Economic Dev contract awarded

BELCHERTOWN – The Selectboard unanimously approved awarding a contract for an economic development position in its meeting on Monday.

The contractor is set to begin on April 12, with a contract set to end on April 11, 2024.

Using $48,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funding, the board approved for an economic development position last year.

The position has gone unfilled for about a year. Jennifer Turner, Selectboard member said four project proposals were submitted, one of which was an application and didn’t qualify.

“We had three qualified individuals apply with proposals for the position. We had a review committee made up…we reviewed the applications,” Turner said.

The committee conducted two interviews, selected a contractor, and asked the board to approve the contract.

Selectboard member Ron Aponte asked Town Administrator Gary Brougham about his thoughts on the contractor. Brougham said he hasn’t been a part of the process.

“I, personally, I think it’s poorly prepared. We’d be billed twice a month. There’re no hourly rates in the contract,” he said. “I think it needs work. I communicated my concerns to the town planner who created this. He basically told me it wasn’t his fight.”

Turner said the contract outlined that the contractor would be paid $4,000 monthly.

Selectboard member Peg Louraine asked for clarification about the contract term, which is set to be for a year.

“We could do it differently if we go forward with it in the following year,” she said. She asked Town Planner Doug Albertson if he had any issues. and he said he didn’t.

“I’ll add that I think the applicant is aware we expect specific things, and ideally using this position will get us into more economic development,” he said. “We intend to direct her, once we get some activity going, to reach out to all the businesses to see what they need and how to support them.”

Turner said the expectation is for the contractor to go to meetings, speak to groups, etc.

Selectboard member Ron Aponte said he sees some of the concerns expressed by Brougham, but nevertheless supported awarding the contract.

“The description of services is a little soft and tough to quantify – things like ‘support,’ ‘curate,’ ‘initiate.’ I guess what Peg was discussing, this contract has an immediate and automatic sunset,” he said. “It’s only good for a year; if this is something we want to consider for future years, the proof will be in the pudding.”