Eye on Town Government

By Ruth Melville

At their Oct. 13 meeting, the Economic Development Commission (EDC) voted to give $100 in support of this year’s Tour de Forest bike ride, an annual fundraising event to support Norfolk Rails to Trails and Great Mountain Forest. Commission co-chair Libby Borden also took the opportunity to remind EDC members to spread the word that, thanks to blanket membership paid for by the EDC, town boards, commissions and committees are entitled to use the Norfolk Hub as a meeting place. Borden mentioned in particular that the Hub has excellent facilities for holding hybrid (in-person and online) meetings.

Speaking over Zoom, EDC member Brett Robbins reported on the current state of efforts to bring fiber optics to Norfolk. Robbins said that although not much progress has been made since the Board of Finance decided, in spring 2021, not to fund the project, Kim Maxwell has begun working on some new avenues, including the possibility of restarting a conversation with internet provider Frontier. 

As background information, Robbins added that the Board of Selectmen in Sharon has agreed to partner with Comcast to build a high-speed network in its town. According to a recent press release, the plan is to wire 27 miles of road, providing high speed internet to 234 homes at a cost of $1.6 million.

Michael Selleck, co-chair of the Norfolk EDC, said that it would be interesting to find out both how much state or federal money is available to fund the Sharon project and how many Frontier versus Comcast customers there are currently in Norfolk.

Robbins promised to keep the commission up to date on further developments.

Selleck introduced a discussion of ways the EDC could become more visible and active in the community. He suggested, for example, that EDC members attend meetings of other town organizations, and that those groups in turn be invited to EDC meetings.

A further part of this outreach effort, Selleck continued, would be for the commission to form stronger connections with town businesses. A first step would be to set up a committee of EDC members that would go around introducing themselves to businesses in the community. Member Kate Johnson also proposed the idea of inviting town businesses to a roundtable discussion to brainstorm ways the EDC and the business community could work together.

Another initiative in coming months, Borden said, will be to determine how the EDC can be effective in helping the town implement its Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). Issues covered by the POCD include town mapping, housing and traffic calming.

Last summer’s Friday Nights on the Green program was a success, largely thanks to the efforts of Jenna Brown, who coordinated the events. Brown has now stepped down, so a new coordinator needs to be found. An additional series of events, Summer Saturdays in City Meadow, is also in the works.

Borden brought the EDC up to date the on the current status of the Infinity Hall building. Borden said that “there are many different parts of the Infinity story going on at once.” There is a “groundswell of interest” in the potential uses of the building, and Town Hall is moving ahead with setting up a 501(c)3 that would own the building. Meanwhile, the current owners, GoodWorks Entertainment, have been asked to provide more financial information, including the cost of putting on a show and an evaluation of what is inside the building (their proposal is to turn over only the building and the land). Borden said that First Selectman Matt Riiska will put out a monthly newsletter to keep residents informed about progress on Infinity Hall.