MAUREEN BELLIVEAU
WESTFIELD – After it was announced last week that she would be resigning her post as Executive Director of the Westfield Business Improvement District, Maureen “Mo” Belliveau has had some time to relax and evaluate her options going forward.
“I’m taking a little bit of time just to reassess and reevaluate. There’s been a lot of change, but there’s great possibility ahead,” said Belliveau earlier this week. “It’s early in the phase, but I’m just looking to catch up on rest and weigh my options.”
Asked whether she would return to her former post with Optimum Health Therapeutic Message on Elm Street, an establishment which she co-founded and co-owned prior to her transition to her Executive Directorship in 2012, Belliveau said she’d like to find a position more in line with what she did with the BID.
“That was a very conscious decision to step away from that. I loved what I did with the BID, there was a lot of exciting components to that and I think it fit my personality well,” she said. “That would be the direction I’d tend to go in.”
Those jobs can be few and far between though, but Belliveau hopes to remain in the city that she came to now and love.
“If it’s possible, I’d love to be (here). Westfield’s been a wonderful, embracing community, so that would be a wonderful thing,” she said. “I’m just kind of taking my time thinking about things and making decisions slowly.”
Belliveau declined to comment on the alterations in state law which led to controversial changes in the opt-out clause in the BID’s charter, which called for retroactive membership dues from businesses and residents within the BID district and inspired a petition to dismantle the organization.
She did add that she hoped the city’s business owners will continue to build on the BID’s efforts to continue revitalizing Westfield’s downtown business community.
“Theres a lot of promise for Westfield within Westfield, and I’m hoping that folks will keep that energy up,” she said.
Belliveau continued coordinating events with the organization this summer despite having made her decision to depart soon, and for Kevin O’Connor, chair of the BID’s Board of Directors, her efforts are the truest measure of her character.
“Mo certainly did not have to (help) in any way with things like the soccer game on the Green,” he said of her teaming with Frank Kelleher of Clubhouse Marketing to broadcast Team U.S.A’s last soccer match during the FIFA World Cup on the Park Square Green. “It was nice of Mo to help with things that she has expertise, and the final July concert – she did that because she wanted to.”
“I give her a lot of credit. She spent 15 hours on the Green for those concerts,” he said. “Knowing your job is going away – it speaks a lot to her character. She has a great passion for things she believes in and that comes through in the work she does.”
O’Connor stated that Belliveau worked tirelessly to get some administrative things and some communications out prior to her leaving.
“She very clearly did not, in any way, leave us hanging, and the board is very sad to see her go,” he said. “We all like her a lot, and I have a lot of respect for her. I enjoyed working with her and hopefully another organization will certainly benefit from things she has to offer.”
Regarding the potential for a future organization to take the BID’s place, O’Connor said he has heard of interest in creating another BID-like organization.
“I know there are people who are interested in determining what might happen and could happen,” O’Connor said. “The city is trying to see what services it can reasonably do for the rest of this year, and that will buy some time for people to see what the business and property owners want. It’s really up to them.”
“I have no idea whether people will form another business association or anything else. I know there are ideas going around, but until that is formulated, I can’t say,” he said. “People are concerned about the gap in services, but I think the timing – finishing it off in the fall – will allow some time for people to group together and talk, and that’s the best thing right now, not to rush.”
