1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:05,349 Uh, Alex Hastings, Commissioner 2 00:00:05,359 --> 00:00:07,359 Bill Keep, Commissioner Jake Dunigan, 3 00:00:07,359 --> 00:00:12,160 Commissioner, uh, Joe Dela Cruz, chair. 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,080 Uh, need approval of the minutes. Does 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,440 anyone make a motion in April 2nd? Has 6 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:18,880 already been approved. We're just doing 7 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:20,960 May. Anyone make a motion to approve the 8 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:21,680 minutes for May? 9 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:22,400 >> So moved. 10 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:23,920 >> Second. 11 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:28,560 >> You got it. All right. Uh, all in favor? 12 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:30,800 >> I. unanimous. We're getting off to a 13 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:35,520 great start. Uh old business. 14 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,079 >> Yeah. Nothing. All right. Welcome back, 15 00:00:38,079 --> 00:00:39,440 everyone. By the way, that's our old 16 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:41,040 business. It's been a few month, couple 17 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,600 months. Uh new business uh year-to- date 18 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,440 reflection. 19 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,920 >> Yeah. So, 20 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:51,840 we have them as separate items. they 21 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,440 will flow into one another. But with us 22 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,160 just coming back from a break and 23 00:00:58,160 --> 00:00:59,600 approaching the year, the end of the 24 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:01,039 year, we figured we'd take some time to 25 00:01:01,039 --> 00:01:03,520 kind of just reflect on 2026 and the 26 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,200 goals that we set for this year and then 27 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:11,200 start kind of looking ahead for 2027. 28 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,680 So, I'll kind of just walk us through a 29 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:15,680 little simple presentation. It's mostly 30 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:17,600 it's a visual. It's, you know, just to 31 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:19,920 have it. And if you remember, we did 32 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:21,840 this last year where everyone we kind of 33 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:23,520 went over where we are from the previous 34 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,320 year or your goals, what we're at, and 35 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:28,560 then what you'd like to see for the the 36 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,600 next year and then we would draft what 37 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,280 we hear tonight and you would approve 38 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,600 those next uh next meeting in November 39 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,560 the following year. 40 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,759 >> So just the purpose of the EDC advocate 41 00:01:41,759 --> 00:01:43,600 for the needs of graten businesses and 42 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:44,640 entrepreneurs to support their 43 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,640 retention, growth and sustainability. 44 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,920 And I kind of just took the goals. Okay, 45 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:54,720 that worked. Um, I went through the 2026 46 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:55,920 goals and just kind of looked at how we 47 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,280 did so far. Um, 48 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,280 for improving outreach strategy and 49 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,680 execution garnered connection with an 50 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:05,840 understanding of our businesses. We set 51 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,959 a few action items holding one to two 52 00:02:08,959 --> 00:02:13,200 EDC um, and staff outreach events. We 53 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,000 did that one in April. gather 100 54 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,879 business owners emails and contact info 55 00:02:18,879 --> 00:02:21,040 for the newsletter. We fell short of 56 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,360 that one. I put less than 40. That one 57 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:24,959 was being generous. Most of those came 58 00:02:24,959 --> 00:02:27,680 from other lists that we had, but 59 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,040 >> um and then host one to two events to 60 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:32,720 connect with business owners. We did 61 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:34,640 have our business appreciation breakfast 62 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:39,360 in April. And I'll mention we as staff 63 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,040 weren't really able to dedicate the time 64 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,360 to putting together the event plan that 65 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,440 we hope to do this month. Now it's 66 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:50,160 October. Um so we won't be planning 67 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,400 that. 68 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,560 The second goal, launch a new 69 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,560 communications tool to make the EDC more 70 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,360 consistently accessible. 71 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,080 We came up with the newsletter and Alex 72 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,159 helped me get that one out. So that was 73 00:03:04,159 --> 00:03:06,080 a check. We did that right around the um 74 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,720 business appreciation breakfast. 75 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,440 Um 76 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:13,280 if you notice in some of the other ones, 77 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,519 it was like one to two, one to two. We 78 00:03:15,519 --> 00:03:17,599 did one, I counted it. We also wanted to 79 00:03:17,599 --> 00:03:19,840 do two newsletters. So, you know, room 80 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,200 to grow in that area too. Goal three was 81 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,120 engaging with existing resources to 82 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:26,560 support and showcase the town's 83 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,360 businesses. So, we have been working on 84 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:30,879 and are continuing to work on explore 85 00:03:30,879 --> 00:03:33,440 more graten. One of the actions was to 86 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,120 promote that. Put a little question 87 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:36,640 mark. 88 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:38,560 You know, use your your discretion how 89 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,599 you answer that one. Um, the website is 90 00:03:41,599 --> 00:03:43,760 coming along and I think that we have 91 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,599 updates in our staff report, but we did 92 00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:50,879 publish the live version, the the most 93 00:03:50,879 --> 00:03:52,879 recent updates. 94 00:03:52,879 --> 00:03:54,879 Pages are continuing to be updated, but 95 00:03:54,879 --> 00:03:57,040 check it out. It's looking nice. It's 96 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,680 coming along. Um, the reader's choice 97 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,080 awards not the fault of anyone in this 98 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,319 room. I had reached out to the day and I 99 00:04:04,319 --> 00:04:05,599 went back and checked my timeline 100 00:04:05,599 --> 00:04:08,480 earlier and they didn't get back to me 101 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,040 until they were closer to the end of the 102 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,920 process. So, next year 103 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:15,439 potentially if y'all want to explore 104 00:04:15,439 --> 00:04:17,199 that one again. And then the third 105 00:04:17,199 --> 00:04:19,199 action was attend one business community 106 00:04:19,199 --> 00:04:21,199 or economic development event that was 107 00:04:21,199 --> 00:04:23,600 outside of something that we were doing. 108 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,000 So, I'm not sure what you guys were or 109 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,639 weren't able to get to. 110 00:04:28,639 --> 00:04:32,160 And the last one was really going to 111 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,360 other town meetings, RTM meetings or 112 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,880 council meetings and uh speaking out on 113 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:40,960 behalf of whatever may be that supports 114 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,199 economic development and the other was 115 00:04:43,199 --> 00:04:46,160 collaborating with commissions. If you 116 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,520 remember last year in 2025, there was a 117 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,199 joint uh planning and zoning commission 118 00:04:51,199 --> 00:04:52,720 meeting and that was largely around the 119 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,639 PCD, but the EC the EDC had the biggest 120 00:04:56,639 --> 00:04:59,680 show in there and I think that was just 121 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,520 something that we wanted to continue to 122 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,800 carry over. So that was just to run 123 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:06,400 through, 124 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:08,720 you know, what the plans were for last 125 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,120 year and remind the remind us of the 126 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,199 purpose of the EDC. So, I just wanted to 127 00:05:13,199 --> 00:05:15,520 kind of pose the question like, do you 128 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:16,720 feel like you're meeting your purpose 129 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:18,000 after kind of checking in with the 130 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,240 goals? How are you feeling? And really, 131 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,400 like, what resources or supports or 132 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,639 tools 133 00:05:24,639 --> 00:05:27,199 do you need or would you like to push 134 00:05:27,199 --> 00:05:30,000 the needle a little bit further? 135 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,160 >> I have to come to a meeting and you have 136 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,160 to say, "Jake, you didn't do your job." 137 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,080 In order for me to be scared enough to 138 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,120 do my job by the time I come back, 139 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:40,479 you you got to tell me, "Hey, you didn't 140 00:05:40,479 --> 00:05:41,759 do it this week. You didn't do this 141 00:05:41,759 --> 00:05:42,720 month." They're like, "Hey, I didn't 142 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,280 hear from you." Because um that'll be 143 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:47,440 the best way to motivate me to do it. 144 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,280 >> So for you, it's about accountability. 145 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:50,880 >> Yeah, I need I need accountability for 146 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:52,240 sure 147 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:53,680 >> because I don't have an issue doing any 148 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:55,360 of this stuff and sometimes it's about 149 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,160 >> Jake, how would we um I think we've 150 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:00,240 tried to do that a lot like creating the 151 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,000 shared document and please enter each 152 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:03,600 month what you've done or those kinds of 153 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:05,600 things like what next level of 154 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,280 accountability would work? Um, off mic. 155 00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:11,199 Think of whatever creative name you'd 156 00:06:11,199 --> 00:06:14,880 like to call me about how I'm not being 157 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,360 functional in my role. 158 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:18,720 >> Yeah. Can we do that? 159 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:20,319 >> Yeah, absolutely. Fellow commissioners, 160 00:06:20,319 --> 00:06:22,080 for sure. No. Um, it's 161 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:23,520 >> shouts across the 162 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:24,800 >> Yeah, exactly. I mean, if you want to 163 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,720 put Jake's scoreboard up every every 164 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:28,800 month with how many businesses he's 165 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,240 contacted and I have to look at it, it 166 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,039 says zero, that next month it'll be two, 167 00:06:33,039 --> 00:06:34,479 right? I don't know that it's going to 168 00:06:34,479 --> 00:06:36,080 get too much more than that, but you 169 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:37,840 know, at least it'll be something. It 170 00:06:37,840 --> 00:06:40,800 could literally be 171 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,600 um you know, chairs outreach. 