PORTLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING
February 14, 2008

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER

Chairman Fred Knous called the EDC meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.

2. ROLL CALL

Members present: Fred Knous, Peter LaMalfa, and Cathy Probolus.
Others present: Mary Dickerson and Karen Mazza

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of the January 10, 2008 EDC meeting were reviewed.

MOTION BY Peter LaMalfa to accept the minutes of January 10, 2008 as written. SECONDED by Cathy Probolus and UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, MOTION CARRIED.

Minutes of the December 19, 2007 EDC meeting will be reviewed at the March 13 meeting.

4. CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondence received was discussed:

• EDC members have provided testimony regarding applications at various Planning & Zoning and Inland Wetlands Commission meetings. Oakwood Soccer Club Inc. on the Glastonbury Turnpike proposes an application, which is a development of 24 acres on the East Side of Rt. 17 in a restricted industrial zone. At this time, no building is proposed. Discussed were the portable sanitation facilities being proposed and the use of pesticides in the care of the field. The EDC has no comment on the application at this time. The public hearing with the Planning & Zoning Commission will be held on March 6, 2008.
• Fred Knous met with the Infrastructure Planning Group and discussed the long-range capitol plan being proposed for infrastructure.
• STEAP Grant. The Board of Selectman approved matching funds to the STEAP Grant. The Grant and funds would allow the extension of development from Brownstone Avenue through Middlesex Avenue.

5. DISCUSSION

• Roundtable. There was no roundtable discussion planned for this meeting. At the March 13, 2008 EDC meeting, the Town Assessor will make a presentation to the EDC and answer questions.
• Consultants' Updates.

Mary Dickerson informed the EDC of monthly activity. Highlights are:

1) Finalization of the STEAP Grant.
2) Mary has offered support to an Insurance company that is interested in Portland property.
3) Changes for businesses: Movie Gallery, Athens Pizza, and Floral Expressions. There are potential new locations for other businesses.
4) Two Airline Avenue businesses will list with the site finder.
5) A golf shop/EBay business may locate on Main Street, pending lease negotiations.
6) The EDC will offer support to promote Linda's Sweet Memories Bakery.

Mary Dickerson will reconcile the site finder with expired and new listings. The EDC may consider developing a data sheet to use as a reference for Town properties.

Karen Mazza presented a paper version of EDC pages of the Portland Website. Changes were discussed:

1) On the Home Page, links to the main website were revamped. For the Commission member's link, phone contact information for Fred Knous will be included and the EDC member names will be listed.
2) The business listing will be a work in progress. Links will be created to access the actual business websites by clicking on the business names.
3) Business support information is being revised.
4) Community and economic information format is being changed. The demographics and town information format of other websites will be used, along with possible links.
5) The Brownstone Quorum link will remain on the Main Page.
6) "The 50,000 Business Phones Available Through the MCRC" Link will be reworked.
7) For the Industrial Park section on the main page, water, sewer and rail will be added.
8) The format for EDC news will be continuously updated, adding press releases.
9) The calendar link will feed back to the main Portland Website Town calendar.
10) The minute's link will feed back to the main Portland Website Minutes section.
11) An "Available Commercial and Industrial Properties" link will be developed.
11) For conformity and aesthetics, colors will be coordinated.

Preparation for further review and presentation to the web designer will be completed within a week. The website will "go live" after all changes have been completed and beta tested.

Press releases will be sent to announce the new EDC consultants, as well as, the newly revamped EDC pages of the Portland Website.

• Grants Update.
  The STEAP Grant preparation has been finalized and the EDC will explore further grants for development.
• Portland Bazaar.
  The Portland bazaar discussion was tabled until the next meeting.
• Main Street Revitalization.
  The EDC will create a vision to move forward with Main Street Revitalization. Models such as the Carol R. Johnson Report and the Williams Report will be reviewed by the EDC for ideas.

  Much has already been accomplished over the last seven years; such as, the "Arch," the playscape, the gazebo, the pedestrian-friendly road, beautifying the end of Rt. 66, and clearing of the Quarries and trails.

• Election of Officers (Secretary)
  Cathy Probolus will research how the secretary's role relates to the current structure of the EDC for the Commission's review at the next meeting.

6. OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business to discuss.

7. NEW BUSINESS
Status of the Elmcrest project was discussed and how the EDC can associate the Project with the Main Street area.

8. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.

9. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION BY Peter LaMalfa to adjourn the Economic Development Commission meeting at 8:58 p.m. SECONDED by Cathy Probolus. MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, MOTION CARRIED.

Respectfully Submitted,

Linda Edwards, Board Clerk
2/16/2008