Economic Development Commission - Regular Meeting

quorum and I'm going to call this meeting to order. Uh, first order of business, approval of the minutes of the March 10th, 2026 meeting. Has folks had a chance to review it? So move. Thank you. Second, Bob. Second. I said second. Okay. I missed you. All those in favor? I I Okay, that passes. Great. Okay. Um, old business. Linda, do you have any old business uh to go through? Uh, you're you're you're muted. You're muted.

Thank you. No, no old business, but I believe you all received um Oh, that would be part of the update on the report. Um, no old business. We just continue to meet with the property owners of 31 Toby. Um and uh that's that's the only one and enforcement continues on Grahamby Toby area. Um one being 95 Graanby. Uh they are applying for a special permit now to have an Eden establishment within their retail space. Which space is that again?

Uh 95 Toby. uh which is uh the building that is the first building uh closest to Toby Road right on Graanby. Um what was there? Uh what what is there now? Well, it's currently uh has been shut down. Um but it was the uh furniture for lust. That's what I manufacturing in the in the rear.

Okay. Um yeah, that's that's what's there. So, we continue to work with the property owners there uh for zoning compliance as well. Um 96 Graanby just a bit of a challenge, you know, I believe that the property owner is having with leasing her space out. Um not sure if you know Denise is you've you've had a conversation with her or not recently

what the challenges are, but yeah. Um uh and then 22 Toby uh which is a Pearson group uh they received a an uh approval and are going through the enterprise zone um program uh tax tax benefits. Yeah. That's it for now. Thank you for open business. Yes. One quick question if I may. Sure. Yeah. uh any any update on that Aldi project you know they had a public meeting public hearing and was there some good result out of that any output

uh we have not heard I mean uh John or I I know they've had community engagement uh as part of the effort um to kind of uh you know listen to the community and um also talk a little bit more about their development but we don't we have not been involved um and we have not seen any you know uh they haven't requested a meeting. Um there has been you know no communication on our end. I actually attended that meeting at not as the chair but just as an individual just to see what was going on and also to talk to them about Bloom Farm because um I think the I know the consensus here and the and a lot of concern in town is not so much that Aldi goes in there but that once that zoning is is changed that Bloom Farm will be next and then there's be no going to be no buffer for the um existing neighborhood and and I told them we'll see what they say. I said, "I think it's very unlikely you're going to get approval unless you do something about that farm. You might want to think about buying it." So, we'll see. But it was um what surprised me because I I wisely or unwisely look at the Facebook uh responses pretty often. You probably do choose to be and they seem pretty good. They were better than they have been. So, you know, who knows? But they they certainly are still interested. and we'll see, you know, how much interest they really have, Linda, if they go ahead and they and they do something more than just that one site.

Okay. Thank you. Let's hope. Okay. Uh I guess that's it for old business. Yeah. Okay. It's going to be a quick meeting where we're going. Okay. Um I'd like to talk a little bit about possibly having in-person meetings. Uh maybe once a quarter, maybe even less than that. maybe just kind of when we need to have one. And Linda, I'm assuming just um from a administrator point of view that would have to we'd have to cancel the existing meeting we had and then call a special meeting. Is that correct? Sure. Yes. If you're not going to have it online, your regular meeting. Okay. So that's not Yes. Yes. Cancel the Yes.

How does the public get to So that was my other question. How does the public get to go to one of these public meetings? If say we're going to tour Graanby Street or we're going to look at Blue Hose Avenue or something, are we going to get a a town bus and just see if they want to come? I would I would say they would have to meet us on site. We would have to be very specific about the time and date that we're going to be there. Um but yeah, I the last

those are details we can work out. I just I I think it's important as we get uh deeper into the tiff zones and not just Graanby Street, but also Blue Hills. I think most people know what the the center town looks like. I'm not sure that people have seen the amount of development that's going on on Blue Hills Avenue, which is really pretty mind-blowing. Um and uh not not commercial, unfortunately, but an awful lot of housing uh um either senior or affordable or or you know, market rent. Um it it says a lot about the town's potential and what they see here despite the problems we're having with the center of town that they're still people are still interested in moving into the community. So that would that actually is the next tour I would like to do. If we were to do that, are folks available this time? Obviously, we'll do we do a morning tour maybe 9:00 after the traffic dies down for an hour. And I Linda, I would ask you and or John to kind of, you know, guide us and talk about what we're going to see.

Sure. Okay. So, I'm not going to act everybody on that. Any any thoughts, comments? Does that appeal to people? Do would you rather not do that? Well, I mean, as far as I'm concerned, if the time allows, the schedule allows, I would love to go and see the places on site like we did once before, right? But formal meetings, I think, should be held in town hall like we used to do in person. I I would like to start doing that. Um, but I think what I would like to do is a hybrid. If we you if we use um room f conference room five, Rebecca, are we or are we able to do hybrid in that room? Yes.

Yes. Both in conference room five, which is now called Wininton Berry Conference Room. Oh, I keep on forgetting as well as Yes. Town council. But yeah. Okay. Okay. Great. All right. So, um well, we've got three of us here. Does any But maybe maybe Bob has some input to do then. I mean, Bob has unmuted. So, yeah. Um, do you have uh any feelings one way or the other? I'd like to uh pres preserve the option to have hybrid. Yeah. Well, I think we have to uh to enable to have public uh uh involvement. So, it would be a hybrid meeting. In that case, would you have any objection to um having it the option of meeting in person as well?

