franklin county comprehensive economic development ... · 4/9/2020 · franklin county...

Franklin County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Committee

April 09, 2020

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Agenda

1. Welcome & Introduction (roll call)

2. Vote on February 11, 2020 minutes

3. CEDS planning and the COVID-19 state of emergency

4. 2020 CEDS Plan

◦ CEDS Plan Project Proposals

◦ Goals and Objectives

5. Other business & adjourn

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Impacts of COVID-19 Crisis - Headlines

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Impacts of COVID-19 Crisis - Survey

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Conducted a survey from 3/24-3/31 of Pioneer Valley businesses and organizations to learn more about economic impacts.

139 Franklin County -based respondents:

Across industries – arts/recreation, manufacturing, retail, construction, professional services, restaurants, agriculture, etc.

86% were private for-profit businesses

56% had less than 10 employees, 27% had 10-24 employees, and 12% had more than 25 employees before the state of emergency

59% had more than half of their employees as hourly workers

Full report: https://frcog.org/publication/view/business-development-resource-guide/

https://frcog.org/publication/view/business-development-resource-guide/


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Positive impact, 6%No or mild negative

impact, 7%

Somewhat negative,

19%

Significantly negative,

39%

Severly negative,

29%

What financial impact do you anticipate the COVID-19 state of emergency is having on your business/organization? (select one)

At this rate, how long do you estimate your business/organization can operate with your current cash flow and/or reserves? (select one)

Less than 1 month,

19%

1-3 months,

38%

4-12 months,

12%

1+ year or indefinitely,

19%

Don't know, 11%


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If your business/organization is being impacted, in what ways? (select all that apply)

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12%

Training employees or adopting new skills (such as using…

Other

Investment in new safety protocols

Shift in the types of products or services offered

Disruption in distribution or delivery

Employees hours reduced

Employees working remotely

Disruption in supply chain/ Reduced availability of supplies

Business temporarily closed

Employees laid off

Hours of operation reduced

Contracts/ projects delayed or cancelled

Decline in customers/ clients

Events postponed or cancelled

Decline in sales


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What resources or assistance, if any, will you use to manage impacts from COVID-19? (select all that apply)

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%

Following Continuity of Operation Plan (COOP)

Business counseling/ technical assistance

Business insurance

Private investor contribution or crowd-funding

Participate in a program to mitigate layoffs

Support from industry networks/ peer businesses

Other

New business loan or refinance an existing loan

Accepting offer from supplier/lender to delay full payment

Unemployment insurance

Grant funding, if available


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What other areas of support do you anticipate needing in the short-term? (open-end response) [In order of most to least frequent responses]

- Financial support, such as for payroll, invest in equipment or safety protocols

- Expanded unemployment benefits/Support for laid off workers

- Defer or relief mortgage or rent payment

- Business technical assistance/support/guidance

- Additional staff or volunteers

- IT and broadband support, such as internet access at home

- Defer tax payment or reduce tax burden

- Industry-specific comments


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What other areas of support do you anticipate needing in the long-term? (open-end response) [In order of most to least frequent responses]

- Financial support, such as loans and debt management

- Business technical assistance – business model transition, marketing

- Scaling up operations/managing work load/additional workers, once crisis ends

- Restoring community confidence

- Defer or relief mortgage or rent payment

- IT and broadband support, such as better internet access

- Return of advertisers

- Accessing alternate suppliers

Impacts of COVID-19 Crisis – CARES Act

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Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed on March 27, 2020. Supplemental funds to federal agencies to mitigate economic impacts of crisis, includes:

EDA: $1.5 billion to fund projects and to scale up EDA operations

USDA Rural Development: $ support business and industry loans; for broadband related programs

SBA: $562 million for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to businesses; $10 billion for direct grants to businesses that do not qualify for EIDL; $17 billion to assist with payments on SBA backed loans

DOL: $360 million to invest in worker training and supportive services

HUD CDBG: $5 billion for state and local government to rapidly respond to economic and housing impacts.

For details: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748/text

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748/text

Impacts of COVID-19 Crisis – CARES Act

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Expect to see Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for EDA grant program in the next 2-3 weeks.

