Newtown resident Sattie Persaud has been accepted into Forbes Nonprofit Council, an invitation-only community for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations.
Newtown residents are already painfully aware of the impulse that happens after a catastrophic event: People want to “do something,” and they donate money.
Edmond Town Hall is much more than a movie theater. The historic building at 45 Main Street is expanding its offerings while crafting a new definition of what the former municipal building offers the public.
You assumption that there have been no offers to purchase property to protect it from development of 117 luxury cluster homes is simply wrong. And so is the developer's refusal to even come to the table.
You do realize that the town has been trying, and failing, to develop this property for more than 20 years, becuase of the multitude of environmental harm that development would cause, wasting $250k of taxpayer money in the process, don't you? Thankfully, sometimes, realities and needs come before street names. The sewage treatment plant was a need - thats not 'commerce'. Well, the aquifer under 6 Commerce, and the Class1 trout habitat next to it are needs too. If you still are stuck on the street name getting the last word, you should probably ask the State why they designated 34 acres there as open space, when they granted it to us. And if you're still hung up on it after that, let's just change the name of the access road to #6 & #8 to something more fitting....like Conservation Drive....so you can be more at ease.
Since when is Economic Development narowly defined as tax revenue? You (and the leadership of the EDC) need to broaden your collective understanding of what drives local economies if you want to be successful in helping to grown the local economy. Here's a hint: Positive Cashflow. The town is no different than any business. Top line tax revenue means nothing if it doesn't exceed the costs that come with. That's why converting the last few remaining open spaces to residential housing is a losing proposition economically.
CVHAS brings 10's of thousands of people to Newtown annually, who spend money at our restaurants, watering holes and other local businesses, without a signficant increase in, or dependence on, town services. Non-profits are fantastic for local economies, be they private schools, zoo's, museums, land trusts, theaters, or yes, animal sanctuaries.