The option maybe not the uh requirement that all meetings be uh No, there would be no requirement. Yeah. Okay, Linda, maybe you and I can work on that uh for a couple within the next couple months. Okay, just for cl uh clarification, this is going to be moving forward for the rest of the year or Okay, but I don't know. Yeah, there's two things I'm looking at. One, we would go we would start a hybrid meeting meeting in town hall. Secondly, I would like to at some point and that maybe I don't know when exactly uh in the next couple months do an actual have you give us an actual tour of the Blue Hills Avenue area.

But you you're talking about hybrid meeting once in a while or occasionally not. No, I I think um we should just make it a hybrid meeting from now on and that way if you can't come it'll be like this kind of a meeting. If you can come, we'll actually see each other which I think I it's a different feeling when you meet together. I absolutely agree with you Sadique. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. But so there will be option to join in from Zoom if you are confusing. Yes. And if it turns out well this be this is going to be an experiment. If it turns out nobody wants to show up besides me then you know then we'll we'll go back to Zoom again. Okay. Okay. All right. All right. That sounds good. All right. Yeah.

Okay. Um, commissioner member updates. Um, um, Sadique, do you have anything you want to talk about? Uh, no. I mean, I'm I have a little information. Osaka ownership is changing. They they are quitting and selling to somebody else. This is the the third owner right now. Yeah, there. Yeah. The place has some special I think handicap, you know, from pizza place to um, you know, the seafood and from seafood to Japanese food. And then again, Osaka and this is the fourth transition I think. And is it someone related to them or is it just a

new it so happens that the existing owner and the new owner live in neighborhood in China? They they did not know from there. So when the deal was was being done then they came to know each other. Oh, you live next street to mine, you know. So yeah. So that was interesting. But yeah, it's a it's the same group of people or same like you know you can say that same location in the in the Chinese town they were same. So, so that the transition is going to be relatively smooth. I mean, it's I don't know if you know, it's a running joke in the Jewish community in the greater Hartford area that we're all second cousins because we we mainly come from the same little towns or the same general area just how immigration generally works. You know, one person comes here and

pulls. That's almost the case there. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Bob, any comments on the um arts commission? mute here. Uh, no, we have we have no progress to report. We've had some uh planning meetings. Excuse me. We've had some planning meetings with the um uh environment committee of the town uh which as you know uh puts on the uh trees for bloomfield festival

uh and we're talking about expanding that. Uh we've had some meetings with the historic society. Uh they are interested in they're doing uh a fundraiser uh to uh support their challenge grant and we may help them with that in planning but not put it on. But uh nothing uh substantive to report today. And and no progress on the bear at this point?

Not as yet. No. uh we put in for um uh an increased budget to cover the cost of the bear and I believe we will not get it and so we're going to have to um negotiate with the artist on on payment. Uh a bit a bit of bureaucratic uh quagmire uh which this town seems to be getting into more and more. Excuse me for a second. Well, you know, uh there's there's always a GoFundMe page. You never know. I think there would be I think that's just or or a name the bear contest and you make a donation and then you get to name the there's ways of

Here's the problem. We have unexpended budget from this fiscal year which does not expire till the end of June. Yeah. And then we have our budget for next fiscal year. and the two combined would pay for the bear. But the town rules are we are not allowed to use this year's money to pay for next year's projects. So we would lose the money that we have not extended here in 2016 and then we are short of funds in 2017. So

there's no way to make the payment, Bob. You can't make the payment now for work that's going to be started now. We're thinking about uh uh negotiating with him to do that that he could build for half of the project now and do some of the work and then do the rest of the project next year. So that's that's our thinking. Exactly. Yeah. Okay. Well, keep us informed and good luck with that. I think that that's going to I love what I love Jonathan's comment last time. He said, you know, it's going to be like a focal point. You say to people, where do you want to meet? Let's meet at the bear. You know, which is which is really very neat. No, it will be iconic. and for people driving through town. Oh, yeah. On their way somewhere, they'll see it, you know. Well, we're still trying to get it done.

Okay. Thank you. And keep us informed, please. Okay. I have I have a bit of a report um on uh some work I've been doing on the Graanby Toby Road area. Um thank you to Linda and Jonathan. They had they set me up with two uh meetings to shadow um people that work in in the planning and the zoning. Now, land planning and zoning department. Is that what we're calling it? Now, Linda, you're you're muted. It's it's uh land use. We usually call it land use and code enforcement. That that chips right off the tongue. Yeah. Yeah. Well, land use, you know, just encompasses all land. Okay.

