First Franklin Representative Natalie Blais and Hilltown Economic Development Director Jeanne LeClair met with a small group of leaders Wednesday in Chester. (Photo by Amy Porter)
CHESTER – The Village Enterprise Center hosted a meeting on economic development Wednesday with newly elected First Franklin Representative Natalie Blais and Hilltown Economic Development Director Jeanne LeClair. A small group of Gateway Hilltown leaders joined the two for a discussion of some of the challenges, opportunities and legislative priorities for the areas.
LeClair showed an overview of the region that she has been sharing with select boards and other groups in the six towns that are part of the Gateway Regional School district. She said one point she always makes is that economic development does not mean changing the character of the rural communities; “it’s about becoming more of who you are.”
Some of the gains that have been made include increasing broadband coverage. Chester and Huntington now have 95% coverage, and the other towns are in process. LeClair said the sense of regional cooperation has improved, a regional marketing promotion has been launched, and the area has received support and positive attention from the Governor and Lieutenant Governor in particular. “There is momentum,” LeClair said.
Blais, who lives in Sunderland and is currently executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, said there is a lot in common with the Gateway hilltowns and the Franklin County towns she has been working with, such as their interest in promoting outdoor recreation, the challenges with broadband and aging demographics.
“Where you’ve come just in this last year is amazing,” Blais said, adding that she met with Andy Myers, who chairs the Hilltown Collaborative and LeClair when she was first starting to run for the seat. She also congratulated them on the design of the campaign marketing the hilltowns as a destination and a great place to live.
One of the legislative priorities of the towns is addressing the “clawback,” or money due the Massachusetts School Building Authority for the remaining leases on several closed elementary schools. Myers said the schools in Russell, Blandford and Worthington closed due to school population decline at Gateway, which has lost 50% over the last fifteen years, leading to Worthington withdrawing from the district and reopening its school. Myers said the remaining lease in Russell amounts to about a million dollars over the next five years.
Myers said many conversations have taken place with the MSBA, which is resistant to forgiving the debt. He said that recently Senator Adam G. Hinds of Pittsfield tried to make the case. “There is concern at the state level about the precedence it will set,” Blais said.
Myers said the next best chance the towns have is to “legislatively pass something,” and he handed Blais a draft piece of legislation. The draft sets parameters, such as loan forgiveness that may be attained if the town has lost at least 25% of its students, and paid at least 15 years into a 20-year lease.
“We need to build Gateway back up. We need the $1 million to reinvest,” Myers said.
Joe Kearns of Middlefield did point to the sparsity aid for rural communities, which was funded for the first time this year, and Blais said will either be level funded or increased next year. Blais gave a lot of credit to Hinds for being able to pass that bill in the Senate in his first year.
Kearns also spoke about the closing of a lot of mills in the towns, and the lack of local employment and opportunities for young people. ‘Middlefield has the longest commute of anyone in the Commonwealth,” he said
Myers mentioned a second visit by Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy to the area. He said Roy noted the abundance of scenic waterfalls in the towns, which might be another attraction to highlight.
Bryan Farr, president of the Historic U.S. Route 20 Association, said they are talking about a song for the highway, the longest in the country. Apparently, Commissioner Roy said if they wrote it, he would sing it.
Blais talked about the East West Passenger Rail study, on which Hinds has been appointed to serve. Michele Kenney, economic development director for the Hilltown Community Development Corporation said that train won’t help the hilltowns without a stop, adding that they are pushing for one in Chester. She also stressed that there is zero public transportation in the hilltowns.
Blais agreed that one of the challenges is the lack of interconnectedness and intermobility in the region, and said a new transportation bond bill is coming soon. “Transportation is one of the committees I’m hoping for,” Blais said. She said other committee assignments she is interested in include Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, Tourism, and Ways and Means, although she’s been told the only freshmen congressmen to serve on Ways and Means was Barney Frank.
One initiative Blais is hoping to introduce is an Office of Rural Policy, which she said could help the towns navigate efforts such as broadband access, and marijuana establishments.
Blais also talked about the importance of the 2020 census, which she said will have an impact on funding for the towns.
“As an elected official, I can’t tell people what to do,” Blais said, adding that she will continue to show up to small groups to hear people’s concerns. She also said that she plans to have a presence in more than one location in her district of 40,000 residents in 19 towns in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties, although she hasn’t yet decided where.
Blais also encouraged people to reach out to her. “Please don’t hesitate to reach out. I need to hear from you if I’m going to do a good job,” Blais said.