FRCOG preliminary “ask” to EDA:

o Capitalize programs to provide direct investment in private for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations using loan-grant combinations, such as discounted loans or forgivable loans.

o Fund programs to provide business technical assistance, counseling and coaching to private businesses/organizations. Allow these entities to scale up staffing and to procure consultant and service providers to provide targeted assistance to businesses/organizations in need.

o Fund CEDS projects that address barriers to accessing employment and long-term infrastructure needs.

o Adjust match requirements and increase EDD planning staff award.

Impacts of COVID-19 Crisis – CEDS Plan

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Economic Development Planning During COVID-19 Pandemic

The development of the 2020 CEDS Plan was launched in 2019. In March 2020, a state of emergency was declared due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The impacts of this situation on communities, the workforce, businesses and overall economy are severe. The best strategies for how local businesses and organizations and the economy at large can mitigate and recover continue to emerge and evolve.

The Plan reflects the best information and strategies available at the time of its creation. It should be noted that the demographic and economic information in Chapter 2 is from data available as of early 2020. For example, unemployment data is from 2019. A sharp rise in unemployment claims is underway in Spring 2020. Comparable data may not be available to reflect this experience.

2020 CEDS Plan - Project Submittals

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Invitation to submit CEDS Project proposals sent on January 6th to our 26 member municipalities and 37 non-profit & government entities.

Over 30 proposals received from across the region.

Categories of projects:

o Infrastructure (i.e. road, water or wastewater, utilities, etc.)

o Development or Redevelopment of a structure

o Cluster Development (i.e. resources to conduct a study to support a particular study)

o Programmatic Support (i.e. resources for staffing or program development)

o Revolving Loan Fund


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Phases of projects:

o Pre-planning Phase – support needed for initial planning and proposal development

o Planning Phase – support needed for planning or feasibility study, market analysis, business plan, conceptual designs, etc.

o Pre-development - support needed for design, engineering, permitting, etc.

o Development Phase – support needed to fund construction or implementation

o Other (please specify)


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Location: Project: Lead: Category: Phase:

Buckland 50 Conway Street Brownfields Remediation and Rehabilitation

Town of Buckland Dev/Redev Pre-development

Colrain Colrain Town/Village Center Sanitary Sewer System

Town of Colrain Infra-structure

Pre-development

Conway Downtown Community Wastewater Disposal System

Town of Conway Wastewater Com.

Infra-structure

Development

Erving Erving IP Mill Remediation, Selective Demolition, and Infrastructure Development

Town of Erving Infra-structure

Development

Greenfield 180 Laurel Street Redevelopment

City of Greenfield Infra-structure

Development

Greenfield I-91 Industrial Park Expansion Greenfield Redev. Authority

Infra-structure

Pre-development

Greenfield First National Bank Redevelopment

Greenfield Redev. Authority

Dev/Redev Development

Greenfield Greenfield Armory Redevelopment

City of Greenfield Dev/Redev Pre-planning

Greenfield Development of Greenfield Downtown Housing

City of Greenfield Dev/Redev Planning


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Greenfield Cradle to Career Center, with a Financial Opportunity Center, Head Start Center/GCC practicum site, & full-service Career Center.

GCC, with CAPV and MassHire FH

Dev/Redev Planning

Greenfield Create GCC Institute for Worker Cooperatives, including a certificate program & start-up grant fund.

GCC Program-matic

Planning

Greenfield Create a collaborative Human/Social Service Center

Community Action Pioneer Valley

Dev/Redev Pre-planning

Greenfield GCC Downtown Center Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub

GCC and GCC Foundation

Dev/Redev Development

Montague Canal District Master Plan and Redevelopment Investments

Town of Montague Infra-structure

Planning

Montague Sandy Lane Industrial Area Infrastructure

Town of Montague Infra-structure

Development

Montague Support for Farren Care Center and Facility Investment

Town of Montague Dev/Redev Other

New Salem Restoration of structure to be the New Salem Town Hall & Auditorium

New Salem Hist. Commission

Dev/Redev Planning

New Salem Building rehabilitation for a New Salem Police Station

New Salem Hist. Commission & BOS

Dev/Redev Planning


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Orange Putnam Village, Commercial Cottage Project

