Performance Measures
MVPC will continue to use a self-assessment exercise that was developed by a CEDS Committee participant in order to measure the success of the regional CEDS and to establish overall goals for the program. In addition, the exercise has been used to develop strategies for increasing the participation of attendees at CEDS Committee meetings and generate better focused meeting agendas. The following goals have been identified and will be measured:
§ Expand CEDS Committee participation and encourage individuals to look beyond community borders. We plan on holding workshops where we can show our member communities the advantages of working on regional economic development throughout the Merrimack Valley. For example, the City of Lawrence recognizes that jobs in the former Lucent Technologies building in North Andover translates into jobs for citizens of the City of Lawrence. We need to encourage other communities’ awareness of how economic development can promote a sustained regional economy.
§ Increase regional awareness of EDA assistance to the Merrimack Valley – this will be achieved by holding a regional workshop touting the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission’s successful EDA Annual Planning Grant Applications as successful grant examples; explaining the EDA grant process to our other member communities, and aiding them with any future grant applications. We need to get our member communities to think regionally about future transportation projects and how it will promote economic development regionally. For example, traffic infrastructure and improvements that would address capacity constraints, heavy traffic volumes and provide for improved pedestrian amenities on Route 114 in Lawrence and Methuen will increase the potential of economic development along this regional corridor that is already primarily zoned for business. Another example would be a planning assistance grant for the City of Lawrence to install a trail network along the Merrimack Street corridor where the Riverwalk buildings are to provide trail connectivity to all of the businesses and housing of the Monarch building in this location.
§ Increase the use of the 2013 Merrimack Valley CEDS as a guide to regional development. The CEDS document will be distributed at upcoming seminars for the promotion of the Merrimack Valley Means Business Website meetings. The Economic Development Coordinator, in conjunction with the Land Use Manager, will begin working on developing a Streamlined Guide for doing business in the Merrimack Valley.
§ Develop a “One Stop Resource Shopping / Economic Development Website” for communities within the Merrimack Valley. This will be a website that contains resources from member communities as well as state websites so there is one repository for all of members to utilize. It will include Tax Increment Finance Agreements, 40R Approved Zoning Changes, 43D and 43E Site Applications and Designations; Successful EDA Grants and MA Works Infrastructure Grants, etc.. The Economic Development Coordinator position this planning grant funds will be the person responsible for creation of this website.
§ Provide technical assistance to communities who are part of the Merrimack Valley Support team:. We will be providing the City of Methuen with requested technical data as part of their 40R application for downtown Methuen; provide assistance to the City of Lawrence with acting as a liaison between the City and the owner of the canal property where they are contemplating applying for federal funds for implementation of a rail-trail along the Merrimack Street Corridor; and Assistance to the Town of Merrimac with technical input on their RFP for an affordable housing project;
The results have been encouraging. More communities are looking asking for technical assistance from the Economic Development Coordinator, and discussions have become better focused, with wider input. This exercise will be revisited on a regular basis to ensure maximum effectiveness of CEDS Committee meetings and initiatives.
On the data side, the Economic Development Coordinator will track standard economic development statistics, such as employment growth, business expansion, educational attainment, and population growth, as well as quality of life changes, such as open space protection, improved zoning codes and bylaws, streamlined business assistance, housing diversity, and transportation network improvements in the region. Finally, MVPC will keep track of the number of outreach attempts to existing businesses in the region.