NORWICH TO HOLD SATURDAY WORKSHOPS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Norwich — In his State of the City address two weeks ago, Mayor Peter Nystrom asked aldermen to keep Saturdays open for promised workshops on economic development issues.

The first of those sessions has been scheduled for Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Foundry 66 headquarters of the Norwich Community Development Corp., 66 Franklin St. The second session will be held Feb. 23, also at Foundry 66. The workshops are open to the public.

Saturday’s agenda starts with a review of key economic development issues, including information from economists, followed by a discussion entitled “We are surrounded by HUGE Developments.”

Discussions on revitalization of “an old city” and blighted, vacant buildings and a review of the city’s infrastructure also are on Saturday’s agenda.

The final item is titled: “How to pay for economic development planning/implementation.”

Nystrom said subcommittees could be established to work on specific tasks between meetings.

“The goal is to get everyone on the council engaged,” Nystrom said.

Last summer, the council rejected Nystrom’s proposal for an $8.47 million economic revitalization bond that would have expanded the current $3.38 million downtown revitalization program approved by voters in 2010. That funding is winding down and Nystrom hoped to both renew downtown funding and expand the program to other key areas of the city.