Town of Orange Dev/Redev Pre-development

Orange Butterfield School Adaptive Reuse Town of Orange Dev/Redev Planning

Orange South Main Street Infrastructure Improvement

Town of Orange Infra-structure

Pre-development

Orange Start-up support for LaunchSpace'sNorth Quabbin Program at the Orange Innovation Center

LaunchSpace Inc. Program-matic

Development

Region Northern Tier 2.0: Expand business technical assistance using innovative collaborations

Franklin County CDC

Program-matic

Development

Region Capitalize Small Business Revolving Loan Fund for western Mass to support COVID-19 crisis recovery

Franklin County CDC

RLF Development


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Region Creation and operation of a Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership (MTWP) Forest Center

MTWP Governing Board

Dev/Redev Planning

Region Capitalize a Natural Resource Based and Forest Dependent Business Revolving Loan Fund for 21-town MTWP region

MTWP Governing Board

RLF Planning

Region Creative Economy Development Project through education, marketing and a coordinated retailer-producer network.

GCC Cluster Dev Planning

Region CiderDays Economic Impact Study Franklin County Chamber of Commerce

Cluster Dev Development

Region Deerfield River Outdoor Recreation Asset and Economic Development Plan

Deerfield River Watershed Association

Cluster Dev Pre-planning

Region Water/Sewer Strategic Plan for Rural Franklin County Communities

FRCOG Infras-tructure

Planning


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All projects will be included in the appendix.

As resources or opportunities are available, information will be shared with project leads.

Selected projects will be included in the Goals chapter. These are projects that:

Seek to achieve the Plan’s Vision and Goals

Have engaged champions to pursue the project

Have identified next steps

2020 CEDS Plan – Goals and Objectives

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Goals are to be based on the Plan’s vision, summary background, and SWOT.

Objectives are to be realistic and have anticipated outcomes.

Action Plan describes the activity, the lead implementer, any estimated costs, and timeframe for implementation.


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Draft Goals and Objectives:

1. Implement CEDS planning framework effectively and efficiently.

a) Engage collaborative economic development networks, such as coordinating meetings of the CEDS Committee and FREDI; participating in cross-region and statewide efforts.

b) Provide technical assistance and/or connect resources to assist local and regional partners with moving projects forward

c) Complete reporting requirements of EDA contract


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2. Create conditions for entrepreneurs, business owners and their employees to be resilient and succeed.

Ensure access to business technical assistance and capital

Encourage connections to supportive networks, such as Chamber/business groups or collaborative workspaces.

3. Cultivate important or emerging clusters that will enhance the quality of life and of work opportunities for current and new residents.

Agriculture and forestry

Outdoor recreation and cultural tourism

Creative economy

Manufacturing


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4. Target investment in infrastructure to encourage the creation of sustainable, resilient and vibrant communities.

Address downtown and village center needs, such as water/wastewater systems, Complete Streets, culvert assessments

Brownfields redevelopment

Planned industrial park land

Broadband

5. Address barriers to entering the workforce and/or to wealth creation.

Access to training or education, and career services

Access to supportive services, such as transportation and childcare

Access to housing


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[Goal to be included in separate Resilience Chapter]

6. Take measures to ensure regional resilience to recover quickly from, withstand and avoid economic shocks.

Debrief the experience of the COVID-19 to identify ways to improve, such as related to

₋ communication and support to the business community

₋ support to workforce and business development organizations

₋ coordinating federal resources

Align current hazard mitigation and emergency preparedness efforts with economic development goals

Inventory and prioritize infrastructure investments

Other Business/Adjourn

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Schedule:

Copy of preliminary draft Plan on Thursday, April 30, 2020

CEDS Committee meeting on Monday, May 4, 2020 at 1 pm (virtual)

Open 30-day public comment period on draft Plan on May 7, 2020

Close 30-day public comment period on June 7, 2020

CEDS Committee meeting on Wednesday, June 8, 2020 at 3 pm

EDD Board meeting on June 11, 2020

Franklin Reg. Planning Board meeting on June 25, 2020

Submit CEDS Plan to US EDA by June 30, 2020

franklin county comprehensive economic development ... · 4/9/2020 · franklin county...

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