My first article for Southbury Neighbors, in January 2020, was titled: Economic Development - Fear Not. As I look back over the five years since I began serving Southbury, I hope my pledge to pursue commercial opportunities “through the lens of the needs and desires of the community” and to “not make the town less desirable to live in” has been met. During the pandemic, I led the launch of an online permitting portal; co-chaired a Long-Term Recovery Committee; communicated daily on the often-changing state and federal funding programs; ran shop-local campaigns; initiated quick, temporary outdoor dining permits; ran a 10-week winter restaurant promo; and produced a 10-part series of webinars on key issues identified from our survey to businesses. Post-pandemic, I helped the Planning Commission on their affordable housing plan and 10-year Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and streamlined land use processes with the formation of the Development Services Team. In 2022 I helped initiate, and serve on the board of, the Southbury Chamber. Our Arts and Culture Subcommittee was formed and has done amazing work the past two years, just celebrating the town’s first Artist of the Year with an awards ceremony in November. As municipal liaison of our Sustainable CT efforts, we’ve been awarded Bronze status in 2022 and Silver just last month. Last year, I co-chaired our town’s year-long 350th Anniversary, a massive affair with 35 individual events. We led off this year with a series of Small Business Seminars. Finally, Southbury just received the 2024 Gold Level Certified Community in Best Practices in Economic Development & Land Use Planning by the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS), one of three communities state-wide to achieve the distinction of gold for 2024. Most importantly, despite the ups and downs of the economy, our local business community has grown with hundreds of new businesses begun and ribbons cut.
Southbury is resilient, as this summer’s historic flood has once again shown. We get knocked down, but get back up. Yes there are challenges, but there is much to look forward to. We need to thoughtfully repurpose the IBM campus. We must support our small businesses as they are the backbone of our economy. We must address the housing challenges, and lack of affordable options, for if we are not growing or stay stagnant, we are declining. We need to nurture our arts community, support our nonprofits, grow our Chamber and celebrate volunteerism. In short, I need you Southbury to be the neighbors you can be. This is your town. Together, let’s chart a course toward an even-brighter future over the next five years.
Kevin Bielmeier
Economic Development Director
Town of Southbury
EcoDevDirector@southbury-ct.gov
(203) 262-0683
[This article first appeared in Southbury Neighbors magazine.]