East Lyme Economic Development Commission

 Regular Meeting

April 8, 2008

Members Present:    Ed Shapiro, John Jensen, Mary Royce,

                                    Steve Santino, Richard Gada and

                                    Camile Alberti

Also Present:             David Labrie

A.  PRELIMINARY BUSINESS

            1.  Call to Order.   Chairman Shapiro called the East Lyme Economic

Development Commission Regular Meeting of April 8 to order at 7:05 p.m.

            2.  Disposition of Meeting Minutes of March 11, 2008.  Mr. Shapiro asked for additions, deletions or corrections to the March 11, 2008 Regular Meeting of the Economic Development Commission.

MOTION:      Mary Royce moved to accept the March 11, 2008

                        Regular Meeting Minutes of the Economic

                        Development Commission, as presented.  Seconded

                        by Steve Santino.  Richard Gada abstained from voting.

                        (4-0-1) Motion carried.

            3.  Delegations and Guests.  David Labrie was present.

            4.  Public Comments.   There were no public comments.

B.  REPORTS

            1.  Ex-officio Report.   First Selectman Paul Formica was at a Water and Sewer Commission Meeting and unable to be present.  There was no report.

            2.  Chairman’s Report.  Mr. Shapiro reported a g-mail was received from Nicole Shaddi of Civic Plus in Manhattan, Kansas requesting a bid specification.  Mr. Shapiro sent her one.

            Mr. Shapiro attended a Board of Finance Budget Review Meeting to defend the Economic Development Commission’s budget.

            Fundraising for the Main Street Program’s Streetscape Project  is going well.

            3.  Presentation of Bills.  The Recording Secretary presented a bill for secretarial services from March 11 to April 1, 2008 for 2.75 hours of secretarial work for the Economic Development Commission

MOTION:      Steve Santino moved to pay the bill from the Recording

                        Secretary for 2.75 hours of secretarial services for the

                        Economic Development Commission from March 11 to

                        April 1, 2008.  Seconded by Mary Royce.  (4-0)

                        Unanimous.

Commission member Camille Alberti arrived.

C.  OLD BUSINESS

            1.  Bid Opening:  Website Proposals.  Commission members reviewed the one bid received.  Mrs. Royce felt the bid fulfills this Commission’s Request for Proposal.  The bid will be given to the Board of Selectmen via First Selectman Paul Formica for action.

            Mr. Labrie shared a newspaper article on East Lyme with the Commission.

            Mr. Labrie stated Discover East Lyme’s website receives 60-80 hits per day.  Over a year there have been 25,000 hits.  Mr. Shapiro felt it was better to have a commercial enterprise update this website.  This is a service to the Town with no cost to the Town.

D.  NEW BUSINESS

            Camille Alberti felt it was important for those wishing to start a business in East Lyme have a guideline on East Lyme’s process.  Mr. Shapiro stated the Zoning Department prepared a guideline for a business wishing to come to Town.

            She suggested that the Economic Development Commission website have information on who to contact if someone wished to start a business in Town.  Mary Royce suggested listing ten reasons why you might want to locate your business in East Lyme.

            Commission member John Jensen arrived.

            Mr. Jensen asked if a new member has been appointed to the Commission.  Mr. Shapiro asked Commission members to give recommendations to the Board of Selectmen.

E.  ADJOURNMENT

MOTION:      John Jensen moved to adjourn the Economic Development

                        Commission Regular Meeting of April 8, 2008 at 7:45 p.m.

                        Seconded by Camille Alberti.  (6-0) Unanimous.          

                                                Respectfully submitted,

                                                Frances Ghersi, Recording Secretary