172 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,120 >> We could create like a board game and 173 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:46,479 you guys each have your own figure and 174 00:06:46,479 --> 00:06:50,479 it moves along and you're racing. 175 00:06:50,479 --> 00:06:53,199 >> Ladders. 176 00:06:53,199 --> 00:06:54,160 >> Okay. 177 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,440 >> I for me it would be u more specific 178 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,680 upfront. In other words, you know, going 179 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,479 to different events, me to agree to go 180 00:07:02,479 --> 00:07:04,639 to a chamber event or something, knowing 181 00:07:04,639 --> 00:07:06,960 it in advance, not, you know, are you 182 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:08,400 guys going to go to something, but 183 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,199 literally as we plan, it's like, will 184 00:07:11,199 --> 00:07:13,360 you commit to going to a chamber event 185 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,000 or will you commit to, you know, doing 186 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,560 something? And so, we will commit as 187 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,639 individuals up 188 00:07:20,639 --> 00:07:22,000 and so then 189 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:22,560 >> that's really 190 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,880 >> that would be helpful. And I know in 191 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:26,560 previous years it may may have been 192 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,240 before you were on, but um Lauren will 193 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:29,919 send out, you know, hey everyone, you 194 00:07:29,919 --> 00:07:31,599 know, this is being hosted or that would 195 00:07:31,599 --> 00:07:32,960 you like to participate? A lot of times 196 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,880 George will do that. Um would it help if 197 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,599 it's kind of on a monthto-month basis 198 00:07:39,599 --> 00:07:43,120 like hey we know the chamber is hosting 199 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,000 this networking event or do you mean 200 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,360 kind of in the beginning of the year you 201 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,520 would say I commit to two this year for 202 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:50,319 the chamber? 203 00:07:50,319 --> 00:07:54,160 >> Wow. Um well I I think that either could 204 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,759 work. Um I mean I'm I get the chamber 205 00:07:57,759 --> 00:08:01,199 announcements in in my email. Um and if 206 00:08:01,199 --> 00:08:04,240 I had in beforehand and I I'm just this 207 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:05,680 is just an example. Other people may 208 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,520 want to be go to the chamber in which 209 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,680 case I could go to an R RTM meeting or 210 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:11,440 something like that. But whatever we 211 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,599 would agree to do then we would do I 212 00:08:13,599 --> 00:08:15,440 mean we know when the RTM meetings are 213 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,360 we know we get notices from when the 214 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:19,440 chamber is and I don't know about what 215 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,440 other kinds of organizations would be 216 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:22,560 helpful you probably know them better 217 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:26,000 than me but yeah having an up front and 218 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:30,800 I think um the idea with other uh 219 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,839 commissions such as RTM or town councils 220 00:08:33,839 --> 00:08:35,599 uh usually around you know if we have a 221 00:08:35,599 --> 00:08:37,440 project coming up that has residential 222 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:39,360 showing like we'd like to tie it to 223 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:40,560 something specific so you're not going 224 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:42,880 just to go so sometimes those aren't 225 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:44,399 there or sometimes they are, but we 226 00:08:44,399 --> 00:08:46,959 could kind of also have a placeholder of 227 00:08:46,959 --> 00:08:48,720 you know when these types of things come 228 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,560 up or you know new businesses that you 229 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:51,920 want to support like you could go talk 230 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:53,040 about those specific things. 231 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:55,040 >> Yep. And when you when they may be 232 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:56,320 something we would know about you would 233 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,399 know about first something come out of 234 00:08:58,399 --> 00:08:59,120 the agenda. 235 00:08:59,120 --> 00:08:59,680 >> Yeah. 236 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:03,839 >> Um and then we can try it to go. 237 00:09:03,839 --> 00:09:09,750 >> Okay. 238 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:13,760 Let's see. And I know over the last two 239 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,959 years the feedback's been um it's a lot 240 00:09:16,959 --> 00:09:18,480 easier to go do outreach if you have 241 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,080 something specific. So we did the pivot 242 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,240 grant handouts and you helped us get 243 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,080 those funds solely expended. Clayton did 244 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,720 a lot of door to door on that too. Um 245 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,440 and then another thing last year that we 246 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:30,880 found that you guys really liked was 247 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:32,800 having the flyer of something cool to 248 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:34,000 invite them to which was hey we're 249 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:35,920 having this networking breakfast. Did 250 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:37,920 you like that this year as well or is 251 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:39,120 there anything else you have in mind 252 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:40,399 that you're like, I wish I could give 253 00:09:40,399 --> 00:09:44,480 them this um when I'm doing outreach. 254 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,720 >> I think the breakfast is really good. 255 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,120 >> That went well and people were really 256 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:51,200 receptive to it. You know, even if it 257 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:52,880 was just I'll give it to my boss or 258 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:54,880 whatever. People were very receptive to 259 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,120 it. for me. 260 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:58,399 defense 261 00:09:58,399 --> 00:09:59,920 >> and there were people that were invited 262 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:01,279 that they were going to come and didn't 263 00:10:01,279 --> 00:10:04,320 and I don't know if that was because 264 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,640 um I think they think they maybe getting 265 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,120 sales pitch somehow like there was a 266 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:10,800 language barrier with a couple of them 267 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,880 and they're like oh I'm not sure like I 268 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:14,000 they were afraid what they were going to 269 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:15,120 walk into 270 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,040 >> when I think um and I'm not sure how we 271 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:18,480 could make it any more clear that it was 272 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:19,200 just 273 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:23,040 >> breakfast yeah and maybe um I don't know 274 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:24,880 maybe 275 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:26,720 a little earlier they would have known 276 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:28,480 they but I don't think that matters. I 277 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,040 think they get busy and 278 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:34,480 >> it wouldn't matter how much time they had that we just have to figure if 279 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,120 we invited 30 and 30 said yes then 20 280 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:37,760 are coming. 281 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:38,640 >> Mhm. 282 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:40,160 >> Probably about the right is that the ban 283 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:40,480 average 284 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:46,320 >> probably about 15 is 15 50%. Okay. 285 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:48,959 to that point, if we hosted it at a at a 286 00:10:48,959 --> 00:10:52,320 town, you know, even if it wasn't here, 287 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:54,880 um it might take some of that like maybe 288 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,600 I'm getting sold because like it's not 289 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:58,880 often that you're not going to go to a 290 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,519 town building and get a sales pitch for 291 00:11:01,519 --> 00:11:02,720 the most part. Like 292 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:03,279 >> Yeah, 293 00:11:03,279 --> 00:11:05,600 >> because I'm also super wary of somebody 294 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:06,880 trying to give me something for free. 295 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:08,240 So, I get that. 296 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,040 >> Yeah. Maybe we could could we add like 297 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,720 something of like how the the EDC 298 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,320 specifically can like help the 299 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,640 businesses like because like I feel like 300 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:20,560 sometimes like you go and they're just 301 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:22,240 like I I haven't heard you. I don't know 302 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:23,680 what you do. 303 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:24,800 >> I don't know what this is. I don't 304 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:26,880 really know if I want to go. So it's 305 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:27,360 like 306 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,760 >> Yes. And that I think is what we tried 307 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,079 to tie to pivot grant in particular. 308 00:11:32,079 --> 00:11:34,640 Like there is a grant you can apply for 309 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:35,839 >> I think if you're just like hey you can 310 00:11:35,839 --> 00:11:37,519 apply for free money basically. 311 00:11:37,519 --> 00:11:38,959 >> Yeah. and they're just like, "Oh, well, 312 00:11:38,959 --> 00:11:41,120 this is great." Like 313 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,399 >> and um and we don't So, we're hoping at 314 00:11:44,399 --> 00:11:45,760 some point maybe we can get an 315 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,120 additional allocation from from council 316 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:53,040 nudge um to to add to um pivot grant to 317 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,360 kind of launch a second round because it 318 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,360 was so successful. But in the meantime, 319 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:58,880 we don't have something that we're 320 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:00,880 hosting other than the economic 321 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:02,959 assistance fund necessarily. And that 322 00:12:02,959 --> 00:12:05,839 one's so specific to, you know, 323 00:12:05,839 --> 00:12:07,120 infrastructure and things. it's not 324 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,440 really as applicable to the smaller 325 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,440 businesses. So, we don't have a program 326 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,040 right now, 327 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,360 >> but we do with our website revamp that 328 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:16,800 Clayton was talking about, 329 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:18,560 >> we have an incentives page that we're 330 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:21,360 updating that will just connect them to 331 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,040 everything under the sun, not just ours, 332 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:24,720 but if you're a small business owner and 333 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:26,959 you want to a free leazison, you can go 334 00:12:26,959 --> 00:12:29,920 to this site, the state provides XYZ. 335 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,320 But I think in general, the feedback has 336 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,720 usually been it's then that's too back 337 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,279 to it's too generic, you know. So, I 338 00:12:37,279 --> 00:12:38,800 think that's what we're trying to get at 339 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:40,639 with the newsletter and folks getting to 340 00:12:40,639 --> 00:12:43,279 know you that as problems come up, they 341 00:12:43,279 --> 00:12:44,639 know they have somebody to go to and 342 00:12:44,639 --> 00:12:47,040 say, "This is a barrier to my business. 