Environmental and zoning and planning. So yeah, it's it's a lot bigger than you think until you get once you get in. There's a lot of little cubby hoes, a lot of people working. Anyway, I was set up with um Alex Sam I'm not going to get it right. Uh Samalot

Samalot. I had it right. Okay. Alex Samalot, who we have met before. He's the zoning enforcement officer. um gave me a lot of information uh about what he's doing, the kind of challenges he has, you know, what the what the balance between enforcement and and making sure businesses can run their business. And that is that is always a tough balancing act. Um he also introduced me to quite a few of the people that are in the planning department, most of whom name I'll never remember, but if they wear name tags, I'll be okay. uh talked about the types of violations, how the issues are handled. Um I asked him um about the interaction with the fire marshal because that's the part I really don't understand. And and he basically gave me the sign of the cross and said, "I don't do that. You're going to have to talk to somebody else." So I have a call into the fire marshall I want to sit down with. and this is Jim Simone in the um Blue Hills uh uh fire district and just try to understand what he does, why he does it, how he does it, if there's any way I can help um with some of these small startup businesses to make sure that they are in compliance at least when they open their business. So, I'm waiting to hear back from him. Um, Alex also is going to be providing me with what I call a flowchart in the next couple of weeks. And that is basically going to tell me, and this is Denise, something I that I you and I will work on, and it'll go in in conjunction with with with what you already give these small business people. I want to see if I if I'm Joe Smith and I walk into the department and I say, I want to open up a a small, I don't know, catering division and um it's zoned. I know my zoning is okay. Okay. No, but what are

my steps? And I and I get the impression that they just get so overwhelmed that a lot of the time they just say, "Okay, I'm just going to try and open because I've got a lease and I've got to do this." And so, so I'm trying to find a way to almost work between within land use and planning and the landlord and the tenant just to expedite it so that they feel that they're being listened to, that they're being taken care of, and not just given a piece of paper and walk away. And that, Linda, I'm sure that's not what's happening, but that's what they tell me is happening. Okay. So, I'll let you know how that when I get the paperwork, Denise, you and I will go over that and see how we can um combine that with what you already give to the small business people and we'll see how uh you know, see see where we we go with that.

Yeah, Bonnie, I write process flowcharts for the DOT, so this is something similar. Oh, good. Okay. And do you think it's going to help? Yeah, I think if they know like step one is here this paperwork, you know, step two is X um meeting with, you know, Linda and John or whatever, code enforcement, you know, but to have those and then we have the other sections in it that are how to write their business plan, um key contacts, you know, where to look for funding type things. Um, you know, if it's a larger business and they're going over to Dave Driver, if they're a smaller business, they're they're handling, you know, through me.

I'm looking at like the kind of businesses I had in Copack years ago where they're little local guys. Yeah. And and they've never had a business before and and they've never had an an, you know, EIN or anything like that. And just to and and one of the bigger things, Denise, is to so they understand how long it's going to take because that I think is is always an issue. It's the financial issue. My understanding is they am I correct, Linda, they have to have an address for them to start to have a special permit. So, does they have to have a lease be signed before? Oh, no. That's No, no, they don't have to have a lease. Actually, we don't suggest or we don't recommend that they sign a lease until they get land use goals

and also ensure that it meets building and fire code requirements because a lot of the times uh the the expense um yeah

would kind of follow after the land use approval and a lot of times they believe that their approval stops at land use and they go in and start operating. Uh that's the challenge that we're having and we have to continuously uh you know one make it a recommendation of of of condition of approval that they obtain all necessary permits whether it's the health district whether it's um you know the building department um building permits uh for the certificate of occupancy there. Um you know it's we we kind of do guide them through that and we understand that it is a lot for them to take in. Um but you know part of this is being prepared to open the business financially and I think a lot of the times that's where um you know a lot of the struggles um happen. Um and uh yeah so that's that's the advice we give them here.

So the when when when is an address needed and why would an address because I keep on hearing that this is this is one of the the issues. They have to have an address. They have to when they apply for their EIN number, they have to establish an address. Whether that gets changed later or not. Oh, they have it for their home address and they're going to switch it over later. Okay. That's the only reason they need an address, Janice, if for any reason. Oh, okay. Well, that makes a lot easier. A physical address is needed. Yeah. Yeah. For financial also. Uh and for instance, if they are applying for grants, a physical address is required. Yeah.

And they use a home address for grants. Would they have to have actually a physical commercial? Well, with most of the state grants and grants that are out there right now for small businesses, and this is where it gets dicey. Um they can't get those unless they've been established in business for a year. Okay? So, most of the time they're going out for a lowinterest SBA loan to start. That doesn't really come into play with someone who's just starting out. Well, a lot of them when I talk with them, I'm telling them that they need um working capital six months to a year out. Oh, yeah.

To to establish themselves, you know, then you're talking about your buildouts and your FFN and your advertising and your IT and everything else that gets involved. And it isn't meant to scare them. It's meant to give them the realities of owning a business, you know. Oh, I understand that. And and I I had the same approach when I was doing this years ago, and that was the approach I would take here. It's just it's you hate to have someone lose this the small nest egg that they're going to invest because they just don't understand what they're getting themselves into. And the time frame, the timing has an awful lot to do with it. Yeah. Okay. Well, that's helping. I Yeah. We're not We're not in the business to have them fail,

right? You know, if I might comment. Go ahead, Dave. Yes, Dave. The uh there's quite a few organizations that in the state that that really carry people by the hand like the Small Business Development Center. I think uh I think maybe locally we're taking on too much when in fact there these organizations spend their time helping these people figure out what to do. That doesn't take care of what permit do you need and all that type of thing, right? It does prepare them for asking those questions. Yeah. Sorry about my cat.

No, I'm I'm working with one woman right now who she is actually going through the Connecticut small business and she is going through a course that they have on how to write your business plan and establish your finances. You know, we've run some programs like that in the past, but when they're getting that package, they know here, this is who you contact for small business in Connecticut. The Yukon Center has a, you know, the great resources for them, whether it's for a grant, small or a loan, or just giving them the realities of it too that go beyond what we do for them. the the problem I see Denise and Dave is that it's wonderful that the resource is there, right?

