BERLIN – Encouraging development, expanding downtown parking, researching alternative energy and moving forward with a new police station are just a few of the many priorities outlined by Berlin officials for the coming year.
Mayor Gee Williams laid out the town’s priorities in a five-page document shared with town council members. In it he identifies increasing parking as the town’s highest immediate priority and sets forth other goals for the near future, ranging from moving ahead with the purchase of the Tyson property to working with Worcester County officials to find a location in Berlin for a sports arena.
“It’s one of our planning tools, but solely an informal one,” Williams said. “It is a living document that is subject to changes and revisions as new opportunities or challenges present themselves. I think of it as both an immediate and long term ‘to do’ list.”
Councilmember Lisa Hall, who provided The Dispatch with the document, said she just wanted to make sure citizens were aware of pending projects and were involved in the planning process.
“There are a lot of good things on this list but we need some input from the public,” she said. “All of this is going to impact Berlin in the future.”
Williams outlines the need to encourage development, including both the excursion railroad being studied by county officials as well as the Cobblestone Hotel that has been discussed for Route 50. Facilitating development at the Derrickson properties on Route 113, Berlin’s “Main Place” and the Route 346 corridor is also listed as a priority.
Hall said it was important that town officials and residents consider the implications of future development before it happened.
“Once it’s built, we can’t change it,” she said. “We spent 30 years revitalizing Berlin and it’s important that in the next 30 years we protect what we’ve built so we can continue to be a destination point.”
She added that with the larger projects the town was considering, such as building a new police station and redeveloping the Tyson property, officials would need to think about partnerships with county and state agencies.
“Going forward government is going to want partnerships,” she said, “so it’s not such a burden to ratepayers.”
Williams’ priority list does outline plans for working with county officials to see if development of a large sports arena like the one discussed by the Worcester County Commissioners last week would benefit Berlin. Five properties with sufficient acreage and convenient access to Route 50 are identified.
The top long-term priority listed by the planning document is turning Berlin into a “multi-modal transportation hub.” Williams suggests adding bike racks throughout town, expanding the existing trolley service and creating in-town transit options.
Priorities already in progress in Berlin include analysis of the annexation of land along Seahawk Road, pedestrian safety improvements throughout town and negotiating a new electric purchase power agreement.
Williams said his list was meant to be a tool to track the town’s objectives and that he was looking forward to hearing from residents what they considered the town’s top priorities at the upcoming strategic planning meetings. Town Administrator Laura Allen agreed.
“We want to hear what people love about Berlin, what they worry about for Berlin and where they want us to focus our attention over the next three years,” she said.