343 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,680 The town should know about this." Um, so 344 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:51,519 I guess it's always kind of in the 345 00:12:51,519 --> 00:12:52,800 middle. If we have something specific 346 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:54,399 like the breakfast, we'll send you out 347 00:12:54,399 --> 00:12:57,120 with that. We can also always link to 348 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,680 and there's all of these programs, you 349 00:12:59,680 --> 00:13:01,760 know, not just that the town or town 350 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:03,120 has, but the state has that you could 351 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,120 access. And it's kind of just at that 352 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:06,720 point generic again though. So I guess 353 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:07,519 it's kind of 354 00:13:07,519 --> 00:13:09,519 >> between know you categorize a lot of the 355 00:13:09,519 --> 00:13:12,079 businesses on that map. Is there a way 356 00:13:12,079 --> 00:13:13,760 that maybe if we do like targeted 357 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:15,680 outreach to like a specific type of like 358 00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:18,240 say like a restaurant and then or say 359 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,200 like hey if you look on the state your 360 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:23,360 incentives or these are your grants 361 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,440 specific only to restaurants like you 362 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:26,079 can't 363 00:13:26,079 --> 00:13:27,839 >> like if you're an auto like auto body 364 00:13:27,839 --> 00:13:28,959 shop you can't get these. 365 00:13:28,959 --> 00:13:31,440 >> Right. But that that way it like 366 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,360 >> because like you said if it's too 367 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:34,480 generic like I feel like they're going 368 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:35,839 to go on the website and be like there's 369 00:13:35,839 --> 00:13:37,200 a thousand links which is like really 370 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,760 helpful but they're going to be like 371 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:40,720 for me 372 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,480 >> you gave me work to do 373 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,440 >> no thanks like if you go to like one of 374 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,440 the restaurants be like hey like maybe 375 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:49,760 you're decorating your out like outdoors 376 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:51,279 and they have like a grant for that like 377 00:13:51,279 --> 00:13:52,560 oh great that's the first one that pops 378 00:13:52,560 --> 00:13:53,920 up right 379 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,040 >> and what we could do um I think one of 380 00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:58,560 the best resources too is that there's 381 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:00,480 actually free advisors out there that 382 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:02,000 people don't necessarily know about and 383 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:03,519 that could apply to anyone, 384 00:14:03,519 --> 00:14:05,360 >> especially to our smaller ones that that 385 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:07,040 are struggling with like how do I even 386 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,040 set up a POS system or those kinds of 387 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:10,639 things. Um, 388 00:14:10,639 --> 00:14:13,920 >> so maybe the focus is like you said kind 389 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:15,760 of I don't know if we'd want to 390 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:17,199 necessarily try to break it down because 391 00:14:17,199 --> 00:14:19,040 it would just make outreach a lot very 392 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:22,000 complicated, but we could do flyers 393 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,079 based on on that. Go ahead. 394 00:14:24,079 --> 00:14:28,160 >> Yeah. Um I think that in with respect to 395 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,480 incentive opportunities there are ways 396 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,320 that we're thinking about breaking it up 397 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:34,000 especially as things like you know we 398 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:35,440 try to redo our website and everything 399 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:36,639 because it is 400 00:14:36,639 --> 00:14:38,720 >> like I mean Karen just described it it's 401 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:40,959 complicated and a lot of existing 402 00:14:40,959 --> 00:14:46,399 incentive programs are already going to filter businesses 403 00:14:46,399 --> 00:14:49,839 out pretty quickly. Um, 404 00:14:49,839 --> 00:14:51,680 >> something that was coming to mind as I 405 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,720 was listening is, yeah, we tend to have 406 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:56,240 better interactions when we have 407 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,320 something to give them, when we're not 408 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:03,440 making an ask. Um, but I think the but 409 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:05,440 we also see even when we're doing that, 410 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,360 there's some hesitency hesitancy, 411 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:08,880 there's some reluctance, there's who are 412 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:12,320 you? And I think that reminds me of just 413 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,279 the importance of being a liaison and 414 00:15:15,279 --> 00:15:19,199 doing regular outreach. And maybe in 415 00:15:19,199 --> 00:15:21,279 thinking about next year's goals, we 416 00:15:21,279 --> 00:15:23,680 think about like quality over quantity. 417 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,880 Um, if you go into the same business 418 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,920 three times and it's just to say, "Hey, 419 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:31,839 my name is Alex. I'm here from the EDC. 420 00:15:31,839 --> 00:15:33,120 Just want to let you know, you know, I'm 421 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:34,560 here to help. Here's a few things that 422 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,480 we can offer. Next time you come back 423 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,240 in, they don't really remember you, but 424 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,000 then Oh, yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. You 425 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:41,839 came back in and now I'm inviting you to 426 00:15:41,839 --> 00:15:43,680 the business appreciation breakfast. And 427 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:43,920 yeah, 428 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:45,120 >> maybe they don't come. But the third 429 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,519 time they they remember you. 430 00:15:47,519 --> 00:15:49,600 >> They come to the breakfast maybe or they 431 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:50,959 actually say, "What was that incentive 432 00:15:50,959 --> 00:15:52,480 that you were talking about?" And we're 433 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,120 fostering more of a relationship. Um, 434 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,040 maybe that's more worthwhile than 435 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:58,639 >> That sounds, you know, 436 00:15:58,639 --> 00:16:01,600 >> that sounds better because like 437 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:03,680 I I like we said it before, like I feel 438 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:04,800 like if you're gonna get anything in the 439 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,120 mail, like my wife's getting tickets or 440 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,120 we're getting taxes. Like those are the 441 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:10,560 only two things. Those are the only two 442 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,320 like town officials that like come to my 443 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,079 house or to like if I own a business, 444 00:16:14,079 --> 00:16:15,600 those only town officials come to my 445 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,160 business. So, it's like it having a 446 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,079 repeated exposure to someone that's just 447 00:16:20,079 --> 00:16:21,519 like, "No, I'm just trying to help 448 00:16:21,519 --> 00:16:22,959 whatever needs 449 00:16:22,959 --> 00:16:24,800 >> like reach out." I think that's that's a 450 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:25,360 good thing. 451 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:27,360 >> And in thinking about sectors too, if 452 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:28,959 you 453 00:16:28,959 --> 00:16:30,320 make a relationship with somebody who 454 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,079 owns a hair salon, maybe you don't have 455 00:16:32,079 --> 00:16:33,600 the trust of everybody in the hair salon 456 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,120 community, but you build a relationship 457 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:37,199 with one good person and they are able 458 00:16:37,199 --> 00:16:38,800 to say, "Oh, you know what? Alex from 459 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:40,720 the town was actually pretty helpful and 460 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,880 two or three more hairdressers are open 461 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:44,880 to hearing from Alex, hearing from the 462 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:45,839 EDC." Okay. 463 00:16:45,839 --> 00:16:48,800 >> And for the incentive page um for our 464 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,120 update, we'll it'll have information 465 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:52,320 like you were just mentioning where 466 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:53,600 right now there's just kind of like this 467 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:55,199 crazy list that you'd have, like you 468 00:16:55,199 --> 00:16:56,480 said, you'd have to do work to sort 469 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:58,240 through to be like, does this apply? So, 470 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,320 we'll be sectioning them by who it's 471 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,320 for. Is it local business? Is it big? Is 472 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:03,920 it big industry? You know, an estate 473 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:05,839 incentive, those kinds of things. And 474 00:17:05,839 --> 00:17:07,520 each one has a blurb when it drops down 475 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,760 so you have an idea before you're even 476 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:11,600 going maybe to, you know, to sector's 477 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:15,679 page or the states page. So that will be 478 00:17:15,679 --> 00:17:17,520 a resource too that people can send them 479 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:19,439 to and then it's already divided up so 480 00:17:19,439 --> 00:17:21,520 it's not just like oh gosh there's 60 481 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:22,880 things here I don't know what's for me 482 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:24,959 it'll be like small businesses that kind 483 00:17:24,959 --> 00:17:27,360 of thing so that should help a few 484 00:17:27,360 --> 00:17:28,960 comments. First of all if we're going to 485 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:30,080 people are going to get to know us that 486 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:31,440 means we're going to the same places 487 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,080 again when are going to be you know we 488 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,280 would obligate ourselves to the same 489 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:41,039 geographic area the same jumping around. 490 00:17:41,039 --> 00:17:44,320 >> Um so The second thing is I actually 491 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,960 don't think that they should contact me 492 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:48,320 and say, "Hey, about I mean they can 493 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,280 contact me. I'm not the expert on that 494 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,160 grant or the you guys are 495 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,240 >> and and and so all I'm going to do is 496 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,080 go, "Oh, well, I can check into it for 497 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:01,280 you." And then so it's more efficient if 498 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,080 in fact they 499 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,919 we think they're close to the to the fit 500 00:18:07,919 --> 00:18:10,160 >> that they contact you guys 501 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:11,919 >> and just say hey Bill told Bill told me 502 00:18:11,919 --> 00:18:14,160 I should contact you about this possible 503 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:15,440 grant because otherwise I'm in the 504 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:17,120 middle and I'm not an expert on the 505 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:17,679 grant. 