We would like to take this opportunity to introduce the Westbrook Development Collaborative. What is the collaborative? Where did it come from? How is it different from a committee and what does it propose to do?
The collaborative seeks to reap the benefit of diverse existing resources within the community that have not necessarily been assembled in this way before, to become a broad resource for citizens and businesses and the city’s committees and processes.
The collaborative is an outgrowth of the Economic and Community Development summits held in 2006 and 2007. The summits’ purpose was to engage community members and business leaders in the long-term economic success of Westbrook. From this process a resounding voice was heard, which called for a collaboration of citizens, business and other stakeholders. With this directive, the mayor assembled the collaborative’s membership, with the added recognition that its efforts need to be ongoing, and not focused particularly on any one project or idea. Operating from that perspective, the collaborative can guide and strengthen the implementation of the many good ideas brought forth by the summit participants and city committees, and policies articulated by the Westbrook City Council.
The summit followed pre-summit surveys, with wide business and citizen participation, which drew on such comments as: “link businesses and the vocational center; provide help to businesses as relates to zoning; support a civic/conference center; encourage a software testing lab; make open space preservation an integral part of all development; work with tech and biotech companies; work with surrounding communities to share ideas and costs; focus on the long-term growth of small businesses and arts-related organizations; balance economic development and residential interests; promote our natural resources”.
The collaborative consists of volunteer community members and business leaders with a broad civic interest in economic and community development. While invited to participate by Mayor Bruce Chuluda, the overall membership provides a diverse crosssection of the community by including representatives from the city’s largest employers (Idexx, Disability RMS and Sappi Fine Paper); the Westbrook Community Chamber; Westbrook Housing; city council; our Arts & Culture, Village Review and Saccarappa Park Redevelopment committees; Westbrook Environmental Improvements Corp;, and residents from several neighborhoods of the city.
The collaborative is not a committee. It was not charged with completing specific tasks or created by an official act of the city for a specific time period. Rather, with help from city staff and consultants, the members developed their own mission and guiding principles and will determine their agenda and process going forward. The collaborative recognizes that it is not the only group or effort that is involved with and integral to successful economic and community development in Westbrook. Specifically, it is not the intent to supersede the roles of the city council, standing committees of the council or special committees formed for specific issues.
How does the collaborative add value? Again, from the summit outcomes: “How much better, stronger and smarter it would be if we collaboratively connect and communicate about the important questions-issues-decisions before they arrive at the process. Such a genuinely collaborative effort will foster community engagement, and strengthen and encourage participation so that process becomes more inclusive, more proactive than reactive.”
The collaborative also seeks to support the Westbrook community by communicating and marketing the status and progress of our economic and community development, particularly with the long view in mind. Such fostering of communication, networks and collaboration among public and private stakeholders, both within the city and as a regional partner, will in turn support the overall business, economic and community development efforts made by all contributors. With this approach, we hope to leverage public and private community resources, again for the success of long-term, sustainable growth.
We expect that each collaborative member will reach out to others to capture input which may not otherwise be received. The collaborative will share those perspectives in its comments and recommendations and participation in the broader community.
The Westbrook Development Collaborative meets every three weeks and meetings are open to the public. Citizens and businesses with issues they would like the collaborative to address are encouraged to share them with the city’s Economic Development director or members of the collaborative.
Westbrook Development Collaborative members Bob Nigro is with Idexx Laboratories. Eileen Shutts is a resident of the city.
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