HVCEO - Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials

WESTERN CONNECTICUT

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE


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Access the February 10, 2012
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
for preparing a US EDA defined Comprehenisve
Economic Development Strategy for Greater Danbury, CT

INTRODUCTION

Under the leadership of New Milford's Economic Development Supervisor Vincent Nolan, Newtown's Economic and Community Development Director Elizabeth Stocker and Danbury's Director of Economic Development Wayne Shepperd, a partnership of public and private sector citizens was formed in 2010 to search for ways to enhance economic development initiatives throughout the Greater Danbury-New Milford area.

This regional group, the Western Connecticut Economic Development Alliance, is focused on strengthening public and private sector efforts to expand the economy of Western Connecticut.

A regional approach will also enable our area to meet new planning requirements set forth by the Connecticut General Assembly that give priority for infrastructure grant funding to economic development activities derived from regional, not just municipal, economic development planning.

Monthly meetings are hosted by Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce President Stephen Bull, and are chaired by Harold Kurfehs of Brookfield.

MEMBERSHIP

Group membership as of July 2011 is as follows:

PRIVATE SECTOR:
1. Elizabeth Adams, Northeast Utilities
2. Stephen Bull, Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce and Workforce Board
3. Jane Didona, Didona Associates Landscape Architects
4. Nicholas Gazetos, Savings Bank of Danbury
5. Harold Kurfehs, Coldwell Banker and Brookfield Economic Development Commission

6. Maura Ruby, Danbury Fair Mall - The Macerich Company
7. Jeff Ryer, Ryer Associates Commercial Real Estate
8. Lisa Scails, Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance
9. Roy Steiner, Berkshire Corporate Park
10. William Shannon, Bethel Local 107 Labor Union
11. Sally Herlihy, Western CT Health Network

PUBLIC SECTOR:
1. Michael Boyle, Bethel Economic Outreach Commission and Base Technologies
2. Gerald Casiello, Redding Zoning Commission and SCORE advisor
3. David Hannon, Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials
4. Allen Morton, Western CT State University Ancell School of Business

5. Vincent Nolan, New Milford Economic Development Supervisor and Workforce Board
6. Bruce Tuomala, Danbury Economic Development Director and Workforce Board
7. Patricia Smithwick, Bethel Economic Outreach Commission and Workforce Board
8. Elizabeth Stocker, Newtown Economic and Community Development Office
9. Joy Strand, Ridgefield Economic Development Commission

MEETING MINUTES

Meeting minutes are prepared by Newtown Director of Economic and Community Development ELizabeth Stocker. To review monthly activities thus far:

March 24, 2010; May 5, 2010; June 16, 2010; October 13, 2010; December 1, 2010; January 19, 2011; March 16, 2011, April 27, 2011; May 18, 2011; June 15, 2011; July 20, 2011 ; August 17, 2011; October 19, 2011; November 16, 2011; January 18, 2012

PREPARE CEDS PLAN

The group will direct the production of a regional "Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy" Plan (CEDS Plan). This nationally recognized format will meet all state requirements for regional economic development planning and provide a perspective for each municipality.

In a 11/22/2011 letter to the US Economic Development Administration CT DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith stated that she "strongly endorses the Housatonic Valley application to EDA...." And that "DECD has a long and successful history of working with the HVCEO region on major infrastructure projects. Currently we have substantial projects underway in Danbury, New Milford, Newtown and Redding."

A technically sophisticated process, for details see the "CEDS Request for Proposals dated February 10, 2012." Other CEDS related documentation:

--- HVCEO Report on U.S. EDA Funding Eligibility for Area, April 30, 2010

--- HVCEO Commitment #1 to CEDS Plan, November 18, 2010

--- HVCEO Commitment #2 to CEDS Plan (draft), vote of approval to be scheduled

--- Map of 2010 CEDS Planning Areas in Connecticut