They may not care. They just want to open up their business and and so so you do I think you still need somebody hands-on and that's why I'm willing to do it because it it's something that is near and dear to my heart and I also think I understand it pretty well from both sides of the of the table.

I I think you know one thing that brings me back I met with a woman who wanted to open up a restaurant. She was running um basically an illegal cottage kitchen in Bloomfield and wanted to open up a small restaurant, but she's like, I don't I don't need, you know, the Anel systems and stuff like that if I want to open in a space. Yes, you do. And that's, you know, that can be 5075,000 just restaurants.

Yeah. You know, so and I had another small restaurant that wanted to go into Blue Hills. thought they were going to walk in and use a regular kitchen stove to cook on. No, not going to work. You know, so and and Linda, you come across this all the time. It's the realities of telling them commercial versus what you're doing in your house cooking for friends and neighbors and catering for them is totally different. Correct. You know. Yeah. So, or a hairdresser that goes in and says, "I don't need that extra sink. I, you know, I'm not going to go in and get all my permit permits. I don't need that." Yes, you do. So that like you said the different layers of permits that they need.

No, it's going to be an interesting experience. Yeah,

Bonnie, I have um also, you know, I think this uh also would be a you know, working with I I've been going to the Chamber of Commerce meetings and I've been having conversation with with Vera, you know, about um getting the word out maybe, you know, reaching out to the community, the small, you know, how to start a business and what have you. Um, and you know, the the idea of maybe having a short video kind of like a Tik Tok animated related to Bloomfield is what came up. Um, you know, in my thoughts of maybe having it in our page. And so I'll be working with, you know, our uh communications office to kind of establish something like that, whether it's, you know, thinking about starting a small business. These are the steps and have have an animated one. It doesn't have to be a person, a reality person talking, but more just because, you know, there's so many like AI things right now out there that can really help you put a video together like that and make it so that it's uh you know, relates to like Bloomfield, you know, and um and then have it that way and see how that works out. So, you know, uh these are just things internally that we're, you know, thinking about doing and putting out there since everything now is, you know, via social media and small videos. Um people don't want to sit down through a like one hour or twohour class to tell you how to open up your business. They just want simple instructions, something that's quick and they can follow. Um and um that that's just the idea right now that we're having that, you know, we want to put out there. Um and also a a form uh she said that one of the CBIA or some you know u uh organization has out there for for people who want to start a business.

like inquiry um kind of putting a form out there in our small business and I think Denise you help establish that economic page or small business page um uh putting it there so that people can either inquire through a link a form or or a print out or an email um you know to inquire about starting a business. One thing I do want to caution is that you have to remember groups like CBIA, groups like the chamber require businesses to pay

um to join them and a lot of times to get their information not through Tik Tok or or whatever. So we have to be mindful because those small businesses going into business, I mean they're scraping together their funds to do something. Um so as much as we can have at a town level for them is better you know um we can refer them to the chamber we can refer them to CBIA uh we can't push them towards it because they are forprofit organizations correct okay yep

that's a very good idea Linda I congratulate you I think that's a great idea to attract and you know help the small initiatives uh in the town That that's a great idea you know for any person you know starting the business there are precautions to be you know known that this is needed and that is needed. It's not just set up a chair and table and you're in business now. It's just it's a lot. Yeah.

But even though we're not being altruistic either, we're helping the community. We're helping the tax base. I mean, and it what what I what I get and I know it's it's unfair. I get this these comments from people. Well, you know, town hall, they just they I went in and and they they gave me a piece of paper and they didn't really explain it to me or or I talked to Linda and she talked to me for 20 minutes, but I didn't I I they're you know, they're thinking you're talking to them and they're thinking about God knows what else, Linda, while you're talking. I'm sure you know that. So, whatever we can do just to make this short and simple

and handholding maybe just for a while for these tip zones just to because you know we're doing well with housing. We are not doing all that well with little bricks and mortar and we may be going against a trend, but I think in this community because of our diversity, we have something to offer that you're not going to get somewhere else. And that's what I'm that's what I'm hoping for is to get the ethnic and cultural diversity to be reflected in the small businesses that open up.

Yeah. I mean and one more advantage of what Linda is suggesting is that when you have physical interview with somebody to get information you forgot something and now you cannot remember you you cannot have another interview with the person but with this thing it is online or somewhere you go and you know you revise yourself you you look at the information you forgotten it's handy very handy available and you know so yeah if it is done in a language that everybody can understand.

That's the other thing, Sadique. It's got to be in simple English. You can't assume that anyone understands any terms any of us use because everyone's got their own lingo in their business and that just terrifies people, I think, and they feel like they're stupid. They're not stupid. They're just not part of the group language yet. You know,

the lingo matters. Yeah. One thought uh uh Bonnie and and group similar to the events that have been run in the past with trying to um introduce contractors, minority contractors and others. um is have some kind of event in like a auditorium or uh at the uh human services building where you have the different city officials that are involved with development and you also invite representatives from these small business organizations uh to have tables and ha and encourage people to come and ask questions on what you have to do in the city, what you need to uh find out who can uh help you. Like uh I was thinking also of SCORE, the retired executives group that also helps uh businesses and at least introduce them to people um before they really have to um emergency get information, you know, approvals. I I think as many opportunities as we have one to help them and two to get small business entrepreneurs together as a group because they need to talk to each other also to understand the issues they've had and how they're doing it. I I think that's I think that's all going to be very helpful and I think it's going to be difficult. I know it's going to be difficult

but it's something we need to do. To give you some knowledge, last year or in 2025, there were 324 new business registrations in Bloomfield. What types? But what were they? It doesn't give that. See, because I understand that, but it's the retail piece. Most are small businesses or I know. Yeah. you know, if and a lot of the businesses that are growing lately are what they call the cottage businesses that start in home and then go to a bricks and mortar space. Well, that's what I'm hoping to see with the art the artistic piece of this. That's the other part of what I'm I'm working on.

