July Business Newsletter

Board of Health 101: Nuisances and Food Code

On 26 June Sturbridge held one of its quarterly business classes, this time focused on the Board of Health and its Nuisance and Food Codes. The new Health Agent Brianna Eichstaedt presented the class and used her first hand experience to educate those in attendance about requirements at the state and local levels. She used photographs and a detailed presentation to help guide the discussion. It was a great opportunity for businesses to ask questions and have a dialogue with the new Health Agent.

If you were unable to attend the class, you can still view the presentations by clicking here. More classes like this one will be offered in the future so stay tuned this fall. 

Sturbridge Business Breakfast 

On 12 June the Holiday Inn Express hosted the Town's quarterly business breakfast, this time the focus was on the Rick Hoyt Sturbridge Half Marathon. Dick Hoyt was the speaker and he spoke eloquently about his and Rick's journey over the years. It was an inspiring morning. 

You can read all about it by clicking here. Our next breakfast will be in September so stay tuned for more information. 

Sturbridge Farmers Market

We are excited to announce that on 24 June the Sturbridge Farmers Market had its official launch. With 18+ vendors and hundreds of residents from Sturbridge and the surrounding communities coming to our Town Common, it was a sight to behold. The market will continue to run every Sunday from 10am to 2pm from now until 30 September. 

This event was made possible thanks to the Town's Special Event's Committee who identified this as a need in our community. Furthermore, a special thanks must go to the Farmers Market Planning Committee who worked tirelessly nearly every week since January to make this a reality. 

If you want more information about the market, you can follow it on Facebook by clicking here. 

Worcester Magazine Print & Digital Campaign

The Sturbridge Tourist Association has begun a digital and print ad campaign with Worcester Magazine running from 1 July through the end of the year. Here the STA will highlight local events and try to draw people to our community and visit your businesses. The print campaign is for local readership while the digital campaign will outreach to neighboring New England states like Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. 

If you have a special event or something unique that you think we can highlight in these campaigns, please outreach to the Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator as soon as possible so we can try and incorporate your event into the campaign. 

Route 15 Study 

The Central Mass Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) study of the Route 15 corridor is now complete. The final report can be viewed by clicking here. 

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)

Over the past year the Town of Sturbridge has been actively participating in the discussions surrounding the development of the next regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy or CEDS plan. This plan will set the regional framework for economic development for the next five year period and has the potential to make Federal dollars available to help with projects in the region. 

The Worcester Chamber of Commerce has developed a draft CEDS report and the document is open for public comment now. If you are interested in reading the CEDS plan and/or have comments you would like heard, now is the opportunity to make your voices heard. You can view the report and comment on it by clicking here. 

Town Meeting Calendar

If you are interested in any Town Committee meeting that is occurring this month, the complete calendar of meetings can be seen by clicking here.