Business Focus Group Recruitment Announcement

The Town of Sturbridge is looking to form a Business Focus Group to help identify ways that the Town can better serve the business community. This group will answer five questions:

1. What are the current challenges for businesses in Sturbridge as it relates to local Town government?
2. What are short and long term solutions for each of the challenges identified?
3. What does the Town currently do well as it relates to its interactions with local businesses?
4. How can the Town expand on these positive trends in the short and long term?
5. How should the Town evolve its policies to better serve the business community in Sturbridge?

The focus group will meet during the fall and early winter to answer each of these questions. The results of these discussions will then be presented to the Board of Selectmen for further consideration.  

The Town is looking for volunteers from the business community to join this focus group. Its membership will consist only of leaders from the private sector, with administrative duties provided by the Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator. The Town is looking for two representatives from each of the following business sectors:

• Retail
• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Professional Services
• Manufacturing

The Town will work to arrange meeting times so that they have as minimal an impact on members’ daily schedules as possible. The Town expects the group to start meeting in mid-to-late October and to conclude its business sometime in January.

If you have an interest in serving on this focus group, please contact the Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator by September 30^thfor more information.