OBSERVER CORPS REPORT 2021
The Falmouth Economic Development & Industrial Corporation (EDIC) is the Town of Falmouth’s primary agency responsible for creating and developing increased economic opportunities for both the present and the future. Its stated mission is: To attract, advocate and support economic vitality and seek to constantly improve the business climate in Falmouth.
It is important to remember that EDIC is, technically, a public non-profit corporation and not a town committee. In some respects it functions as a committee, though with occasional aspects of an agency or department.
Created in 1981 to manage the 106-acre Falmouth Technology Park, EDIC evolves as times change. The Tech Park, now forty years on, is recognized as ripe for redevelopment, but remains too large a project with too little immediate revenue potential for concentrated attention, especially as the Development Agreement by which the Cape Cod Commission granted it authority has just been extended again. With that breathing room, preliminary efforts continue, necessary for an eventual far-reaching overhaul.
Current major, active projects include the Falmouth Station restoration and redevelopment; landfill solar array; business gigabit project; Fiber Optic Network Feasibility study (one phase just completed); Community Development Block Grant to support small business recovery from pandemic quarantine pressures; and disposition of several small land parcels that are under the control of EDIC. There are also multiple projects and opportunities, large and small, at various stages. EDIC members are to be applauded for their continuous survey of needs and opportunities to gather resources, information, and collaborative openings with other groups. In sum, as of the moment, EDIC is a vigorous, positive organization.
This has not always been easy. As the pandemic quarantine weighed more and more – and more – heavily on local businesses, EDIC felt great urgency to find funds to help them hang on. One prospective source was a different division of the revenue from the solar array project, giving EDIC a larger share in order to grant funds to struggling businesses. EDIC pushed the Select Board very strongly to make the change, but the Select Board, anxious about analogous pressures on the Town’s finances, declined to do so, to the intense disagreement of some EDIC members. New member, Selectman Sam Patterson (replacing Sue Moran who was elected to the legislature in May), spoke for the Town, acknowledging both needs, but standing firm, and advising that other revenue sources, differently administered, would be preferable. Indeed, after several potential programs were investigated, $320,000 became available from the state in the form of Community Development Block Grants.
Among major projects, minor projects, looming future projects, studies, grant possibilities, grant applications, and normal administrative business, it would be all but impossible for EDIC members to stay properly abreast of responsibilities were it not for the careful work of Executive Director Mike DiGiano and Administrator Lynne Broderick. In addition to keeping track of a mountain of details, they have made meetings work smoothly via Zoom since April. Furthermore, DiGiano has prepared an Executive Director’s Report for each meeting, and that report is posted, along with minutes, on the EDIC website. It fills in vast amounts of dates, organizations, names, and dollar amounts, that don’t necessarily appear in the agenda and the minutes. This is a significant improvement in transparency.
Postponed for many, many months, EDIC finally held a Strategic Planning meeting in September, and it was a productive exercise. Recognizing that needs will always exceed capacity, priorities were set, including consideration of the staff time invested in each undertaking. For some time, in anticipation of need, a percentage in management fees has been built in to each grant proposal and project. By careful administration of the overhead and the many small revenue streams, projected budget deficits (due to the pandemic) will resolve, and reserves will gradually build a cushion (goal, $200,000) that will provide stability, including the ability to act promptly on fresh opportunities. Top current project priorities are an overall development plan for Falmouth Station; Falmouth Station operations; and the Phase 2 Solar Project, which will provide revenue to both the town and to EDIC.
There was a general expression that EDIC’s relationship with Town Government should and could be better; that EDIC ought to be more a policy expediter than an independent innovator. To that end, each EDIC member will work to establish closer communication and relationships with key parts of Town Government over the next six months, especially the Planning Board and the Select Board, and ideally, a report to April Town Meeting to raise awareness of EDIC programs and activities.
Carol B. Chittenden, League Observer Corps, February, 2021
