Ansonia Wants To Talk With Business Owners

FILEThe Ansonia Economic Development Commissioner will host a small business forum at 6 p.m. Monday (Jan. 23) at Antonio’s restaurant on Main Street.

The goal: open the lines of communication between Ansonia business owners and city officials.

We hope to rally small business, to get them comfortable with the city and know that we are allies and not foes,” said Vinnie Scarlata, the new chairman for the Ansonia Economic Development Commission.

Scarlata has been trying to put together a group meeting like this for several months.

He said he was prompted to action after seeing downtown staple Pilgrim BBQ go out of business last year.

I was thinking, somebody at City Hall should have known ahead of time that this guy was in trouble,” Scarlata said. Was there anything we could have done from a city perspective? I don’t know. But we should have at least been there.”

Scarlata said the following people have been invited to attend the forum to give feedback to business owners:

  • Mayor James Della Volpe
  • Bart Flaherty, chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission
  • A representative from the Ansonia Police Department
  • Ansonia Board of Aldermen members
  • Ansonia Economic Development Commission members

Della Volpe Wednesday said there have been other business meetings over the years, but this is something new the Economic Development Commission is trying out.

I’ll obviously listen to the comments or concerns the business people have and see how we can help them,” Della Volpe said.

Scarlata said he wants feedback — but doesn’t want the forum to be only a gripe session.”

I’m going to try to dissuade that,” Scarlata said. I want to come away with some positive feedback from them, give them a little bit of encouragement and get them thinking about the bigger picture for downtown Ansonia.”

Scarlata said he hopes to host similar events in the future.

Ansonia Small Business Forum (2)

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