Um I had let's see the other person that I met met with was um and I did that a couple days ago was Nicholas um Gab Gaba. Am I pronouncing that right? Um so yeah. Yeah. Okay. And he is the environmental engineer. He's a fascinating guy. You guys really

did well getting him bringing it, I'll tell you. Yeah. Big score. He He's young. He's bright. He's interested. He also He and his wife are singers, you know, they perform. So, I keep on finding more and more people that do that part. And I spent probably over two hours talking to him yesterday just to get an idea of um you know, the issues that he sees. and he seems to be the nexus in a lot of ways, Linda, for that department. He said he interacts with almost everyone else in the department. So, he told me that he is my resource. I can go to him anytime I have a question and he'll try to direct me to the right person or to get the right information. Um, we had a I mean, we really had a fabulous meeting. I was very I think we're both already pretty psyched afterwards. We also we went over wetland issues. We talked about solar displays. Um, I was very impressed. Bravo for both of the young guys, Alex and and uh and Nick. You're attracting the right people.

Yeah, definitely talented and uh

Oh, yeah. And and they've got that energy, you know. That's it. I'm at the point of life where I'm here to mentor and to try to help and not be in the way. Um they're like puppy dogs, you know? They're just they got they got the the energy going. Anyway, okay. I got a couple more things and I'm done. Um, now we Oh, I also met with Corey um Pursuiti. Now, now uh Corey is the uh she's a a local resident. She is the chair of the pollinator pathways and I don't know if anyone Sorry, Kitty. I don't know if anyone um is familiar with that. This is a project that was started um I think in Woodbury and it's basically an to encourage people no matter how small their area to have native plants that attract pollinators and to give them a way to to move through the through the state into other areas. And I'm assuming this is for migrating pollinators. That's one reason. But she is um she's a really interesting person. She and her husband are also active musicians. I'm meeting I'm meeting the other piece of what I'm looking for. And I took her over to 31 Toby Road because I talked to the captains and they very graciously said that they would entertain possibly doing a pollinator pathway garden um at the entrance way of their of their property. And um what she and I started talking about is perhaps looking at commercial properties in general in town and see whether we can come up with a program. I know they're working with municipal properties. is Linda, right?

Uh I'm sorry. Who is this person you're talking about? This is uh Corey Pursuiti, I think you pronounce it. She It's the Pollinator Pathway. Okay. Yeah, that's something I know that um we have Nick working more closely with with her, you know, with them being involved, but I'm not I have not had an extensive conversation about that. But Well, she she's great. You'll enjoy talking to her. Okay. And so she and I both, you know, I've always wanted to do a landscape program there. Denise and I talked about that and maybe this is a way

to get involved with something that the town that that the residents are doing to get them interested in seeing what is going to happen on on Graanby Street. So maybe you do a pollinator pathway that goes from Toby Road up to Cottage Grove Road because there are going to be people on Cottage Grove Road doing this. And again, that's in the future, but it's another piece of things to do to get people interested in the area so that when we do hopefully start to redevelop, um, they've already they've already aware of it and they're not af and and and they don't have negative feelings about it. Hopefully, two more and I'm done. Um, is there any possibility, and I asked Nick this, and he wasn't sure, the property on the northwest corner of Toby and Grammy, the Kong property, that was the gas station that we sold to him. There's a snow shelf there, which I do believe is something that is we have a either an easement for the town. any chance that we could put up some kind of a plywood fence or something like that and have a mural painted on it so at least we don't see that when we drive we take the turn to go into that property

I'm trying to picture the location you're talking about the property okay you're you're you're going down Graanby Street you get to Toby Road on one side is Kurt Cameron's place that's all fenced in and overgrown and the other side is that that empty lot with the two derelic buildings behind it. I would love to screen it so that when you go down Graanby Street and you go down Toby Road, you don't that's not the first thing you see, which is these. It looks like I mean it looks like the B they are abandoned buildings. I don't know what he's doing. I'll look into it. Um okay.

Not sure about screening it in. I mean it would require the property owner's you know consent. We just can't, you know, why it's our property. It's private property. Um, well, not where we're going to put the fence. We can put peepoles, but you work on it. I'll talk to you. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I desperately want that not to look the way it looks. And, you know, we can't do anything with blight because what I can see when you guys site him, he fixes whatever he has to fix, just like the the Winter Berry Mall. But in the meantime, he's he's really bringing down the whole look of that entire area.

So anyway, I was just addressing that. And then the other thing I was thinking about and and Dave, you're you're my contemporary, so you may know about Have you ever heard of the Burma signs? Yes. You're dating yourself, Bonnie.