506 00:18:17,679 --> 00:18:19,120 >> Yeah. No, you're you're spot on. The 507 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:22,000 whole idea is the liaison 508 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,520 maximizes staff capacity, you know, so 509 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,520 that when you do reach folks, you're not 510 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:29,360 expected to know every answer. You're 511 00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:31,679 the person that then says, "Hey, Kern 512 00:18:31,679 --> 00:18:34,080 and Clayton, we heard this. Can you 513 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:35,760 start working with business?" Yeah. 514 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:38,400 >> Right. Couple other things is um I don't 515 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,000 know if Chamber does this or not because 516 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:41,679 I haven't really followed them very 517 00:18:41,679 --> 00:18:45,600 much. Um but sometimes people just like 518 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:49,200 to know information like what was uh 519 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:53,919 what was the um economic what are the 520 00:18:53,919 --> 00:18:58,880 economic drivers of Brten over the last 521 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:00,400 calendar year right 522 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,679 >> um everything from tourism to 523 00:19:03,679 --> 00:19:07,840 um fires or whatever 524 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:09,760 >> you know like graphs just short graphs 525 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:11,440 that we show people that go there and 526 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:13,280 look at I don't know who puts those 527 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:14,799 together. The state probably follows a 528 00:19:14,799 --> 00:19:17,039 lot of that or the county or whatever. 529 00:19:17,039 --> 00:19:18,799 But you know the kind of thing that the 530 00:19:18,799 --> 00:19:20,559 small business administration sometimes 531 00:19:20,559 --> 00:19:23,520 has done. I don't know if you guys have. 532 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:25,280 So the small business administration 533 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,880 funds um offices usually the head office 534 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:30,640 is associated with a college or 535 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:32,559 university. Sometimes it's with 536 00:19:32,559 --> 00:19:35,120 community college. When I was the dean 537 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:38,080 down in Jersey it was our we had a 538 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:42,080 branch of that. the head the SBA main 539 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,039 office was at Ruters and then there were 540 00:19:45,039 --> 00:19:47,520 like four or five of us around the state 541 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:49,600 but we're not geographically near Ruters 542 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:51,919 and we had one person office and they 543 00:19:51,919 --> 00:19:53,280 were and they would offer everything 544 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:54,960 like how to do the website how to get 545 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:56,480 the most out of social media they'd 546 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:58,960 offer these really short free programs 547 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,160 for people did we do that around 548 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,880 >> what what we or what I'm hearing is you 549 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:06,640 know people are interested in different 550 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:08,400 topics like what are the economic 551 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:10,320 drivers or you know how many new trade 552 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,200 names are in town. Just like kind of 553 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,200 capturing a snapshot of how Grton's 554 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:15,760 doing. 555 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:16,160 >> Yeah. 556 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,880 >> Um Okay. And then 557 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,720 we could we could do something like that 558 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,679 and then also have that be the focus of 559 00:20:23,679 --> 00:20:25,679 the business breakfast because that's 560 00:20:25,679 --> 00:20:26,880 something that's interesting that they'd 561 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,400 all love to learn, you know? So, it's 562 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,400 like we can kind of do those snapshots. 563 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:32,400 You can have that as a resource to hand 564 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:34,320 out, but we can also make that like half 565 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:36,240 the point of the the breakfast. 566 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:37,600 >> That's right. If I have a restaurant, my 567 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:39,600 sales are down this year. Is it? 568 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:40,960 >> And I see a graph that shows that 569 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:45,520 Graten's um economy grew by 3% or 570 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:47,200 population. I'm thinking, what am I 571 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:48,400 doing wrong? 572 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:50,080 >> Food's bad, Bill. 573 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:51,520 >> Yeah, that's right. Because I was in the 574 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:52,559 kitchen, 575 00:20:52,559 --> 00:20:54,080 >> but you know what I'm saying, 576 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,159 >> right? But the but the converse is that 577 00:20:56,159 --> 00:20:58,159 if it if it isn't right, if everybody's 578 00:20:58,159 --> 00:21:00,000 suffering, then okay, it's not my 579 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,720 business practice. It's it's the alone. 580 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:05,600 >> Yeah. I I was at this is oh this year 581 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,080 last year I went to Liz's you know Liz's 582 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:09,360 around the corner of the 583 00:21:09,360 --> 00:21:10,000 >> Le 584 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:14,000 >> no Liz's on uh what's that uh it's on 585 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,720 Stonington side but anyhow it's a 586 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:18,240 >> from bakery 587 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:19,600 >> yeah yeah yeah 588 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,600 >> yeah Liz's yeah 589 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,870 >> it's Le 590 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:26,080 right 591 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:26,880 >> no 592 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:31,120 >> it's le okay yeah anyhow 593 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:34,799 >> I To be fair, I don't know how 594 00:21:34,799 --> 00:21:36,400 any I asked the owner. I said, "How was 595 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,080 it?" She goes, "Oh, I just had my best 596 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:39,120 day ever." 597 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:40,000 >> Thanks. 598 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,960 >> Right. And so, I think they want to 599 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:44,240 know, people want to know that 600 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:46,799 information about what's happening. 601 00:21:46,799 --> 00:21:50,159 >> Um, and I don't know, somebody must be 602 00:21:50,159 --> 00:21:51,039 collecting this. 603 00:21:51,039 --> 00:21:53,600 >> We have, we have that data to different 604 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:57,760 levels and like you said, the the SPDC 605 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,360 um sector has some of this stuff. Um 606 00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:05,840 yeah, there's different groups who have le this 607 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:09,200 information at varying levels. Um 608 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:10,640 >> the only thing I'm thinking of right now 609 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:13,200 is it would probably 610 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,480 >> be more of like a quarterly update like 611 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:17,520 it could be like monthly. 612 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:19,840 >> Well, no even even semianual or 613 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,080 annually. The state of the economy is 614 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:24,640 broadening. Yeah. From from last year. 615 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:27,600 The last comment is that um and I don't 616 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,159 know chamber may do this but um 617 00:22:30,159 --> 00:22:32,640 sometimes you will find people who are 618 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,919 offering how to get into government 619 00:22:35,919 --> 00:22:37,360 contracts. 620 00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:39,280 >> Oh, it's funny you mentioned that. We 621 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,360 were just chatting. We were at an event 622 00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:45,200 um where EB's consultant was summarizing 623 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:47,039 their last, you know, year or so effort 624 00:22:47,039 --> 00:22:48,640 of community engagement and different 625 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:50,960 things. And one of the things um I was 626 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:52,640 just talking with their new community 627 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:55,600 engagement person about is they have an 628 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,960 entire um process now that you can 629 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:00,240 partner with a small business that 630 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:01,200 doesn't have to be a government 631 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:02,480 contractor because that takes like three 632 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,000 years. And I said, 633 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:05,840 >> "How does somebody learn how to do 634 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,720 that?" And they don't have like a a 635 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:10,320 how-to yet, but that's something that 636 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,880 we're hoping to either get or we have 637 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:14,320 enough information that we make our own 638 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:16,640 and say contact this person because 639 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,120 you're spot on. they're they're thinking 640 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:20,720 about it and doing the work, especially 641 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:22,720 with the new location at the Crystal 642 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,360 Mall. Like, how can we have those folks 643 00:23:25,360 --> 00:23:27,440 contracting with local businesses? So, 644 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,720 we could we could focus on maybe a tool 645 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:32,559 um to help inform our businesses that 646 00:23:32,559 --> 00:23:34,000 they could partner in that way without 647 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,000 having to go through the the cumbersome 648 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,600 government contract. And then to your 649 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,559 other point about tutorials, we could 650 00:23:40,559 --> 00:23:42,960 find tutorials from other resources such 651 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,200 as like you said, how do you maximize 652 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:46,720 your social media as a small business or 653 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:48,400 whatever and maybe include those in our 654 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,000 in the newsletter. And that's one of the 655 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,320 features of, you know, 656 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:53,919 >> um just different things that we know 657 00:23:53,919 --> 00:23:54,960 they're interested in that you 658 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:56,880 constantly hear they have questions on. 659 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:58,880 Um so we could do those two things and I 660 00:23:58,880 --> 00:23:59,840 think the connection to the 661 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,240 non-government contract is spot on. We 662 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,080 were just just talking about that. Well, 663 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:05,840 >> if you talk to them again, my neighbors 664 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:07,280 Carol 665 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,480 H A U G E T O I 666 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:10,799 >> Okay. 667 00:24:10,799 --> 00:24:13,120 >> And he's like just one level down from 668 00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:15,360 vice president to EB. 669 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:16,000 >> Okay. 670 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,080 >> Um and in fact, I think he's expecting 671 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,320 to get promoted at some point. So I 672 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,159 don't know if he would be, you know, if 673 00:24:24,159 --> 00:24:26,880 it needed someone to be helpful. He's a 674 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:28,400 really nice guy and we just had our 675 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:32,080 picnic or our neighborhood. Um 676 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:33,679 and maybe he's more on the opport side. 677 00:24:33,679 --> 00:24:35,360 I don't know. 678 00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:36,640 I worked for him for two years. 679 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:37,520 >> You work for Aaron? 680 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:38,799 >> Yeah, he's a good guy. Yeah, 681 00:24:38,799 --> 00:24:39,679 >> he's a good guy, right? 