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North Adams Business Group Taking ShapeBy Tammy Daniels
iBerkshires Staff
08:58PM / Tuesday, March 16, 2010
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city's trying to develop a more active business group, but whatever you do, don't call it a merchants group.
City Councilor Michael Boland has been kick-starting the project in his role as a member of the Community Development Committee. Boland reported at Tuesday's meeting of the committee that a founding board of about 15 was being formed and that city solicitor John DeRosa was putting together bylaws.
The group using the base of the old Downtown Development Inc. to construct a new organization that will give local business a greater voice in community and civic events.
But no one's sure what to call it. The DDI name won't be used and, said Boland, "we have to stop calling it the merchants group."
The goal is to bring in a diversity of businesses; retail definitely, but also restaurants, taverns, hotels, services, studios and manufacturers.
Boland said about six names will be put up and the board will select one. From there, the board will begin with some select subcommittees — marketing, promotion, strategic planning — and add more as the organization grows.
The new group was being looked on favorably by the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, he said, adding that President Michael Supranowicz had pointed to the work his group does with Downtown Inc. in Pittsfield.
"He spoke about how well they collaborate," said Boland. "He was also very cognizant of the fact that there was a void when they left North Berkshire."
The North Adams Chamber became part of the Berkshire Chamber some years ago.
Committee members worried about fighting over fees with the regional chamber, as well as with the Williamstown Chamber, to which a large number of North Adams businesses belong.
Chairwoman Lisa Blackmer said the groups had to be looked at in terms of their capabilities. The chamber provides business with a larger voice in advocating on issues such as energy, unemployment and taxes, she said, and "big-picture economic development, while your local downtown business groups focus on a specific geographic area."
The goal over the coming year is to get about 60 to 80 businesses on board and develop 10 to 16 new and traditional events.
"Aside from this time of year, I'm at the maximum of what I can do with events," said tourism director Rod Bunt. With others becoming involved in the planning, "then I know that when it's just me and my office [working on other things] someone is making sure progress is still happening.
"It's sort of what I've been up against the last nine years."
Boland expected the first board of directors meeting to convene by the end of the month.
"We have to remember it's not a city group, it's a private group," he said, but it was still important to present something the mayor could support.
The committee also agreed to look into using social media such as Facebook and Twitter to connect with both citizens and visitors better. Bunt set up a Facebook page for the tourism office and will research the difference in changing it from a friend page to a fan page.
In other business, member David Bond said he had been in touch with Millard Rose, founder of Virtual Town Hall. Revamping the city's Web site to make it easier to navigate would cost about $15,000 upfront with further maintenance costs.
Members agreed that the price was high considering the city's current financial situation. If funding, such as through grants, couldn't be found this year, there was the option of fixing up the landing page. "It's really a matter of what we can do now," said Bond. |
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary. Post Comment |
| Reviving a business group is long overdue. I would recommend removing Downtown from any name - our businesses are located throughout the community - not just downtown. Dividing the association into sub-committees will help move North Adams into the future. A suggested name for the group might be something like North Adams Business Association - nothing fancy! Just a thought. | | from: Laurie | on: 03-17-2010 12:00AM
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| I like the name offered by Lauri. Also, couldn't the web page be taken on as a senior project for an MCLA Computer Science major? | | from: Say What | on: 03-17-2010 12:00AM
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This is it? This stale rehash of failed ideas from North Adams' dim and distant past is the revolutionary change that was supposed to take place with the new leadership in City Hall?
The coalition that is labelled "the North Adams business community" is only talked about by local tinhorn politicians eager for headlines and folks who don't know beans about the history of North Adams. It's a worn-out fantasy. It was twenty years ago.
The "business community" in North Adams consists of two players: Mountain One (it was simply the "sunny side of the street" Hoosac Bank in the good old days) and Carver Real Estate. Every other business entity in North Adams, from slimy slumlord to hard working, ethical restauranteur, takes a back seat.
Rather than pretend that it's possible to tell Mountain One and Carver what to do, the brave new political firebrands in North Adams should just hit fast forward (or rewind, actually) and bring Mayor Barrett back in for some lessons on how to grow enough backbone to prevent the local giants from completely dominating North Adams. That's the real challenge, not forming more silly committees. | | from: is this it? | on: 03-18-2010 12:00AM
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This is a great idea!
Ignore the naysayers.
Lisa Blackmer's comments are right on the money.
How about North Adams Inc.? | | from: Big Boy | on: 03-18-2010 12:00AM
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Do I have to say it out loud? Rod Bunt needs to be replaced with someone who has imagination and is willing to learn. He has rehashed the same tired promotions year after year. He goes back to the same people and businesses with a repeat of one lackluster event or another and expects them to get excited.
He needs to learn how to put together effective weekly mailings too. The ones he sends out now are boring, no pictures, no hot links, just poorly written boiler plate.
This is one area that needs changing, and fast.
Editor: Let's keep an open mind people; new administration, new opportunities for everyone. | | from: North County Observer | on: 03-18-2010 12:00AM
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| I would challenge "Is this it" to actually offer up some constructive solutions to improve the business environment in North Adams. Making a blanket critisism is easy. The group being formed will help bring many perspectives and abilities into the forefront. We can not expect City Hall to make all the effort. We as business owners and private citizens MUST put some effort in if we want our community to grow. | | from: Glenn | on: 03-18-2010 12:00AM
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