Economic Development Committee
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Meeting Minutes – 1/24/07
1) Meeting called to order at 6:04 pm. In attendance: Deb Turcott (DT) representing the New Hampshire Main
Street Center, Wayne Gallup (WG), Eric Bahr (EB), Merrill Vaughan (MV), Daren Nielsen (DN), Pat
Heffernan (PH), Karen Vanderpool (KV), Matt Monahan (MM) representing the CNHRPC, and others.
(Note: No attendance sheet was circulated.)
2) Review and approval of the 1/10/07 minutes were tabled to allow time for Deb Turcott’s Main Street
Program presentation.
3) Main Street Program Presentation
a. See packet provided by DT for details regarding the program as outlined in the presentation.
i. “ Successful Main Street Program are usually structured as a non-profit corporation
guided by an active working board. Four standing committees that correspond to the four
points develop projects and work plans for implementation. Local programs hire a paid
director to help coordinate the efforts of volunteers and implement the program. (p.3)”
ii. “Communities selected to participate in the New Hampshire Main Street Program must
agree to: A) Guarantee employment of an Executive Director or Program Manager, B)
Guarantee that an adequate, sustainable operating budget will be funded on an ongoing
basis and that this application must include three (3) years of pledges, C) Guarantee that
an adequate amount of clerical support staff will be available, D) Having an existing
revitalization organization or commit to organize one, E) Commit to using the Four-Point
Main Street Approach and Eight Principles, F) Complete the application process, G)
Enter into a Letter of Agreement with the New Hampshire Main Street Center. (p.8-10)”
b. Estimated Annual Budget requirement to fund the Main Street Program in Pittsfield could be
$55,000.00
c. Estimated Annual Salary for Program Manager
i. Part-time: $22 – $35,000.00
ii. Full-time: $35 – $60,000.00
iii. These figures are included in the Annual Program Budget
d. Examples of successful applications will be forwarded to EB
e. The next application round will not be held before the fall of 2007
f. DT stressed the need for a unified vision of downtown revitalization, community planning and the
fact that there are many different ways to fund projects.
g. The materials given to the committee at this session may be freely used to promote the idea of the
Main Street Program to the community.
4) EB informed the committee that the Warrant Article is not ready to be brought to a vote and suggested that
it may be better to pursue the Bond issue through a special Town Meeting at a later date. Several committee
members agreed.
5) MM offered to generate a comprehensive list of ways that funds can be raised for downtown revitalization
and special projects.
6) Meeting was adjourned at 7:07 pm.
Submitted by: ________________________________
Karen Vanderpool, as Acting Secretary