682 00:24:39,679 --> 00:24:40,559 >> Yeah, he's great. 683 00:24:40,559 --> 00:24:41,279 >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 684 00:24:41,279 --> 00:24:41,679 >> Okay. 685 00:24:41,679 --> 00:24:45,520 >> Um and so anyhow, you know, it's easy 686 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,760 for me to to talk with him, right? 687 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,320 >> Great. And that that's a nice timely 688 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,039 goal for the next year because that is 689 00:24:53,039 --> 00:24:55,440 what EB's working on right now. And they 690 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,080 will be I don't think they have a very 691 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,360 big plan as far as like communication 692 00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:03,360 side of all the work they just did. I 693 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:04,720 think they're just starting to dive into 694 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:06,559 that. Um, so we can also kind of create 695 00:25:06,559 --> 00:25:08,400 our own with what we know and have from 696 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,640 them um, for our own businesses. So I 697 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:11,919 think that'd be great. 698 00:25:11,919 --> 00:25:13,840 >> So does that move us into the goals a 699 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:15,279 little bit or have we been talking? 700 00:25:15,279 --> 00:25:16,640 >> I think we're we're in new business 701 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:18,960 still, right? Or the 702 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,279 >> um, I'm ready to move into Yeah. into 703 00:25:21,279 --> 00:25:22,960 the seven goals. Yeah. 704 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:23,440 >> Okay. 705 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,960 >> That's the next question. 706 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,919 >> To to uh, Bill's point, can we just get 707 00:25:29,919 --> 00:25:32,559 an EB liazison? somebody comes in and 708 00:25:32,559 --> 00:25:35,200 says, "Here's what EB's trying to do." 709 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,559 >> I think we could and maybe 710 00:25:38,559 --> 00:25:39,919 >> not every meeting. Okay. 711 00:25:39,919 --> 00:25:41,520 >> No, no, no. I don't I'm not I'm not but 712 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:43,440 you know twice a year maybe. 713 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,760 >> Wait, what we could do is reach out and 714 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:47,760 um invite their new communications 715 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,240 director to do that or you know if he 716 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:51,440 can't somebody else. 717 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:53,440 >> Yeah. um and maybe a summary of the 718 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,320 report and the work that they just did. 719 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:00,000 And then um you know that I think like 720 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:01,760 maybe once or twice a year for sure. I 721 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:02,799 wouldn't say every meeting, but maybe 722 00:26:02,799 --> 00:26:05,520 it's something at least to update us on 723 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,400 >> what they just accomplished with 10 724 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:09,919 minute video and you put it on the 725 00:26:09,919 --> 00:26:11,120 website 726 00:26:11,120 --> 00:26:13,279 >> that would be directed at a person small 727 00:26:13,279 --> 00:26:14,320 business. You want to do a small 728 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:16,480 business, want to work with EB, here's 729 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:17,679 five steps you have to do. 730 00:26:17,679 --> 00:26:21,440 >> Yeah. Well, I could not agree more. And 731 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:24,159 one of the the things that we saw with 732 00:26:24,159 --> 00:26:26,559 their presentation there, it doesn't at 733 00:26:26,559 --> 00:26:30,480 least seem yet that there's a very very 734 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:33,919 big there's not a plan yet to turn all 735 00:26:33,919 --> 00:26:35,840 of the feedback and all those goals into 736 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:37,760 a bite-sized tangible thing for 737 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:39,440 everybody to see. 738 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:41,120 >> And I think maybe that's something we 739 00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:43,120 could help encourage them to do because 740 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:46,559 they've done the work. Like they're out there. are trying to to 741 00:26:46,559 --> 00:26:48,640 figure out how to connect these gaps and 742 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:50,960 so we can help encourage like now what's 743 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:52,799 the communication piece for commissions 744 00:26:52,799 --> 00:26:54,240 like ours for our residents for our 745 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:56,240 businesses to understand what happens 746 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:57,919 next so I 747 00:26:57,919 --> 00:26:59,840 >> I think the problem with DB2 is is it's 748 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:02,240 not it's more than a process it's like a 749 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,640 level of N security that you have to pay 750 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:08,880 for buy install be trained on that's why 751 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:10,559 I that's why I retired from Hillary 752 00:27:10,559 --> 00:27:11,840 because I didn't want to go through the 753 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:17,279 next steps but I'm kidding but it's that and and and it it sounds like 754 00:27:17,279 --> 00:27:19,200 it is lucrative and I think a lot of 755 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,120 people want to be involved in it. It 756 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:23,600 almost if somebody knew a secondary that 757 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,200 wanted to open a business to guide 758 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:26,320 people through because I don't think 759 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:28,159 it's a I don't know that there's going 760 00:27:28,159 --> 00:27:29,679 to be a step-by-step thing that people 761 00:27:29,679 --> 00:27:31,760 be able to follow like a like a chart. 762 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,080 >> I thought you were describing 763 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:36,320 doing business with small business but 764 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:37,919 not government contracts. 765 00:27:37,919 --> 00:27:39,520 >> Oh, not government on that one. Yeah. 766 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:42,480 >> Yeah. They have a separate like need 767 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:44,799 catering for an event. You don't have to 768 00:27:44,799 --> 00:27:46,240 come go through through your process 769 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,000 through your contractor. Okay. Partner 770 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,080 with the local business. Yeah. 771 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:51,679 >> I'm sure it's probably still cumbersome, 772 00:27:51,679 --> 00:27:54,720 but it's supposed to be a lot. 773 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:55,919 >> And I I don't know if we have to list 774 00:27:55,919 --> 00:27:57,440 this as a goal because I think the 775 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,120 breakfast already works. 776 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:01,840 >> I think that would be something that for this year 777 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,880 >> to keep that. But then I think a lot of 778 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:08,159 our businesses close on Monday and maybe 779 00:28:08,159 --> 00:28:10,080 we do the breakfast in April and maybe 780 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:13,120 before that a few months before we do 781 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:16,000 see how nighttime works like a not night 782 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:17,919 but it could be after like a after hours 783 00:28:17,919 --> 00:28:18,640 thing 784 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:20,720 >> and then and then then have other 785 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,520 businesses come in and say this is we 786 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,279 were up we were down and then having 787 00:28:25,279 --> 00:28:28,320 that like a open discussion like really 788 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:29,760 kind of because we're everything else we 789 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,760 would be guessing at like unless unless 790 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:33,120 you heard it from the person that owned 791 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:34,880 the business that said we had a great 792 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,840 year or hey we really could use help. Um 793 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:39,360 and then and then having the 794 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:40,640 conversation amongst each other and 795 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,000 maybe that might even make it better for 796 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,080 the the appreciation breakfast because 797 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,559 the people that come to that say hey oh 798 00:28:46,559 --> 00:28:48,000 by the way you know we have this thing 799 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:50,159 in April and then and then we can talk 800 00:28:50,159 --> 00:28:51,679 about everything we discussed at that 801 00:28:51,679 --> 00:28:53,440 meeting and see if anything worked 802 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:54,880 >> and the amount of businesses that are 803 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:58,080 closed on Monday it it may be and and 804 00:28:58,080 --> 00:28:59,440 then the other point is some people say 805 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:00,960 well that's the day I have off I'm not 806 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:01,919 coming 807 00:29:01,919 --> 00:29:04,880 >> but but it's also maybe they don't go to 808 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,360 it because they have to get something 809 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:08,720 and go to the bank before they go to 810 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,720 work that day before. So it could be 811 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:12,720 something that they enjoy and they and 812 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:14,240 then that could be like at a senior 813 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:15,360 center 814 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:17,760 >> where where that is set up and then we 815 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:19,039 you know work with business something 816 00:29:19,039 --> 00:29:20,799 like that and there's two events 817 00:29:20,799 --> 00:29:23,200 >> and sorry do you mean like a best 818 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:24,799 practices panel almost like a few 819 00:29:24,799 --> 00:29:26,399 businesses are saying here's what was 820 00:29:26,399 --> 00:29:28,320 tough this year here's what we did that 821 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:29,600 kind of thing that folks are are 822 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:30,799 learning from and then there's a 823 00:29:30,799 --> 00:29:32,559 discussion people can ask question 824 00:29:32,559 --> 00:29:34,080 >> like even like a pulse of the town 825 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:36,399 discussion like 826 00:29:36,399 --> 00:29:38,000 >> different businesses coming in and just 827 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:38,960 talking about 828 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:43,279 >> yeah what work for them. Um, and then other businesses talking to 829 00:29:43,279 --> 00:29:44,640 each other like some 830 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:45,679 >> and then there's like a Q&A 831 00:29:45,679 --> 00:29:47,120 >> the restaurants. We could both own 832 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:48,799 restaurants and not know each other 833 00:29:48,799 --> 00:29:50,080 >> and come in and you're like, man, I'm 834 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:50,960 looking for something to do in my 835 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:52,480 Christmas party this year and all of a 836 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,559 sudden we're we're doing each other's 837 00:29:54,559 --> 00:29:56,159 Christmas party. Like the little just 838 00:29:56,159 --> 00:29:58,880 those little things and connections that 839 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:00,640 >> that might be neat. It's it'll be fun. 840 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:02,000 >> Yeah. So, it's a learning opportunity 841 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:03,840 with also the engagement part after 842 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:05,520 where they can continue to meet folks 843 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:06,320 and network. 844 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:08,399 >> Yeah. cuz I think then on a on a meeting 845 00:30:08,399 --> 00:30:10,240 like that you guys could take 15 minutes 846 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:12,640 to say these grants are available if 847 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:15,120 >> if the council so chooses. Do do we have 848 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:16,640 a balance? Well, we don't. 849 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,480 >> Oh, for pivot specifically, no, we 850 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:20,880 expended everything. Um, but we may be 851 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:23,679 making requests in future budget to to 852 00:30:23,679 --> 00:30:25,600 add some funds to that to re to do like 853 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:26,240 a part two. 854 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:28,320 >> That's we get one and a half%. That's a 855 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:29,039 lot of money. 