Meeting Minutes
FALMOUTH EDIC OPEN MEETING: Dec 13, 2016
Town Hall, Selectmen’s Meeting Room
Falmouth, MA
PRESENT
Michael Galasso (C), Christopher Langlais (T), Susan Moran, Jim Fox, Brooks Bartlett, Christopher Land, Christopher Simmler
8:30am*
CALL TO ORDER
Having established a quorum, the chairman called the meeting to order. He welcomed the new board member Christopher Land.
8:35am
None
8:40am
WORKING GROUP UPDATES
The chairman announced a change in the order of the agenda to accommodate a few scheduling issues. He then turned to Moran to update committee on the EDIC Website.
EDIC WEBSITE UPDATE
Moran said the committee has two major projects going on while the new website is being developed and all is coming to fruition. The committee commissioned Brian Switzer to develop a video for use on the website that conveys the board’s message on what the EDIC is doing and promote interest in the town. Brian Switzer was then introduced. Switzer said that he had met with several members of the board and tried to convey the message they wanted to promote for the video. He then showed us the video. After the video Switzer commented the EDIC knew what they wanted to project. The board thought that it was a great video and thanked Switzer. The chairman commented that we now have a very nice logo and should use it in the video. Moran agreed.
Alexandra Caine highlighted the new website that will be ready to go live very shortly. Once the bios have been completed, all of the new EDIC email addresses will be listed so anyone can contact board members through email. Caine said we now have a new phone number that translates messages to emails.
Doris Simpson from the League of Women Voters spoke to the board about the EDIC’s mission statement. She got the mission statement from the existing website. She said she had heard very little about innovation and employment opportunities for locals during the past two meetings and did not want us to lose sight of these items when updating our Mission Statement. The chairman thanked her for her input and said that we needed collateral information such as a new logo, business cards, phone, and projects in the community to start getting the word out in the business community. With the addition of our new administrative assistant we can start to market the Tech Parks and ways the EDIC can help.
Moran wanted to recognize Carol McLeod Design that did a wonderful job with the website and also the contribution of Barbara Weyand and the job she did with much of the foundational work in the early stages of development. Weyand had just left the meeting but Moran wanted to note her great job effort.
8:55am
PUBLIC SPEAKERS
Caine said the guest speaker Steven Johnson from Open Cape had rescheduled due to a family emergency.
ADMINISTRATOR REPORT
Caine said she was working on the marketing of the Tech Park. She said she was getting background info to see how we can move forward to fill vacancies within the park. She is taking care of the property management needs at the FS. She’s working on finalizing the website and also finalizing a location for the winter retreat. She ended by handing out new business cards to all of the board members.
BOS 5-YR STRATIGIC PLAN EDIC ELEMENT
Moran said we should review and develop it at the retreat.
HOUSING DEMAND STUDY UPDATE
Galasso reported that a meeting was held on Nov. 18th with all of the stakeholders. (Anyone that is involved in housing and our consultant). He said the first draft of the housing demand study should be completed by the first week in January.
9:00am
COMMITTEE REPORTS: FALMOUTH STATION
Michael Galasso
Galasso reported he had met with the Historic District Commission and the subject of window color came up. They will look into the color but as of now there is no evidence of blue windows as they have suggested. He also reported that they are redesigning the length of the canopy out front as there are some structural restrictions. The chairman said looking back we should have probably met with the commission in the early stages of the project. While some of the property is in the Historical District, the building is not. The chairman also reported that we are trying to get info to replicate the interior as well. He said we also are working on a rough draft for the RFQ for the café’. He said once we develop it we will bring it to the committee before we issue it.
Langlais updated the committee on the reimbursements coming from Mass DOT. He said we have received the first three checks and by the 15th of the month will have the 4th request in our checking account. The fifth request for $84,000.00 was made last week and will be reimbursed in 40 days.
FALMOUTH STATION CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATE
Christopher Simmler
Simmler reported he met with the bikeways committee to give them an update. They told him up to 2,000 people use the bike path each day in the summer. He told them the restroom was not made larger as the Mass DOT did not allow it. It was suggested that we have bike cages if possible instead of just chaining their bike to a rack. Galasso reported that he had discussed with other members the possibilities of placing a RR car by the ramp that could be used as a bike locker. Fox was concerned with doing things that do not generate revenue. Simmler said he would do more research on it and report back. The chairman said we should be careful to develop areas for bikers and not let them use the bathrooms.
At the advisory meeting Paul Dryer said he would like to donate an antique authentic map of Falmouth. Barbara Weyand, with the help of the Historical Alliance, was going to look at old photos to donate for the FS. There was a desire to clean up the pot-bellied stove and paint it for the FS.
Simmler said that the committee feels that the FS needs a vision and it can’t be done with a committee that has no authority. Simmler also reported that he needed to start the Go-Fund-Me initiative by January.
LANDFILL SOLAR REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Jim Fox
Fox reported Phase 1 is ready and waiting for EverSource to connect it. He reported that Phase Two will not be as advantageous to the town as Phase One as the state is changing the program benefits.
REAL ESTATE
Chris Langlais
No Updates
USE OF EDIC LAND
The chairman said that we move this to the Executive session.
FINANCE
Chris Langlais
Langlais presented a warrant for $ 76,998.46. A motion was made and seconded to approve the warrant. It passed unanimously.
TECH PARK
Chris Simmler
The chairman said Caine has met with Dave Eldredge and has created a map. Now we can see the lots that are undeveloped so we can market them. He said new signage using our newly developed logo should be put up. Simmler said he would get an estimate on a new sign.
MUNICIPLE BROADBAND
None
10:00am
EDIC ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS
- EDIC Office Use and Rent Payment - was tabled.
- NOVEMBER MEETING MINUTES – The Meeting minutes were not distributed to everyone so a vote will be taken at next month’s meeting to approve.
- CORRESPONDENCE – The chairman congratulated the Falmouth Football Team on great season and maybe the EDICcould help in some way with developing a new field for them with private/public financing.
- NEW BUSINESS – The chairman said that the retreat was scheduled for February 4th or the 11th. It will be decided once Bartlett gives us feedback on his availability.
- EDIC Business Plan – Will be discussed at the retreat.
- PITCH CONTEST UPDATE – none.
10:05am
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
The chairman said new officers will be elected at our next meeting.
10:05am
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by the chairman to adjourn the regular session meeting and to move into executive session and not to return to regular session for the purpose of discussing use of EDIC property. It was seconded by Fox. The vote was Fox Aye, Moran Aye, Galasso Aye, Bartlett Aye, Simmler Aye, Land Aye, and Langlais Aye.
NEXT MEETING
Jan 10, 2017, 8:30am
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