BRANDON PLANNING COMMISSION

SEPT. 15, 2008

Planning Commissioners present: Ethan Swift, Linda Stewart, Matt Carmolli, Anne Bransfield

Others present: Janet Mondlak, Richard Baker, Lee Kahrs, Dayle Ann Stratton, Paul Costello

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 7:15 pm.

Creative Economy - VT Council on Rural Development

Paul Costello said the VCRD is one of many councils across the country. The councils are charged with working on programs across rural America. They help federal programs and their staff work effectively with state programs and their staff. Some of the things that VCRD does include

• Being a neutral facilitator of public process.
• Hold Community visits (they did one in Brandon in 1999).
• Policy work

Paul discussed the VCRD's focus on the Creative Economy and what they've done in some of the towns that they have worked with. One goal is talking about how to make a town into a dynamic and attractive place which will attract young people. VT is good at growing small businesses. How can a community try to make themselves as dynamic as possible to attract young residents and employers? How can they be a part of the creative work force? How can a town attract entrepreneurs?

Paul described the Community Visit model.

• Establish a local steering committee from a good cross section of the entire community.
• What are the issues the community needs to explore (try to get approx. nine issues)?
• Who are the top people in the state who have explored those issues, have staff that could help, or might have money? Build a team of advisors
• Work with the local community to invite people who could be part of the dialogue about each of the issues. Don't just ask likely people but ask many people who might have a connection.
• VCRD promotes the process to get a lot of residents to attend.
• Facilitators are leaders in state or federal government in Vermont. The conversation is managed: What is good, what are the challenges, what should be done?
• VCRD pulls out 20 top items
• Hold a town meeting about the items. What should be prioritized? These are the things most important to the people and that the community is ready to take action on.
• The final results are three or four top priorities which are the keystones people want to work on.  VCRD finds a key person to work on it and possibly a key staff person at an agency to help. Bring in the team for a Resource Day - work through a set of steps to build a work plan.
• VCRD asks for resources, connections, and advisors to help the town strategically address the issues.

What are some of Brandon's concerns / issues? Commissioners discussed some of their ideas:

• Loss of downtown businesses and two major manufacturers / employers.
• It feels like there is a need for an economic development officer. What would the person do? What are the expectations?
• There is currently no economic development officer but there is money budgeted.
• We are "forgotten" and don't have as strong an identity as we might have. The school system is split between Addison and Rutland Counties. Legislators also - our Senators are with Addison County and Representative with Rutland County.
• More employees are leaving town to work.
• When the town plan rewrite was started, there were two large housing developments in the works. We were looking at potential growth centers. There has been a lot of change since then and now we are looking at holes.
• Maintaining the viability of Brandon for taking advantage of opportunities as the economy improves in the future rather than dissipate during the stagnant period.
• There has also been a large job loss downtown, i.e., the loss of many First Brandon Bank jobs.
• There is some high speed internet, some DSL in town.
• Perhaps we should have a municipal energy committee; perhaps a committee to address economic development issues.
• What is the community vision on economic development? If we can define it, the question becomes whether you can have economic development without an economic development officer? And if we must have an economic development officer, what are the characteristics of that position that will help meet the objectives? What do we want from the economic development officer that we can’t get from the chamber of commerce, town office, or regional economic development office?
• Growth centers? There are satellite growth areas, such as the old training school. How can we encourage more of a density that is still attached to physical community space and make it connect? To plan where we want it.

Paul said that the town can hire someone to do some economic development consulting. There are people in the state who do this type of work. It can be a short term expenditure with a big impact. Brandon has big assets: a workforce, reputation, available buildings, location, and a permitted industrial park with four lots.

Paul said that towns have to be creative and take risks in order to bring in jobs. For example, Hinesburg is trying to become a hub for green businesses centered on NRG but with spin-offs. There are key businesses that are starting points. A lot of towns are looking at: what kinds of small businesses they might be able to attract.

Brandon's revolving loan fund is healthy but there is no interest in using it at present.

Ethan said he thinks there should be exploration of establishing an energy committee in town. Paul outlined some of the things that energy committees are doing in other towns.

Janet suggested holding a targeted planning session, not necessarily a full-scale Community Visit. She said there seem to be a lot of issues surrounding economic development and the economic state of the town.  Richard said it needs to be established who we would be targeting. What would we need to decide and what do we want to accomplish? Paul said there have been towns that have developed an economic development committee. Everyone knows the problems but can't decide what is going to be done about them. A staff person can get some of the things done.

Paul outlined some of the things that VCRD can do, such as helping facilitate a targeted meeting or process regarding i.e., economic development. Ethan said outcomes of that kind of meeting could help inform the town plan. Paul said a team of listeners could be brought in.

Selectboard  - Ethan said he attended the meeting last week. The Selectmen are reviewing the town plan and will provide comment. Oct. 1 is the date for comments to come back. Oct. 20 will be a joint meeting between the Selectboard and Planning Commission, (it will be called a PC meeting,) to talk about the town plan.

Minutes - Motion by Stewart/Bransfield to approve the minutes of the Aug. 20, 2008 meeting as written. Passed.

Board - This is Matt Carmolli's last meeting as he is moving away from Brandon. He will send a letter to the Selectboard. Matt was thanked for all his work.

Next Meeting(s) - Oct. 6 and Oct. 20

Adjourn - Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:50 pm.

Respectfully submitted

____________________
Janet Mondlak, Recording Secretary