Oh, I'm dated. Don't you worry. I know exactly how long I've been on this earth. Anyway, uh in 1958 when we were when we were starting to think about building the shopping center, my father took our family on a trip east to west coast and we went to Chicago to visit family and then from there we took Route 66 because there was no highway system at that point. You had to take that and I remember these Burma signs and you guys ought to look them up if you've never heard of it. B U R M A shape. And what they are is there are these little sequential signs that that come up maybe every quarter mile. And it just says something. Um it says something like um uh I didn't have luck with women because I didn't have a close shave by burn. I mean, they're they're funny. They're cute. Most people don't know about them. So, I'm envisioning we could do a bunch of those signs going down to Toby Road with an arrow going to the entertain the the bad zone. Just another thought. I'll probably have to talk to you about that one too, Linda. Right,

Bonnie? I went uh cross country with my family. My father was uh working on a book and uh we spent six months going from east to west and uh went on Route 66. And and by the way, for everyone who has not done that back then, uh we could be the only car on the road for 150 miles, right? Uh but yes, and they were they were much more clever than that. They were Oh, I know. And you know, all kinds of things. Yes.

I think they'd be so neat just and again because it's gonna be something so it's gonna be novel. No one's ever se most people other than our contemporaries. Bob don't know what I'm talking. Yeah. Yeah. Uh I I think Linda will have to educate us and you uh uh in order to make it effective. It's probably going to wind up being on some private property, though. That's the problem.

Maybe yes or maybe no. There's still that snow shelf that I keep on thinking maybe we can do something with. Even if we put them up temporarily during the summer and take them out when we have to start plowing. I'm I'm just Yeah. What I what I'm trying to do is do something to get excitement going about this property because if you're going to change it from what it is to what we would like it to be, you got to you got to, you know, jazz it up a little bit there. So anyway, these are this is what I've been doing in my spirit. And that's the end of my report. Any questions? Okay. Um EDC consultants report.

EDC consultancy report. But I'm going to let Dave go first and he can talk about what he's been doing and then I'll take it from there. Excellent.

The pri the primary work that I've been doing this past month is with a company over on Cottage Grove called Becon. Um they're getting huge new contracts. They need to expand. So we're looking for um space for them, either a building or land. And um they seem centered on wanting to take have the property behind them uh which is under uh options by the battery storage people who you know haven't gotten approvals for anything. Um Dave, where is this on Kott Road please?

It's called um it's at the 522 address which are Oh, okay. different uh buildings. Um, that's the cut through at the railroad tracks that goes between Cottageg Grove Road and Park Avenue. Yeah, they're the furthest building close to University Hartford's land. Um,

but anyway, the we've been trying to work with the owners uh or the option holders of that land behind them. It's about five acres uh to see if they're getting ready to release it and they aren't. Uh they're still holding out for their battery storage. uh approval someday. So, we're looking for other places for them around um Woodland and others. How many acres are you looking for? About five. So, it's not a big parcel. Yeah. Okay. Well, that's exciting. Hopefully.

Um Justin, you want to talk about a little bit about the Paul Butler work? Not Paul Butler, I'm sorry. Um I had Paul Butler on the mind. um the work that you've done um with the um Come on, I can talk Century Real Estate for the new business that went in. Oh, sure. Yeah. Um so that's the old food share building um up on is that Woodland? Yes, Woodland. Thank you. Great.

And uh they had come through for new tenant a new tenant in that space. Uh there were some interesting questions from the original approval of that site uh because of some DOT conditions that were put in place, but they were they were kind of old at this point. So we we helped them go through that. Long story short, they got approval from the planning zoning commission at uh last month, Linda, I think. Uh so they are they're ready to go and they're excited to get going there. So that building will be used now, too. And what is the business again? Uh what do they do? Pallets or something?

Yeah, I think so. They they do custom made um crates, wooden crates. So they custom make them um and get like equipment or whatever it is ready for shipment. So if it's a big engine, they'll custom make these wooden crates, big engine, store it, you know, pack it, uh and get it ready for for shipment. How many employees do you know?

Um they're starting off small right now. It's whatever their Windsor or their other location. They have a second location, I believe. I'm not sure if they're going to fully come to Bloomfield after that, but I know they do have uh Justin, I don't know if you know, but if you can shine some light on that, but um yeah, not not not a lot to my knowledge. No, I he did tell me and I and I wanted to say I think a dozen, but I can't remember off. Yeah, that's about right. And these are kind of entry level kind of jobs or they they require skilled jobs or I think with training that that I don't know.

Yeah. They're cutting sheets. So this is going to be you know pretty much just custom making these kind of like a little bit of carpentry I would assume. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, you know, the arrival of this company uh surprised me a little bit on how large the pallet industry is. Um it is a big money maker. Oh yeah. Um and and food share I I hadn't realized they'd left until I saw the sign that said it was vacant. Uh did they go somewhere else or they merged with the Connecticut food pantry and have a huge operation in Wallingford.

Okay. consolidated everything, centralized it within the state. Um, just so you know, um, what I have been working on the last month is we did two, um, large congressional asks for, um, what used to be called earmark funding. Um, so we ask um, Representative Larson's office and um, our senators Blumenthal and Murphy to support the town center project. Um, one ask that went in was for $4 million. The other one that went in was just for under 12 million to support the town center redevelopment. Um and those are um you know when we look at the town had already set aside the 4 million so it would be in addition to that because they look for the town um to be supporting.

