Tim Dunn/CapeCod.com.
CHATHAM – A collection of state and local officials joined Cape-based businesses and organizations in Chatham on Tuesday for the Cape & Islands Regional Economic Development Council Engagement Session.
Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy and Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta co-chaired the session at the Chatham Community Center.
The group makes up the Economic Development Planning Council, launched on May 13 by the Baker Administration to “provide input on and oversight of an economic development plan that will be presented to Governor Baker by the end of the year.”
“I’m really excited about the regional economic development. It is not a one-size-fits-all. There are assets here on the Cape that don’t exist clearly in other parts of the Commonwealth. You have such a capacity to leverage those assets. These are your assets for more jobs and opportunities,” Polito said.
“I’m so happy to see many in the community come together. Our leadership, working with partners in the legislature and our cabinet of secretaries, are really excited to have this opportunity to now build on the solid foundation that we, together, have established over these past four years.”
“And now looking forward to the next two to four years, how can we learn from you about the things that have worked to move your economy forward, where are the gaps that we can learn to address together, and really understand what your vision is going forward?”
Tim Dunn/CapeCod.com.
Since its launch, the council has held six prior sessions across the state in Salem, Springfield, Lowell, Dartmouth, Boston, and Worcester.
“Our mission at all of these sessions is the same, it’s to get together a great group of business leaders, community leaders, municipal officials, legislators, folks who are real leaders in their fields and communities. And our job is simple, our job is to listen,” Secretary Kennealy said to open up the session in Chatham.
“This is really critical input for us as we come up with our plan for the second term.”
The two-hour event was divided into two breakout sessions where representatives of businesses and economic development organizations from across the Cape broke into discussion groups with state officials.
During each breakout session, individuals were given the option to join one of six group discussions, including Community & Neighborhood Development, Innovation & Start-Ups, Jobs & Workforce Development, Housing, Key Clusters & Industries, and Business Growth.
By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.com News Center
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