856 00:30:29,039 --> 00:30:32,399 >> Yeah. And but one and one of the uh one 857 00:30:32,399 --> 00:30:35,039 of the parts of that night on the Monday 858 00:30:35,039 --> 00:30:37,200 night could be the person that got the 859 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:38,240 grant the year before. 860 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:38,720 >> Yeah. 861 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:39,840 >> And they talk about 862 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:40,159 >> Yeah. 863 00:30:40,159 --> 00:30:41,200 >> Just say, "Hey, this is what we did 864 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:42,559 where they worked for me." And I mean, I 865 00:30:42,559 --> 00:30:44,399 think that builds excitement like come 866 00:30:44,399 --> 00:30:46,240 listen to another business owner talk 867 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:47,520 about what they did with the grant from 868 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:48,080 the town. 869 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,240 >> Yeah. We had Raj's Cash and Carrie do 870 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:53,039 that and they set up and they um who was 871 00:30:53,039 --> 00:30:54,880 our other one? The golf course. 872 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:56,559 >> Yeah. When we did it at par four, par 873 00:30:56,559 --> 00:30:57,120 four also. 874 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:58,720 >> Yeah. They switched. That was great 875 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:00,640 because it was like this actually works. 876 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:04,320 It's not a scam. Yeah, we did something. 877 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,320 >> Not a scam. We get But you get t-shirts 878 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:08,080 made. Not a scam. 879 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,240 >> Um and so what were you what Sorry, I 880 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:12,880 wasn't following the that breakfast 881 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:14,559 event versus the one you were saying 882 00:31:14,559 --> 00:31:15,600 that would be previous. 883 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:18,080 >> No, I say it could be both and it's not 884 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:19,520 so much versus, but I think the 885 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:21,360 appreciation breakfast is exactly 886 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:22,399 >> gotcha. 887 00:31:22,399 --> 00:31:24,000 >> Works the way it does. And then maybe 888 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:26,720 recognizing the person could be twice. 889 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:28,399 could they could get the pivot grant and 890 00:31:28,399 --> 00:31:30,159 then win it and then you bring them in 891 00:31:30,159 --> 00:31:31,600 on for the Monday night and they talk 892 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:32,399 about it 893 00:31:32,399 --> 00:31:34,480 >> and then maybe an update on the like 894 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,399 later on of you know how it worked out 895 00:31:36,399 --> 00:31:37,120 for him. 896 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:40,880 >> Okay, awesome. Thank you. 897 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:42,960 >> Oh, George has joined us and his hand is 898 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:44,080 raised. 899 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:48,389 >> Thank you, 900 00:31:48,399 --> 00:31:49,840 » George. I think I have to let you in as 901 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:56,389 a um as a moderator. Give me one second. 902 00:31:56,399 --> 00:31:58,159 Okay, I think you're good to go if you 903 00:31:58,159 --> 00:32:05,190 unmute. 904 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:07,360 » Can you see me? 905 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:09,760 >> There we go. We can hear you now. 906 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:12,640 >> But can you see me? 907 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,600 >> No, 908 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:16,320 >> we can hear you. 909 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:18,080 >> We see your name. 910 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:19,919 >> Oh, that's not good enough. I'm sorry. I 911 00:32:19,919 --> 00:32:23,279 don't know what happened. Uh 912 00:32:23,279 --> 00:32:25,919 nevertheless, uh 913 00:32:25,919 --> 00:32:27,679 I appreciate the conversations that all 914 00:32:27,679 --> 00:32:30,799 of you are having. Um I wanted to come 915 00:32:30,799 --> 00:32:33,200 back to Eric's point. Um, part of the 916 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,840 dilemma that we have 917 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:39,760 with EB is uh as what 918 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:43,039 Joe alluded to is something called CMMC 919 00:32:43,039 --> 00:32:46,640 which is a security classification 920 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:50,640 and most of the supply chain vendors 921 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,039 which are in this day and time are 922 00:32:53,039 --> 00:32:55,039 non-traditional 923 00:32:55,039 --> 00:33:00,080 suppliers to General Dynamics and EB. 924 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:04,559 So it's rather confusing and quite uh a 925 00:33:04,559 --> 00:33:07,120 huge heavy lift even for a small 926 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:10,559 business either Connecticut or domestic 927 00:33:10,559 --> 00:33:13,519 US or even non US. 928 00:33:13,519 --> 00:33:17,360 So that's a challenge that EB 929 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:20,559 has still a long way to go on trying 930 00:33:20,559 --> 00:33:23,519 resolving it because it has to tethe it 931 00:33:23,519 --> 00:33:25,600 with the Department of Homeland Security 932 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:29,760 and whatnot. And it's it's it's been 933 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:32,399 ongoing since 2001 934 00:33:32,399 --> 00:33:36,799 2021 sorry. So aside from that all the 935 00:33:36,799 --> 00:33:39,519 other kind of 936 00:33:39,519 --> 00:33:41,039 nonsecurity 937 00:33:41,039 --> 00:33:43,120 related 938 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:46,960 roles and whatnot is simpler but I don't 939 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,480 think there is a billboard out there at 940 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:55,279 EB that shows what they want. So I it's 941 00:33:55,279 --> 00:33:58,720 kind of a difficult for suppliers to 942 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:00,640 identify whether they could provide that 943 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:03,919 service as well. 944 00:34:03,919 --> 00:34:08,159 >> So that's number one. Um 945 00:34:08,159 --> 00:34:12,399 I would like ideally um on on the new 946 00:34:12,399 --> 00:34:16,079 website more information on score and 947 00:34:16,079 --> 00:34:21,440 SBDC with the contact names there 948 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,639 instead of just a web link. so that we 949 00:34:24,639 --> 00:34:27,280 can have them within our website to 950 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:31,359 read, digest and at some point later 951 00:34:31,359 --> 00:34:33,359 click the link and reach out to the 952 00:34:33,359 --> 00:34:35,520 contact person. 953 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:38,960 For a long long time, we had SBDC at 954 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:42,639 Avery Point and then they we got them 955 00:34:42,639 --> 00:34:48,079 set up at uh at uh uh uh at the EN 956 00:34:48,079 --> 00:34:51,119 Chamber office, the old office. 957 00:34:51,119 --> 00:34:53,440 Uh I believe they have nothing here now 958 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:55,679 in Eastern Connecticut unless sector is 959 00:34:55,679 --> 00:34:57,839 hosting them. 960 00:34:57,839 --> 00:35:00,160 But it will be a good avenue to reach 961 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:01,920 out to 962 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,040 because all these uh small businesses 963 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,400 that we are talking about retail rather 964 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:10,400 consumer businesses 965 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:11,359 >> Mhm. 966 00:35:11,359 --> 00:35:16,079 uh may not be using an SBDC but the 967 00:35:16,079 --> 00:35:19,680 potential supply chain companies and to 968 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:23,839 EB or anywhere else uh it behooves them 969 00:35:23,839 --> 00:35:28,079 to reach out to SBDC to help them with 970 00:35:28,079 --> 00:35:32,640 the development and prototyping and all 971 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:34,800 those kind of things. 972 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:36,880 So that's one thing I would like to 973 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:39,680 encourage for greater graten 974 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:44,960 uh entrepreneurs to have access to that they could speak with 975 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:47,520 on the retail side. I think we all have 976 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:51,119 heard of SCORE. It'll be good to have 977 00:35:51,119 --> 00:35:54,400 the same kind of a model of what SCORE 978 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:56,640 does and that typically goes to 979 00:35:56,640 --> 00:35:58,640 restaurant owners, hair stylists and 980 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:01,359 whatnot who are looking to start a 981 00:36:01,359 --> 00:36:03,599 business. That's what they are for and 982 00:36:03,599 --> 00:36:07,520 they are underutilized. SBDC is equally 983 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:10,880 underutilized in the state. So it is 984 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:12,960 worthwhile 985 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:15,359 trying to get them to to collaborate 986 00:36:15,359 --> 00:36:17,520 with us. 987 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:19,920 And the third thing I like on our 988 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:24,960 website is a regular update on a 989 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:27,520 bimonthly basis of the grants that are 990 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:30,720 posted by the SBA. 991 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:34,880 They have variety of grants and 992 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,440 you can reach out to your local SBA 993 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:40,400 Connecticut office and got get them to 994 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:44,400 help you establish some kind of a 995 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,440 updated website. I doubt it's dynamic, 996 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,599 but at least if it's updated every other 997 00:36:49,599 --> 00:36:52,480 month with whatever the new grants that 998 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:56,320 are coming along the federal pipeline, 999 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:58,560 so they can get a better visual and 1000 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:01,760 eyeballs. So those are the three things 1001 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:05,440 I'd like to this new website to to 1002 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:07,599 expand on. 1003 00:37:07,599 --> 00:37:10,079 Um 1004 00:37:10,079 --> 00:37:12,960 in terms of uh 1005 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,839 getting more engagement, 1006 00:37:15,839 --> 00:37:18,240 it would be wonderful 1007 00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:22,320 that we could have a either quarterly or 1008 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:27,359 bimonthly joint affair with the Mystic 1009 00:37:27,359 --> 00:37:29,440 Chamber 1010 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:33,119 because that's where the bunch of uh uh 1011 00:37:33,119 --> 00:37:35,599 small business owners and retailers and 1012 00:37:35,599 --> 00:37:39,920 consumer businesses are in and long time 1013 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:42,000 ago they used to be called downtown 1014 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,960 business mer downtown 1015 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:47,839 mystic merchants association 1016 00:37:47,839 --> 00:37:51,440 and I used to attend most of those and 1017 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:54,480 uh most of them thought we are political 1018 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:57,760 and I had to uh time after time on my 1019 00:37:57,760 --> 00:37:59,520 trips there was to say that we are 1020 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:01,359 apolitical 1021 00:38:01,359 --> 00:38:04,880 commission so it is a good analysis they 1022 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:08,240 are merged with DM DM and is now merged 1023 00:38:08,240 --> 00:38:11,200 with Mystic Chamber. 1024 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,000 It is more worthwhile for us to show up 1025 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,720 at our regular events 1026 00:38:16,720 --> 00:38:24,000 so at least the commission is seen and and able to hear the conversations 1027 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:26,800 and all those kind of stuff. The Eastern 1028 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:28,800 Chamber 1029 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:32,880 uh maybe every quarter or half a year is 1030 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:36,079 worthwhile. they do run these uh 1031 00:38:36,079 --> 00:38:38,480 breakfast sessions 1032 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:43,599 um and EB uses them for their uh 1033 00:38:43,599 --> 00:38:46,320 outreach in terms of what they want to 1034 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:48,000 do and this and that and is generally 1035 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,800 hosted together with uh representative 1036 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:53,760 Courtney oftent times. So that is 1037 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:56,240 another good engagement for the ch our 1038 00:38:56,240 --> 00:38:59,520 commission to participate and block at a 1039 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,160 table or something like that. We pay 1040 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:06,320 them membership dues and 1041 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:09,200 it's worthwhile for us to since we're 1042 00:39:09,200 --> 00:39:10,960 paying for these things as well as the 1043 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:14,320 mystic chamber, might as well take 1044 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:17,359 advantage of it by participating in in 1045 00:39:17,359 --> 00:39:19,760 the chamber uh Eastern Chambers event. 