So are we at that point we have enough money to actually move forward with the project the way we we have the um we would have the money to begin. Yes. Um we are getting some good response also um on the RFPs that are out there. Um we um in addition to the um I should say the posting of it that went out on the CT source and through the town website which I just notified them the RFP is has a 404 error Linda on it. So it's not up there and working right now.

Okay. I let Brian know. Um, but additionally within GM York, we have a a list of developers that we've worked with throughout the state. Um, and it goes out as a blanket email, blind copied, no reference, just, hey, this opportunity is out there for developers. So, there's no preference or anything that is out there. We just um did about 25 of those that went out to developers. And and the time frame for the project, is it still about another four or five years or

um yeah, it the timeline that's on it that we presented to um Senator Blumenthal's office um is complete in 2829 right around there. Excellent. Okay. So, you know, it's contingent on assembling the property, demolition, um, purchasing the properties. Um, so there's a process that has to go through, you know, and then businesses that want to stay and fit into the redevelopment. Yes. So, and the old uh farmers exchange, is that also going to be purchased? Uh

the farmers exchange I is one of the identified parcels within that area. I believe there's about six parcels that are identified Justin is I think six parcels. Yeah. Yep. And is this if this is going to actually be a tiff zone, are we finally going to put the tiff commission together? Uh we are working with the town um the town manager and John and Linda um and everyone else know that this is a priority to getting this done.

Yeah, because I think just personally I think if you because I I I volunteered to be there as the rep from the EDC. I think it's important that people that are going to be on it are on it sooner rather than later because there's a it took me I don't know how many tries to finally understand tip. It's not it's it it doesn't it's different. Let's put it that way. Okay. Yeah. And it's it's a it's a funding mechanism that you really need considerable in investment for it to work. Um it's not like somebody that wants, you know, 500,000. What do you figure the minimum is? You and I talked about this a little bit. We've we've Justin, I think we've were like five to seven million.

Yeah. It used to be five, but with current pricing and whatnot being higher, I I would say probably six to seven at this point. Yeah. So, but there is opportunity out there. So, um we're we're searching for as much funding as we can and we will be going back um to do a SIF ask again in June. That's encouraging. Thank you. Any any questions? No. Any comments? No. Okay. Anything else that uh you folks would like to tell us? No. All set.

There's, you know, we do our our dayto-day, our work, our our calls, our visits, you know. So, good to have you in town, guys. We appreciate it. I hope you know that. Thank you. Welcome, Linda. Uh, town planner report. And thank you very much. We are, am I correct? We're gonna get this every month now, the report that you folks present because it's very very helpful.

Yes. So, um John uh instructed to send these out monthly to the boards and commissions. So, um yes. So, I I agree with what you said. Um you know, Denise and and team and everyone. Thank you so much. Um couldn't do a lot without you guys here. So yeah, this is uh you you received the report. Are there any questions? I mean, I think you kind of covered a little bit of the town center um you know, where we are with that um you know, regarding the congressional asks that um I know Denise just mentioned um plan of conservation and development. I believe um we should have uh we should have it ready uh for referral um or to go back to uh the planning and zoning commission um to kind of present it present the changes to them. The question is whether or not we're going to have a another public hearing um being that you know the the time between when it was first presented to now how much it's changed. Um, so we'll be um discussing that um at the next meeting um and see if the commission would like to move that for public hearing or if they just wanted to review it for referral to town council.

And and the timing for that again that would be presented at the next hearing a discussion. We're hoping um if if public hearing then in May um or hold on Justin I know we had a a talk about this public hearing. I know that all the statutory requirements we did send it to Crag already and everything. So, I'm thinking at the May meeting because it wasn't really advertised for April. So, um if if if the commission um prefers to have a public hearing, then I think um I think I think May would make sense because we still have to finalize the uh the remainder of it. So, April's probably too close at that point. We probably want to put it on May

and after the public hearing it goes where or is it deter is is the TPZ then making the determination. Um they're kind of finalizing the final draft for referral to town council. So it'll be to town council after the main meeting. Just my two cents for whatever it's worth. I think with all the issues about transparency floating around, another public hearing I think actually might be very uh might be helpful to get this thing moving. Yeah.

Uh that's that. Um then uh you know we kind of just covered a little bit of the economic development efforts um that we are um I guess prioritizing. Um, one being, you know, the tiff district, Graanby Toby area. Um, kind of, uh, let's see, uh, expanding the small business support. We have Elevate Bloomfield. We, uh, uh, you know, had, uh, I guess some meetings with the, uh, consultant and we're going to be meeting again tomorrow. We did have them temporarily stop what they're doing, um, and kind of look at, uh, what's been done and how to move forward um, with elevate Bluetooth. Is that the PR the branding program?

No, it's the small business investment um program that uh you know was supposed to kind of design a program um to establish some sort of small business resource whether it's micro grants um you know workforce retention just just a bunch of different things. Um uh we we will be meeting with them tomorrow um and they're going to be presenting to us um uh their design on on what that looks like that program for for the town. And Linda, just so everyone understands, small business is not what you think it is generally. What how many employees are are in

the li what's the top limit for small business? Whatever the state requires. I know what where you're going with this. usually 50 that the the yeah the thought is more for you know the the smaller popup shops um you know the startups the um you know like businesses like in Graanby Toby area um you know th those are the the business targets right the ones on the tiff yeah 250 employees or less or that's what I kind of remember that may be a little the state of Connecticut yeah it's it's somewhere around the 200s Denise I don't know if you guys Um, exactly. Maybe these are micro businesses for Yeah,

maybe that's what we should call them. Micro businesses. These are all for micro grants for startups. Yeah, usually is what the uh the goal was. Um, anyone have Denise, you have anything that you want to add to the the uh the Graby TIFF district report?

