” he said, referring to the town’s valuations of all taxable property.

The CERC CEO then touched upon workforce enhancement and preservation, stating that while they may not be headquartered in Newtown, global industries like Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky likely employ specially skilled taxpayers who reside in town, making those distant industrial neighbors relevant contributors to Newtown’s economic sustainability.

“Workforce is a huge part of economic development,” he said. “We don’t want to lose a global industry like a Pratt & Whitney because we are not supplying a skilled workforce.

“When you think about it, Newtown is tied to how Connecticut is doing in the global economy if even one of your residents commute to work at a global company like Sikorsky,” he added.

He also stressed how important it is for Newtown to build and maintain a good reputation among the various professionals who work for or with commercial developers, and whose opinions are often sought from industry leaders exploring possible relocation or expanded development sites.

He said to maximize the potential for new commercial development, Newtown should be sure people in the development world are talking about how easy the town makes it for projects to get planned, authorized, and completed.

Mr Santy then promoted the idea of developing 21st Century workforce or “affordable housing.” He mentioned grants, planning, and other support systems available to communities like Newtown who have a need for such housing, and that do not want inappropriate or poorly sited projects being developed because of state statutory mandates to meet a 10 percent minimum threshold for affordable housing supercedes local rule or desires.

Demographic Highpoints

Mr Ross then spent about 30 minutes reviewing and discussing Newtown’s position against other communities across Fairfield County, the state, and nation. Among the points he made were:

*Newtown has a proportionately higher number of residents under age 19 than Fairfield County, Connecticut, and national averages.

*Newtown also has a comparatively higher number of residents in the key 45 to 54 demographic, which represents a group with significant disposable income to sustain local and regional businesses.

*Newtown is likely lagging in another key spending demographic — the 25 to 34 age group — because of the lack of affordable or rental housing availability.

*The community’s proportionately higher number of residents with a bachelor’s degree creates great potential for business development because it represents a highly sought segment of the workforce.

*The demographic of Newtown residents working in key occupations like office and administrative, education, training, and library professionals is nearly double that of Fairfield County and the nation.

*The community also has a strong demographic of health care, social administration, and retail trade employees.

*Of Newtown’s workforce, however, fewer than 15 percent both live and work in the community.

*Newtown’s proportion of residential versus commercial taxpayers is higher than Fairfield County and the state, and its commercial proportion of the tax base is about half when compared to the county and state.

*The community’s availability of rental housing lags about 25 percent behind the state average, and 30 percent below the Fairfield County average.

“Lack of rental housing is prohibitive to [attracting] that 25 to 35 age range that comes with significant disposable income,” Mr Ross noted.