Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | Novermber 13, 2017 | Worcester Business Journal 9 W with projects that have been historical- ly controversial, like the proposed rede- velopment of the Nobscot Plaza in north Framingham, Halpin said. While he was proud town economic development leaders were able to get neighborhood residents to understand redeveloping long-vacant retail sites far removed from the retail-heavy Route 9 area would require mixed-use develop- ment including apartment housing, they couldn't generate enough support to bring a proposal to Town Meeting members for a vote in 2016, he said. However, Halpin does believe Mayor-Elect Spicer has a much better foundation to build on as she tries to address lingering economic develop- ment challenges, because of the work economic development officials have done during his tenure. He noted changes made to make permitting of new projects more results oriented, avoiding last-minute changes to build- ing plans and inconsistencies between departments, has been a huge help. "People are having a very different conversation about Framingham these days," said Halpin, who will work for the city until his contract ends in June. The People's Mayor Notably, Spicer was part of a group of residents who did not support the city charter when it was it was put to a vote in the spring. In an interview about a week before she was elected, Spicer said she wanted to see Framingham implement a more streamlined form of government to allow projects and proposed zoning changes to be vetted and voted on in a more timely manner, but did not think the town necessarily had to become a city with a strong mayor. A longtime Framingham resident and community activist who was raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Spicer, whose campaign slogan was "The People's Mayor," said that position is of no consequence now. "OK, we're here," Spicer said. "Let's try to be the best city that we can be." The vote to become a city with a strong-mayor form of government was passed with 105-vote margin. Spicer said the community was divided, but she recognized the benefits afforded to cities. She looks forward to state and federal funding opportunities available only to cities and said a mayor is a cru- cial voice for a community. "You have a person who is the leader of the community … The buck stops with them," Spicer said. The new city charter includes a chief operating officer position, which affords Spicer the chance to hire a pro- fessional to manage economic develop- ment and other administrative func- tions currently overseen by the town manager. Spicer said she could see her- self working closely with the COO, as well as the Economic Development and Community Development departments to ensure smart city planning. On the business development front, Spicer has called for a review of the city's dual tax rate, which she recognized is detrimental to the commercial tax base, and she said zoning bylaws may need a review in order to deal with blighted retail plazas, since Framingham has no recourse under existing ordinances. She said communication between depart- ments needs to be improved, so that per- mitting is even more seamless, and she advocated for supporting businesses in new ways, such as creating bilingual business literature. Mayors have a strong connection with the governor's office, a fact that Spicer's opponent, John Stefanini, pointed to in an interview before the election. Stefanini was a big proponent of Framingham becoming a city, and served on the charter commission. A former state representative and member of the Framingham Board of Selectmen, Stefanini said in the absence of a mayor, the governor doesn't have a direct link with local government. "I bet Charlie Baker and Deval Patrick have never been to Marlborough without calling the mayor," Stefanini said. Vigeant: Change ahead Marlborough, which has gotten most of the attention from big corporate ten- ants interested in locating in the MetroWest area as the economy has rebounded, will see a lot more compe- tition from Framingham as it grows into its new government, Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant predicted. Vigeant expects growing pains as Spicer determines how to reorganize city hall and what economic develop- ment initiatives to focus on, but in five to seven years, he said Framingham will be stealing Marlborough's thunder. "You won't see it right away; it won't be tomorrow, but you will see a lot of change," Vigeant said. One day after her election as Framingham's first mayor, Yvonne Spicer was already a rock star in town, constantly being stopped by residents and business owners as she walked downtown.

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