No, we have been talking with um Steve Kaplan on 31 Toby. Um so um he's looking forward to what he can do there and to make that better. Um we have referred a few people over to the area to look at some of the buildings that are available over there. Um so you know we continue to take those calls and and show people what's over in that area. Are the Kong properties for sale or not really? Nope. No. He's still going through some sort of um court case with his engineer. He was here

and we know that's real, right? It is. It's still ongoing. Yeah. Um I know his site plan is expired, so he'll have to come back for reapprovals if he uh plans to move forward. Yeah.

Um all right. talking about that. Um we have the uh one of the STRA strategies too is to kind of just have a more of a revitalization plan for the tiff district. I know um Bonnie you've been working with Tami and and you know Toby area and uh everyone uh the commission. Um but just having a plan maybe in place uh where do you want to start? you know, uh, you know, the assessment that we spoke about, um, uh, the assessment, the needs assessment, um, you know, from from facade to streetscape to design to, you know, um, kind of just having that entertainment district that you want. Um, I I just think

if it works, I mean, I that's that's the recommendation. Yeah. I just, you know, but where at at what point, you know, do we uh begin to kind of just put that plan in place? Um I understand there's a great ideas I and you've been working on. Give me the money, Denise. Linda. Yes. No, no, I agree. The rebranding and all of that and I just kind of want to, you know, start somewhere there. Um

Yeah. Yeah. Um you know, to kind of help move it forward. Um I know that um I had a meeting yesterday with the town manager. Uh someone had brought to his attention uh the lighting on on Graanby Street and the town manager inquired to department of public works and our engineer what could be done um to kind of improve lighting on in Graanby uh street area. So that's an opportunity for you know some sort of streetscape lighting uh recommendation and design. Um so I I just uh I did inform them that you know it was a a target area um that the economic development division I mean commission is looking um

and you remember that there's there's still this proposal from artifacts that I'm hoping to get that's a very correct and those funding are being asked for

that and that is basically um it's a proposal with artifacts to uh come up with a branding program and not schematics but sketches to replace the two existing monument signs. One on the corner of Toby and Graanby and the other on the corner of College Grove Road in Graanby. And it's uh under $5,000. It's in it would be paid in two parts. And um once we uh had this done, Artifacts doesn't own it. They would give it to us and we can, you know, put it out for bid and whoever bids on it we decide to use, we would use. They're um you know they're a local business. They've been here since ' 83 and um they're they're pretty creative. So hopefully we'll get that funding though the beginning.

Okay. Um any anything else, Linda? Great. Let's see.

No, with my report is um I also was just you know looking through our ordinance and um you know doing some updates here internally and um I know there is a quarterly report. I wanted to kind of just bring up the economic development division um is you know uh commission should uh or at least um should report uh conditions and improvements or initiatives that they're having quarterly to the town council. So, I guess that that would be something. Um, we already give uh these monthly updates. Um, but if there's anything that you wanted to add, um, please let me know so we can add the that to the report. Um,

and when is that due? Come blah. It's they're due quarterly um to town council. It is. Okay. When when do you prepare them? When would you need if you can just give me when you get a chance? We've been preparing them every month to the um you know just to the subcommittee. Um I believe that the ordinance calls for a quarterly um report to town council uh to town council. That's section 15- 51 of the Bloomfield ordinance. And it states, you know, uh kind of like what what your commission is working on. Um, thank you.

Someone remind me, I'll do it. Uh, okay. Any any is there anyone I can't tell if there's any public people here. Is there anyone in the public that would like to make a comment or has There is no attendees. No attendees. Okay. In that case, um the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12th and it will be um still be Zoom and I would think until uh unless we can set it up and then in well actually um I will Linda if that room is available let's try and have that a hybrid meeting in person and Zoom. Okay. May 12th.

So we have to cancel that meeting and then reschedule. Is that correct for the same date? Are we able to do that? Um, yes. Cancel the regular meeting and uh special meeting for hybrid in person and but it can be the same date and time if we're just basically changing the ways we're meeting them. I wouldn't just it would just be a special meeting. Yeah, we'll we'll call it. Okay. and and and and you you will be sending us uh you know Zoom uh Zoom address.

Yeah, you'll have a Zoom this these will all have Zoom links for anyone who has the agenda. You'll still have the Zoom link and then you'll be able to attend in person uh if that's what you choose to do. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, I mean I I I don't want to the Zoom address to be forgotten for the meeting. No, no, no. That that's why it's a hybrid meeting. Yeah. So that you can this is and it's very common. This is this is the way the town center runs it. This is the way I'm hoping that we will do it for the tiff zone because there's again there's nothing like being there in person and kind of reading the facial reactions of things. Even if people don't ask you questions, you kind of get a different feel about what's going on. Well, it's definitely good to see you personally.

You too. Okay. All right. Motion to adjurnn. Yes. So move. Okay. Second. Second. Second. Thank you, Viv. Okay. All those in favor? I I um have a good spring, summer, whenever we are and I will see you on May 12th, hopefully in person. Bye everybody. Bye. Have a good night. Bye. Bye. Bye.