Black River and downtown revitalization linked

The futures of downtown Springfield and the Black River are intertwined.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20151102/NEWS02/151109895

Published November 2, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Black River and downtown revitalization linked By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — The futures of downtown Springfield and the Black River are intertwined. Selectman George McNaughton told fellow Select Board members last week that any discussion about the future revitalization of the downtown has to include a discussion of the river. The town has too often ignored the river, he said, and it’s a great asset and could help with boosting the downtown. “The Black River will come back up as soon as we start the plan. We can’t develop the town without addressing the Black River,” said McNaughton. The Springfield Select Board held a three-hour retreat last month to discuss board goals, and at the top of the list was economic development and the revitalization of the downtown area. And board members Walter Martone and Kristi Morris said they wanted to discuss how to move forward with the goals identified during the planning session at the Hartness House Inn. The downtown development plan seems to be the top priority, Martone and Morris said. McNaughton said that the board probably needed a “starting point” to start the public discussion of downtown. “We need some kind of starting point, and my feeling was because the Black River dominates the town,” he said. Town Manager Tom Yennerell suggested that for the next board meeting each board member come prepared with two “prime implementation plans” for the board’s four goals. It would give the group 10 items to discuss, he said, although he said he expected there would be some consensus. “What we did last week was way too much information,” he said. Yennerell said that the board needed to “get the conversation going….and engage the public” outside the normal Select Board meeting schedule. He suggested that the town may look for help in the process. “It’s too big of a process for all of us to take on. We need a little facilitation,” he said. But McNaughton was dubious. “I’ve seen so many of those go flat,” he said. He said that the board needed to engage the community in any downtown revitalization discussion. Kristi Morris, chairman of the Select Board, said that Springfield on The Move, the downtown group, and Springfield Regional Development Corp., are expected to have their draft memoranda of understanding soon. “Perhaps we can put our heads together,” he said, and not use a consultant.