A draft of a consultant’s economic development “master plan” is being reviewed by a city steering committee, officials said this week.
In September, the Ansonia Board of Aldermen voted to spend $25,000 to hire Bartram and Cochran, a Hartford-based consulting firm, to research and create a plan for economic growth in the city.
Bartram and Cochran’s Richard Stoltz held a series of public meetings to get input from business owners and residents about what types of economic development the city wants.
Ansonia, once a thriving factory town, has been trying to find sensible uses for its now mostly empty stock of downtown industrial properties. There have been successes, such as the Big Y and Target developments on West and Main streets. And a number of restaurants have opened along Main Street — something the city desperately wants to see continue.
Stoltz’s report is expected to include suggestions for ways to market the city, along with suggestions as to what types of business might work in Ansonia.
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Seymour conducted a similar “master plan” looking to organize its vision for future economic growth as well.
Vinnie Scarlata, chairman of the city’s Economic Development Commission, said the city has a draft version of Stoltz’ report. A steering committee — Scarlata, government liaison Tara Kolakowski, planning and zoning chairman Bart Flaherty, corporation counsel Kevin Blake, Alderman John Marini and Alderman Charles Stowe — have been digesting the report.
Mayor James Della Volpe is overseeing the steering committee, Scarlata said.
“It’s a good group,” Scarlata said. “We’re trying to streamline (the report) and really sink our teeth into it.”
The steering committee met Monday and has a list of questions about the report before it will be finalized, Scarlata said. The hope had been to unveil the report at an Economic Development Commission meeting later this month, but that is unlikely, Scarlata said.
The goal of the report is to give the city a clear path toward economic development based on previous studies and current market data.
“We hope to use this report as a guidepost as we go forward. The whole idea behind hiring a consultant and creating an action plan was to finally take all our past studies over the years, look at where we are today and put together a realistic plan going forward,” Scarlata said.
Stoltz said Monday he assumes he will get together with the steering committee at least once in the next week or so to answer their questions.
The consultant has previously met with the city’s Economic Development Commission.
“They’ve been outstanding,” Stoltz said. “The city has been helpful and supportive and we’ve had a very good, interactive role with each other throughout the process.”
Alderman John Marini briefed his fellow Aldermen on the status of the action plan Tuesday night. The city’s rejuvenated Economic Development Commission meets on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. in Ansonia City Hall.