1046 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:22,720 Not all of them are worth our time in my 1047 00:39:22,720 --> 00:39:25,440 opinion. Uh unless some of you like to 1048 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:27,839 play golf and whatnot. 1049 00:39:27,839 --> 00:39:30,000 Uh but then the business meetings that 1050 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:32,720 they have are good and they also have 1051 00:39:32,720 --> 00:39:36,240 the young entrepreneurs uh uh session as 1052 00:39:36,240 --> 00:39:38,800 well. Uh I don't know whether they would 1053 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:41,200 want us oldies showing up for that kind 1054 00:39:41,200 --> 00:39:42,079 of thing but 1055 00:39:42,079 --> 00:39:44,400 >> speak for yourself George. 1056 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:46,800 >> I'm very young. 1057 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:51,680 >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Future senator. Um so but 1058 00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,720 nonetheless that is worth exploring. And 1059 00:39:54,720 --> 00:39:59,359 finally, I would like uh from the staff 1060 00:39:59,359 --> 00:40:03,359 a monthly update on business queries if 1061 00:40:03,359 --> 00:40:06,720 just shared with the commission alone, 1062 00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:11,040 not for public note. I am keen to know 1063 00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:13,040 not so much of the retail business but 1064 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:15,760 the small businesses that are reaching 1065 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:17,839 out here or redevelopers that are 1066 00:40:17,839 --> 00:40:19,920 reaching out here 1067 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,160 to greater ground 1068 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:25,040 and to see how they are progressing and 1069 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:27,680 if they are advancing with us and if 1070 00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:29,520 they are not advancing with us I would 1071 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:31,839 like to know why 1072 00:40:31,839 --> 00:40:34,160 they are not looking to set up shop here 1073 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:36,880 or satellite here. 1074 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:39,119 So if you could kindly furnish us with 1075 00:40:39,119 --> 00:40:42,640 that uh just to the commission alone 1076 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:44,160 with 1077 00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:48,880 the caveat that it is confidential. 1078 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:49,440 >> That's it. 1079 00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:50,560 >> Thank you. 1080 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:53,839 so much, George. And um to 1081 00:40:53,839 --> 00:40:56,160 your point about the the chambers, I 1082 00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:58,079 know you've attended those on behalf of 1083 00:40:58,079 --> 00:41:00,079 the EDC before. Thank you. And I think 1084 00:41:00,079 --> 00:41:02,400 kind of to Bill's point earlier, maybe 1085 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:04,480 it's something that we we dive in a 1086 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:05,920 little bit deeper and actually assign 1087 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:07,680 like these months, these are going to be 1088 00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:09,440 the networking events, you know, Jake's 1089 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:10,880 going to this one or whatever, so that 1090 00:41:10,880 --> 00:41:13,599 we're they don't go by as easily without 1091 00:41:13,599 --> 00:41:17,040 us us um taking those opportunities. And 1092 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:19,119 then um when you mentioned a monthly 1093 00:41:19,119 --> 00:41:22,240 update for queries, Clayton sends out 1094 00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:23,760 trade name certificates, how many new 1095 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:25,920 businesses, things like that. Is that 1096 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:27,760 what you mean? Or do you mean something 1097 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:29,280 additional like if somebody's reaching 1098 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:30,800 out and asking about setting up a 1099 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:32,960 business because um some of those don't 1100 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:35,599 always come through to us a lot of you 1101 00:41:35,599 --> 00:41:37,200 know what what do you mean in a little 1102 00:41:37,200 --> 00:41:39,839 bit more detail about that? 1103 00:41:39,839 --> 00:41:44,400 So this was not uh it was something that 1104 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,440 was institutionalized long ago 1105 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:50,560 uh when Paige came on board Paige Brown 1106 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:54,640 that is uh part of the effort was a 1107 00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:56,480 joint effort of the commission together 1108 00:41:56,480 --> 00:42:00,960 with the uh uh the staff to try and help 1109 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:02,560 advocate 1110 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:05,599 those uh uh interested parties that may 1111 00:42:05,599 --> 00:42:08,319 be looking or more more serious 1112 00:42:08,319 --> 00:42:10,160 interested parties that were looking to 1113 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:12,880 set up shopping ground that you get some 1114 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:15,839 kind of engagement from a member or two 1115 00:42:15,839 --> 00:42:18,400 from the commission 1116 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:23,599 if they are uh keen on. And in the old 1117 00:42:23,599 --> 00:42:27,040 days, I used to uh you might say 1118 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:28,800 evangelize 1119 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:32,480 to those interested uh uh entities that 1120 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:35,760 are looking to set up shop in Grton to 1121 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:38,160 try and uh 1122 00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:41,359 you know get them to set up shop here or 1123 00:42:41,359 --> 00:42:43,760 do something here instead of the next 1124 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:48,800 town. And that was uh so it was not so 1125 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:51,680 much relying on the staff alone to that 1126 00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:53,839 but it is more of a advocacy kind of 1127 00:42:53,839 --> 00:42:58,240 thing and you know uh for me because I 1128 00:42:58,240 --> 00:43:03,280 was also involved in the state and and in the country and elsewhere. So I 1129 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:06,640 was able to provide a more nuance 1130 00:43:06,640 --> 00:43:09,839 guidance for uh businesses not not 1131 00:43:09,839 --> 00:43:12,560 retail unfortunately or neither consumer 1132 00:43:12,560 --> 00:43:17,280 but more for uh corporate kind of stuff. 1133 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:19,599 >> Okay, great. Thank you. 1134 00:43:19,599 --> 00:43:21,280 >> Just to put some boundaries here. We're 1135 00:43:21,280 --> 00:43:23,119 not anticipating voting on these goals 1136 00:43:23,119 --> 00:43:24,160 tonight. Right. 1137 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:26,720 >> Correct. It's more a brainstorm. We'll 1138 00:43:26,720 --> 00:43:28,560 summarize what we feel like we heard, 1139 00:43:28,560 --> 00:43:30,000 bring it back to you, and you can say 1140 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:31,520 yes, this is spot on, or you forgot 1141 00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:33,119 this, and then you vote on them in 1142 00:43:33,119 --> 00:43:33,839 November. 1143 00:43:33,839 --> 00:43:36,000 >> Great. Um, 1144 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:36,240 could 1145 00:43:36,240 --> 00:43:39,359 >> we make some sort of requirement that we 1146 00:43:39,359 --> 00:43:40,800 have to attend other town council 1147 00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:43,280 meetings or other town meetings that 1148 00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:44,880 like it doesn't have to be a lot of 1149 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:49,119 them, but like EDC has to represent 1150 00:43:49,119 --> 00:43:52,000 in like two to four meetings over the 1151 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:54,000 year or something just so that way like 1152 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:56,000 we have a presence and because I haven't 1153 00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:58,400 been to another town meeting so Okay. 1154 00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:01,359 >> I think it'd be useful just to like see 1155 00:44:01,359 --> 00:44:03,200 what other thoughts. 1156 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:04,480 >> Excellent. Thank you. 1157 00:44:04,480 --> 00:44:08,309 >> Okay. 1158 00:44:08,319 --> 00:44:10,240 » All right. Is that good for 2027 goals? 1159 00:44:10,240 --> 00:44:13,200 We'll move on to the chair report and uh 1160 00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:15,599 just only a couple things I think is 1161 00:44:15,599 --> 00:44:17,040 impasto opened up. I don't know if 1162 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:18,880 everyone got a chance to go there. 1163 00:44:18,880 --> 00:44:21,520 Another new Very very good. Yeah. Very 1164 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:23,440 good. Um, and then I wanted to let 1165 00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:25,119 everyone know they're invited October 1166 00:44:25,119 --> 00:44:30,240 9th at 2:00 p.m. Uh, they're going to 1167 00:44:30,240 --> 00:44:32,319 they've broken ground currently for the 1168 00:44:32,319 --> 00:44:34,960 submarine sale. It's been literally like 1169 00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:37,760 a 15-year project. And, uh, you know, we 1170 00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:39,599 talk about the businesses all the time 1171 00:44:39,599 --> 00:44:41,440 that happen in our town and and and they 1172 00:44:41,440 --> 00:44:43,599 do make a lot move, but the volunteers 1173 00:44:43,599 --> 00:44:47,440 do, too. and the the actual collection 1174 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:48,960 of people that have volunteered to do 1175 00:44:48,960 --> 00:44:52,640 that it's astounding. Mayor, former 1176 00:44:52,640 --> 00:44:55,520 mayor Galbreth and former town manager 1177 00:44:55,520 --> 00:44:59,119 um or Jim Strereer. I mean, if I don't 1178 00:44:59,119 --> 00:45:00,319 want I don't want to start naming names 1179 00:45:00,319 --> 00:45:02,800 because I'll forget half the people. Um 1180 00:45:02,800 --> 00:45:05,119 there's a lot of them and and uh if you 1181 00:45:05,119 --> 00:45:07,040 can go as if you're a town member or if 1182 00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:09,280 you guys want to go um it's going to be 1183 00:45:09,280 --> 00:45:11,440 I I think it's going to be a great great 1184 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:13,520 park. It'd be good to see a lot of towns 1185 00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:15,680 folks come out and if they're listening 1186 00:45:15,680 --> 00:45:17,680 at home or if they can see this anywhere 1187 00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:19,200 to come on out. It's gonna be 1188 00:45:19,200 --> 00:45:20,800 >> a flyer or post or anything because we 1189 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:21,680 can also share that. 1190 00:45:21,680 --> 00:45:22,960 >> I'll share it with you. It's been 1191 00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:24,480 emailed to me. I don't know that they 1192 00:45:24,480 --> 00:45:26,960 made actual a paper poster, but we could 1193 00:45:26,960 --> 00:45:28,079 um email it to each other. 1194 00:45:28,079 --> 00:45:28,960 >> Digital's better. 1195 00:45:28,960 --> 00:45:31,119 >> Yeah. And you do have to RSVP by October 1196 00:45:31,119 --> 00:45:32,800 5th. I should let you know that. 1197 00:45:32,800 --> 00:45:33,760 >> Okay. 1198 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:35,680 >> And October 9th at 2 p.m. 1199 00:45:35,680 --> 00:45:36,160 >> Yep. 1200 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:37,839 >> Okay. Just a heads up. 1201 00:45:37,839 --> 00:45:38,400 >> Yep. 1202 00:45:38,400 --> 00:45:41,200 >> Um that's a that's a Friday, right? 1203 00:45:41,200 --> 00:45:41,520 Yeah. 1204 00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:45,119 >> So staff, a lot of staff will be at 1205 00:45:45,119 --> 00:45:47,760 Sneepa that day. Okay. So 1206 00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:49,760 >> if it's looking thin from this area, 1207 00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:50,800 that's probably why. 1208 00:45:50,800 --> 00:45:53,760 >> So for the staff that got left out, they 1209 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:54,640 have something to do 1210 00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,359 >> over there. 1211 00:45:57,359 --> 00:45:59,839 >> All right. Uh staff report. 