(Taken from a press release issued by the Economic Development Commission)

Members of the Economic Development Commission have committed time, effort and resources in the past few months to several large projects, including:

• Advanced Fusion Systems’ projected $25 million investment in Newtown for developing an broad array of products with “applications in (electrical) power generation, transmission and distribution, environmental remediation, semiconductor manufacturing, defense and medical industries”

• Final approval by Newtown regulatory agencies for the Newtown Technology Park, designed to attract modern industries with needs of up to 100,000 square feet of floor space; and

• Solid inquiries from several developers interested in large tracts of privately-owned land which are in the initial stages of discussion.

Beyond that, the commission is focused on nearly a dozen issues designed to better serve existing retail, commercial and industrial businesses, both small and large. The needs of those firms were pinpointed in the results of a survey late last year that reached an approximately 1,750 businesses in Newtown.

The largest concern of survey respondents involved complex Town of Newtown regulations governing the size, shape, lighting, positioning and display of signs. A working group, headed by EDC Commissioner Thomas Murtha, is being pulled together with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, Land Use Agency, Planning and Zoning Commission and businessmen and women to identify major concerns and seek possible solutions. 

A “Buy Local” campaign featuring town-wide public events is being coordinated by EDC member Joseph Tarshis to spotlight an array of goods and services available from town merchants.  The first-ever Taste of Newtown will be staged for two weeks in September and feature special offerings from participating restaurants.  The EDC is a prime sponsor of the event.

Information is being gathered on ways to create a service center for hundreds of small, home-based Newtown businesses that seem ready to expand. Such a business incubator - whether in bricks and mortar or Web based - would provide services such as common secretarial and mailing functions, business services like copying and telephone answering and a conference room for centralized meetings.

For new businesses, EDC Commissioner Walter Motyka is designing virtual and printed brochures outlining the contact points for those seeking permits to do business in town, whether in special design districts, the Borough of Newtown or in other areas. The road map will primarily assist those starting new businesses or current ones seeking to expand.

Speaking of special design districts such as those in Sandy Hook, Hawleyville and the town-owned Fairfield Hills campus, EDC member Joseph Humeston is charged with finding better ways of supporting such neighborhood mixed-use districts.

A new long-term project -- providing additional direct help for new and existing entities seeking assistance in locating or expanding in Newtown -- is being developed by Director of Planning and Community Development Elizabeth Stocker and her staff, intern and volunteer assets. EDC commissioners Margaret Oliger and Donald Sharpe are helping guide the process. The initiative is also expected to raise awareness of Economic Development Commission services and proposals to the general public and be a contact point for various media outlets.

Also ongoing are upgrades to the EDC’s relatively new Web site, www.newtown.org, and better ways to spotlight business and commercial interests through social media.

Reflecting the term expiration of several commission seats, as mandated by town ordinance, a new slate of EDC officers was elected in May. They are Margaret Oliger and Donald Sharpe as co-chairmen, Walter Motyka as vice chairman and Joseph Humeston as chairman.