Town, community leaders talk projects at annual meeting

A dominant theme emerged at Springfield On the Move’s (SOM) annual meeting on Monday: celebrating collaboration and cooperation across Springfield entities.

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2017-07-26 / Front Page Town, community leaders talk projects at annual meeting By KELSEY CHRISTENSEN kchristensen@eagletimes.com SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — A dominant theme emerged at Springfield On the Move’s (SOM) annual meeting on Monday: celebrating collaboration and cooperation across Springfield entities. “One of our biggest accomplishments is I really see the town of Springfield moving forward together,” said SOM President Tom Hernon. Hernon explained that in his role at SOM, he’s in frequent communication across community sectors. Whether he’s collaborating with Springfield Regional Development Corporation (SRDC), the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission (SWCRPC), the municipal government, or the Chamber of Commerce, a gamut of entities are working together to achieve a consistent vision for Springfield like never before. Even Town Manager Tom Yennerell, sees collaboration as a new and unique source of strength in the development of Springfield. “There’s a marked difference in how we’re working together,” he said. “We all see what we need to accomplish.” Springfield on the Move is a nonprofit in Springfield that seeks to work with property owners, businesses, citizens and town government to enhance Springfield's downtown as an attractive, desirable and economically viable destination for residents and visitors. The meeting didn’t only attract it’s membership: state Reps. Alice Emmons and Robert Forguites, selectboard member Walter Martone and selectboard Chair Kristi Morris were also in attendance. Sandy MacGillivray, SOM secretary, reported on membership: reaching a goal of at least 100 members, SOM has now upped the anty, and hopes to achieve a 125-person membership. For his part, Plunkard remarked on the need for a more active membership, while addressing organization. Next, the three SOM committees–Design, Promotions, and Downtown Economic Development–updated the attendees on their accomplishments. “We have so much going on: probably more than people realize,” board member Carolyn Lane said. On the design front, Carol Eramo, SOM board member, reported that the project to paint the light poles downtown has been completed, thanks to 200 hours of labor donated by 20 volunteers, and discounts from Sherwin Williams on materials. Additionally, the design committee repainted tables and chairs in the alley outside of the Gallery at the VAULT downtown. Board member Corky Bond, giving credit to Janet Gould for the idea, announced an upcoming SOM fundraiser, which will take place on Oct. 21, in which upcycled found objects, gift baskets, original art, vacation rentals, and more will be auctioned off to raise money for SOM. Moving on to the downtown economic development committee, board member Carolyn Lane discussed an array of projects. The committee is currently working on an effort to bring speakers to the downtown light poles, so that visitors can listen to music while strolling the downtown. “I can’t say what kind of music, but I’m sure it will be pleasing to everybody,” Lane said. The downtown economic development committee is also hoping to create short marketing videos to entice visitors, residents, and businesses to the town. But, perhaps most importantly, Lane reported on the Woolson Block Project, another focal point of the SOM meeting. While the Springfield Housing Authority (SHA) and Housing Vermont work to garner the rest of the funds for the renovation of the prominent downtown building, which will turn the bottom floor into four retail spaces and the top two floors into affordable housing, SOM is working on ensuring that businesses are set to take up shop in the block after renovations are complete. Peter Andrews, with SHA, also spoke at the meeting about the project, which has nearly all of the requisite funding. Bidding on the project will begin in the early spring, with a one-and-a-half year construction period slated to begin next spring. “This project is going to involve some significant changes,” Andrews said. The building will lose the wooden components on the Bark Street side and on the rear bank, and will become handicap-accessible, and include an elevator. SRDC Executive Director Bob Flint discussed the status of the Bryant Grinder, Park Street, and J&L buildings. For the Bryant building, SRDC has secured a $625,000 loan to go to the south end of the building, the end that’s in the best state, which will fund roof work and construction of interior walls to separate different parts of the building. Flint also teased possible outcomes for the Park Street building, which he explained will generally harness the town’s ability for high-speed fiber optic cable. Finally, Flint explained that J&L will soon participate in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) removals program, to offset river pollution and asbestos removal. This, Flint says, will happen “before snow flies.” Yennerell, in closing, took the microphone to update the board on the municipal side, expressing excitement at the completion of the Downtown Master Plan, announcing the creation of a $100,000 revitalization fund, and discussing the possibility of using tax incremental financing to mount some of the downtown improvements. Additionally, Yennerell announced $800,000 and 7.7 miles of paving slated to take place this year. Yennerell also noted that the Mineral Street construction, currently taking place in downtown Springfield, will go to offsetting combined-sewer overflows (CSO). When it’s complete, Yennerell says it will mark the end of all CSO work in Springfield, a superlative Yennerell doubts any other municipality in Vermont can claim. “This means we don’t need to spend more money underground. We can spend it above ground,” he said. “We need more vibrancy, we need to attract middle class people, and we need people to come here for fun and patronize the businesses we’ve yet to fill the Woolson Block with.”