1212 00:45:59,839 --> 00:46:03,599 >> Oh, yeah. I can 1213 00:46:03,599 --> 00:46:06,079 >> All right. So um we just have a couple 1214 00:46:06,079 --> 00:46:08,720 items. Our uh resilience improvement 1215 00:46:08,720 --> 00:46:12,079 district was the first one or a RID RI. 1216 00:46:12,079 --> 00:46:14,400 Essentially in 2025, the state passed 1217 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:16,480 legislation allowing municipalities to 1218 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:18,480 establish resilency improvement 1219 00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:21,119 districts. And these are areas that 1220 00:46:21,119 --> 00:46:22,800 experience are likely to experience 1221 00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:24,800 adverse impacts from hazards or climate 1222 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:27,040 change such as sea level rise, rising 1223 00:46:27,040 --> 00:46:28,720 groundwater, etc. a lot of things that 1224 00:46:28,720 --> 00:46:32,400 we deal with in Grten and our town staff 1225 00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:34,079 um from economic development, from our 1226 00:46:34,079 --> 00:46:36,160 sustainability department as well as our 1227 00:46:36,160 --> 00:46:38,160 planning department have um been working 1228 00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:39,920 with the resilient cities catalyst or 1229 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:42,960 RCC in California forward as part of a 1230 00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:45,040 small nationwide cohort that's exploring 1231 00:46:45,040 --> 00:46:47,920 the possibilities of it. Um just to be 1232 00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:50,000 clear, it is not required. No decisions 1233 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:51,280 have been made about it. We're just 1234 00:46:51,280 --> 00:46:53,440 doing the due diligence to see how do 1235 00:46:53,440 --> 00:46:55,119 these work, how are they financed, how 1236 00:46:55,119 --> 00:46:57,119 can how do you even decide where one 1237 00:46:57,119 --> 00:46:59,040 goes. Um, so getting through a lot of 1238 00:46:59,040 --> 00:47:01,839 those exercises to see if it could be a 1239 00:47:01,839 --> 00:47:04,880 good fit for Grten. Um, Clayton already 1240 00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:06,800 mentioned this, but we have been working 1241 00:47:06,800 --> 00:47:09,040 the last year on updating our Explore 1242 00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:11,040 More website. We've launched the new 1243 00:47:11,040 --> 00:47:12,319 design, but it still has a lot of 1244 00:47:12,319 --> 00:47:14,640 content we have to backfill. um we're 1245 00:47:14,640 --> 00:47:16,240 going through all the pages and finding, 1246 00:47:16,240 --> 00:47:18,079 you know, maybe old links or there's too 1247 00:47:18,079 --> 00:47:20,160 much information here and that will take 1248 00:47:20,160 --> 00:47:22,079 another year. There's a lot of 1249 00:47:22,079 --> 00:47:23,040 information um 1250 00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:24,720 >> hopefully not yet but 1251 00:47:24,720 --> 00:47:28,240 >> not earlier but um but we are really 1252 00:47:28,240 --> 00:47:31,040 doing so with a focus on currently it 1253 00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:34,079 really appeals to developers or to you 1254 00:47:34,079 --> 00:47:35,440 know companies that may want to come 1255 00:47:35,440 --> 00:47:37,599 larger scale which we're keeping but we 1256 00:47:37,599 --> 00:47:40,000 also want it to really be a resource for 1257 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:42,880 residents visitors uh local businesses 1258 00:47:42,880 --> 00:47:45,839 or smaller business owners um as well. 1259 00:47:45,839 --> 00:47:47,839 Um, one key feature I'm really excited 1260 00:47:47,839 --> 00:47:49,599 about that Clayton put together with 1261 00:47:49,599 --> 00:47:53,520 Lauren um is a kind of a a day in Grten. 1262 00:47:53,520 --> 00:47:55,200 Hey, it's it's a rainy day. Where should 1263 00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:56,880 we go? If you have kids, where should we 1264 00:47:56,880 --> 00:47:58,560 go? And it it ties into our local 1265 00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:00,720 businesses, our parks. It's it's 1266 00:48:00,720 --> 00:48:02,800 phenomenal. So, I'll let Clayton present 1267 00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:04,480 that to you once we actually have it 1268 00:48:04,480 --> 00:48:06,240 live. Um, another thing we're excited 1269 00:48:06,240 --> 00:48:08,240 about with that that we're working on, 1270 00:48:08,240 --> 00:48:10,160 not launched yet, but is um meet your 1271 00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:12,400 neighbors feature that will be in the 1272 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:13,839 front. So, we'll be working with local 1273 00:48:13,839 --> 00:48:16,640 businesses, but also hopefully residents 1274 00:48:16,640 --> 00:48:18,720 um as just an opportunity for folks to 1275 00:48:18,720 --> 00:48:21,040 get to meet people in Graten because I 1276 00:48:21,040 --> 00:48:22,880 think, you know, a lot of our bureaus 1277 00:48:22,880 --> 00:48:24,640 may think kind of that's the 1278 00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:25,839 neighborhood and that's it. They're not 1279 00:48:25,839 --> 00:48:27,280 a bigger part of Graten or different 1280 00:48:27,280 --> 00:48:28,559 things. So, we want to get folks 1281 00:48:28,559 --> 00:48:31,119 comfortable with all the different types 1282 00:48:31,119 --> 00:48:32,480 of folks that live here, all the types 1283 00:48:32,480 --> 00:48:34,319 of businesses they might not know about. 1284 00:48:34,319 --> 00:48:36,079 Um so, yeah, we're calling that meet 1285 00:48:36,079 --> 00:48:37,599 your neighbors and that will be on the 1286 00:48:37,599 --> 00:48:39,920 homepage as well. Um so, some cool stuff 1287 00:48:39,920 --> 00:48:42,240 coming there. It's crazy how much work 1288 00:48:42,240 --> 00:48:43,680 it is. Once you start digging in, you're 1289 00:48:43,680 --> 00:48:45,280 like, "Oh, well, this links here and 1290 00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:46,640 this is old or this 1291 00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:47,680 >> physical event." 1292 00:48:47,680 --> 00:48:49,920 >> Uh, no, no, those will just be online. 1293 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:54,640 And um we actually two um networking 1294 00:48:54,640 --> 00:48:57,760 businesses, excuse me, events ago, um 1295 00:48:57,760 --> 00:49:00,240 breakfast events ago, we asked if folks 1296 00:49:00,240 --> 00:49:01,599 wanted to participate. So, we've been 1297 00:49:01,599 --> 00:49:04,880 collecting different businesses and we have a FEMA line that will just 1298 00:49:04,880 --> 00:49:07,520 launch as our first one. But kind of to 1299 00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:09,119 your point about what can you offer to 1300 00:49:09,119 --> 00:49:11,280 businesses, we can also once that's 1301 00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:13,040 ready, you know, can just be like, "Hey, 1302 00:49:13,040 --> 00:49:14,400 do you want to be on our website?" And 1303 00:49:14,400 --> 00:49:16,880 we'll also archive them. They they'll be 1304 00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:19,280 featured for say, you know, a quarter 1305 00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:21,280 >> or two quarters. Um but they don't go 1306 00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:22,800 away once they're not in the homepage. 1307 00:49:22,800 --> 00:49:24,079 They'll just go and eventually we'll 1308 00:49:24,079 --> 00:49:26,079 just have this really nice, you know, 1309 00:49:26,079 --> 00:49:28,480 long glossery of different um features 1310 00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:30,480 you can see. 1311 00:49:30,480 --> 00:49:33,280 And then um for our Graten Heights and 1312 00:49:33,280 --> 00:49:35,359 Pleasant Valley properties, uh those are 1313 00:49:35,359 --> 00:49:38,240 moving along. Pleasant Valley um as you 1314 00:49:38,240 --> 00:49:39,920 know is going to be a 300 unit 1315 00:49:39,920 --> 00:49:43,760 multifamily community um with a suburban 1316 00:49:43,760 --> 00:49:46,880 um walkable suburban village field and a 1317 00:49:46,880 --> 00:49:49,520 publicly accessible park. Our the town 1318 00:49:49,520 --> 00:49:51,280 signed our purchase and sale agreement 1319 00:49:51,280 --> 00:49:53,359 um in November and now they're in their 1320 00:49:53,359 --> 00:49:54,800 technical due diligence phase which 1321 00:49:54,800 --> 00:49:56,400 takes a while to you know get the site 1322 00:49:56,400 --> 00:50:00,000 planning done etc. Um we anticipate we 1323 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:02,160 will have a community engagement um 1324 00:50:02,160 --> 00:50:03,760 meeting coming up at the end of this 1325 00:50:03,760 --> 00:50:05,119 month. We're going to we're finalizing 1326 00:50:05,119 --> 00:50:07,440 those details now. They'll go out next 1327 00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:10,800 week. Um because as part of that um they 1328 00:50:10,800 --> 00:50:12,160 agreed to do a community engagement 1329 00:50:12,160 --> 00:50:13,839 session to help inform what that public 1330 00:50:13,839 --> 00:50:16,319 park looks like as far as the amenities 1331 00:50:16,319 --> 00:50:17,520 um and hearing from the community what 1332 00:50:17,520 --> 00:50:18,960 they'd like those to be before they 1333 00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:21,680 finalized design. And so that's coming 1334 00:50:21,680 --> 00:50:24,400 soon. And the Graten Heights property is 1335 00:50:24,400 --> 00:50:26,720 at an earlier stage. But also moving 1336 00:50:26,720 --> 00:50:29,599 along um the town selected Eastern 1337 00:50:29,599 --> 00:50:31,040 Connecticut Housing Opportunities or 1338 00:50:31,040 --> 00:50:34,000 Echo. They'll be preserving the 1912 1339 00:50:34,000 --> 00:50:37,119 building and adaptively reusing it as 17 1340 00:50:37,119 --> 00:50:40,240 units of affordable housing. And um we 1341 00:50:40,240 --> 00:50:41,839 are currently just finalizing that 1342 00:50:41,839 --> 00:50:43,599 purchased sale agreement with them now. 1343 00:50:43,599 --> 00:50:46,880 So um that's about it. Oh, we also have 1344 00:50:46,880 --> 00:50:49,599 upcoming meetings. Oh, that was just an 1345 00:50:49,599 --> 00:50:52,720 update. That's actually older. And oh, 1346 00:50:52,720 --> 00:50:54,000 Clayton, did you want to chat about the 1347 00:50:54,000 --> 00:50:56,079 new businesses? 1348 00:50:56,079 --> 00:50:57,760 >> I've just been keeping tally on the new 1349 00:50:57,760 --> 00:51:01,359 businesses. Uh this list is available in 1350 00:51:01,359 --> 00:51:04,640 the economic development drive on on 1351 00:51:04,640 --> 00:51:07,200 Google. Um I don't have September's 1352 00:51:07,200 --> 00:51:10,240 numbers because it's October 1st. Um but 1353 00:51:10,240 --> 00:51:13,599 there was a downtick over the summer. 1354 00:51:13,599 --> 00:51:15,680 July's numbers are low, August almost 1355 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:18,960 the lowest yet. And 1356 00:51:18,960 --> 00:51:20,800 the trends really that I remember coming 1357 00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:23,680 out of um like May and June was a lot 1358 00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:27,440 more home services, lawn care services, 1359 00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:30,240 contractors in that regard who you know 1360 00:51:30,240 --> 00:51:32,000 starting businesses over the summer. I 1361 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:33,839 imagine you know jobs start ticking up 1362 00:51:33,839 --> 00:51:35,760 and in the spring folks probably say you 1363 00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:39,200 know let me uh start my LLC and do their 1364 00:51:39,200 --> 00:51:43,119 thing. Um but other than that 1365 00:51:43,119 --> 00:51:46,960 it's primar you know the each month it's 1366 00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:48,640 generally 1367 00:51:48,640 --> 00:51:50,160 business services, personal care 1368 00:51:50,160 --> 00:51:54,240 services and uh contractors 1369 00:51:54,240 --> 00:51:58,480 whichever is top just kind of rotates. 1370 00:51:58,480 --> 00:52:00,640 >> So they they have data for businesses 1371 00:52:00,640 --> 00:52:02,079 started. Do they have data that 1372 00:52:02,079 --> 00:52:04,000 businesses that are like closed? 1373 00:52:04,000 --> 00:52:06,400 >> No, that is there's no reporting 1374 00:52:06,400 --> 00:52:06,960 requirement. 1375 00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:07,599 >> Exactly. Right. 1376 00:52:07,599 --> 00:52:10,400 >> Yeah. your business does and 1377 00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:12,400 >> I don't know feel like it would be nice 1378 00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:13,680 if there was like I'm just letting you 1379 00:52:13,680 --> 00:52:16,720 know don't tax me you want to come out 1380 00:52:16,720 --> 00:52:20,240 >> we really we try to 1381 00:52:20,240 --> 00:52:22,079 keep an eye on things honestly it's 1382 00:52:22,079 --> 00:52:23,920 really like you know folks who live in 1383 00:52:23,920 --> 00:52:25,599 town as we're driving as people are just 1384 00:52:25,599 --> 00:52:27,599 driving around town or somebody wants to 1385 00:52:27,599 --> 00:52:30,480 go get something from Lee's and finds 1386 00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:33,520 out Liz's is gone 1387 00:52:33,520 --> 00:52:35,839 yeah so if you do see stuff like oh this 1388 00:52:35,839 --> 00:52:37,839 place open but I see it's closed like 1389 00:52:37,839 --> 00:52:39,760 you can let me know. That is helpful. 1390 00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:41,359 >> Yeah. 1391 00:52:41,359 --> 00:52:42,880 Yeah. You get scissors and a 1392 00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:44,240 ribbon when you open. 1393 00:52:44,240 --> 00:52:46,400 >> When you close it's no one's there. 1394 00:52:46,400 --> 00:52:49,520 >> No, no one no one comes to 1395 00:52:49,520 --> 00:52:51,280 you and another. 1396 00:52:51,280 --> 00:52:53,280 >> All right. Uh staff reports good 1397 00:52:53,280 --> 00:52:57,119 liaison. We have counselor uh aino here 1398 00:52:57,119 --> 00:52:58,480 tonight. 1399 00:52:58,480 --> 00:53:00,640 >> No. Yeah. I I was gonna say got a guy, 1400 00:53:00,640 --> 00:53:02,800 but that that's not really professional 1401 00:53:02,800 --> 00:53:05,680 of me. 1402 00:53:05,680 --> 00:53:08,160 I I don't have anything to to pass from 1403 00:53:08,160 --> 00:53:09,920 the council. 1404 00:53:09,920 --> 00:53:13,520 Just uh Great. I'm here to pass stuff to 1405 00:53:13,520 --> 00:53:14,400 the council. 1406 00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:14,960 >> Excellent. 1407 00:53:14,960 --> 00:53:17,200 >> So, just listening 1408 00:53:17,200 --> 00:53:18,400 for the most part. 1409 00:53:18,400 --> 00:53:22,400 >> All right. Other business. 1410 00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:24,160 >> Right. I just need a motion to adjurnn 1411 00:53:24,160 --> 00:53:26,079 then. 1412 00:53:26,079 --> 00:53:28,559 >> Take a second. Motion for a second. All 1413 00:53:28,559 --> 00:53:29,440 in favor? 1414 00:53:29,440 --> 00:53:31,760 >> I 1415 00:53:31,760 --> 00:53:33,920 >> Excellent. Very efficient first meeting. 1416 00:53:33,920 --> 00:53:35,920 Thank you. George, have a good night. 1417 00:53:35,920 --> 00:53:37,200 >> Good night, George. 1418 00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:40,000 >> Good night.