Council considers hiring development consultant

Journal Register News Service

3eUNasLe BRURuJK CRuQFLO agreed Monday to consider including a $20,000 line item in the 2013 budget to hire an economic development consultant. Borough funding would match the $20,000 Perkasie Olde Towne Association plans to raise.

POTA President Joe Ferry introduced council to Steve Barth, who began working as an economic deYeORSPeQW FRQsuOWaQW LQ HaWbRUR LQ 2011. ELJKWeeQ PRQWKs aJR, HaWboro’s commercial occupancy rate was 82 SeUFeQW, wLWK RQe LQ fiYe stores vacant and four large anchor stores standing empty for between IRuU aQG sLx yeaUs. HaWbRUR’s FuUrent occupancy rate is 97 percent, and 76 new businesses have opened and 404 new jobs have been created under Barth’s watch.

“This is not to suggest that Barth could replicate those successes in Perkasie,” Ferry said. “But the point is having someone in that position to make those connections. Who knows what could happen?”

The borough should have a consultant on board by Jan. 1, 2013, to facilitate implementation of the comprehensive economic developPeQW SOaQ WKaW WKe BuFNs CRuQWy 3OaQQLQJ CRPPLssLRQ Ls GUaIWLQJ, Ferry said.

Borough residents can share their input on the comprehensive plan at a PeeWLQJ wLWK WKe BuFNs CRuQWy 3OaQQLQJ CRPPLssLRQ aW WKe 3eUNasLe fiUe sWaWLRQ 2FW. 24 aW 7 S.P.

7Ke SOaQ Ls sFKeGuOeG WR be fiQaOLzeG by eaUOy sSULQJ. HaYLQJ a FRQsultant begin in January would allow that person to get his/her feet on the ground so that work could start on the plan as soon as it is completed, Ferry said.

The comprehensive plan is the culmination of a push that began a year ago to expand economic development in the borough. Since then, POTA has met with borough FRuQFLO, WKe 3eQQULGJe CKaPbeU RI CRPPeUFe aQG WKe BuFNs CRuQWy 3OaQQLQJ CRPPLssLRQ as weOO as Quakertown Live and SoudertonTelford Main Streets.

POTA has also already pledged WKe fiUsW $5,000 WRwaUG KLULQJ a FRQsultant and has spoken with numerous business owners who are willing WR PaNe a sLJQLfiFaQW FRQWULbuWLRQ, Ferry said.

Barth contacted Ferry after reading a news story about the effort in Perkasie.

“I was impressed with his creativity and his success in eatboro,” Ferry said.

Barth secured a number of grants for eatboro, including a $100,000 grant from the Montgomery County Small Business Assistance Fund, a $40,000 Wayfarer Signage Grant and a $10,000 Pennsylvania eistoric Preservation Matching Grant.

With state and county funds drying up, though, Perkasie will have to be creative, Barth said.

“For something to happen, it has to happen here,” Barth said. “The more you keep commerce in town, the better off you’ll be.”

Barth encouraged the organizers of eatboro’s annual car show, attended by 100,000 people, to hire only food vendors located within the borough. ee also suggests that new businesses purchase every service they possibly can locally before looking elsewhere. Besides working with individual merchants to improve window and interior displays, he gets business owners, borough services and municiSDO RIfiFiDOs WDONinJ WR RnH another.

Councilman Justin Stottlar asked Barth how he would approach economic development in Perkasie, since its businesses are scattered over the borough instead of being concentrated on a main thor- oughfare like eatboro’s.

“Borough hall sits as a center anchor,” Barth said. “It’s a natural place to work on developing a cohesive downtown.”

Barth suggested that the borough could focus on redeveloping properties around the main square and creating new attractions, such as a community movie theater. The borough’s “natural synergies,” such as its adjoining park system and potential for reviving rail and trolley service, are also areas for growth, according to Barth.

“You have a Norman Rockwell town,” Barth said.

Although hiring a consultant for a three-year term would be best, Barth is comfortable with a year-to-year arrangement, Ferry said. The $40,000 would cover WhH fiUsW yHDU RI sDODUy DnG expenses. As an independent contractor, Barth would report directly to POTA but would also meet regularly with Borough Manager aaniel Olpere and submit quarterly reports to borough council.

“,’P FRnfiGHnW wH FRuOG show value in a year,” Ferry said.

Council members said they were in favor of hiring a consultant but asked to see a proposal with strategic goals before including the item in the 2013 budget.

“I feel very strongly that this is a good idea for businesses and residents,” council President Matthew Aigeldinger said.