To the editor:
I am writing to express my support for the EDA petition warrant article seeking funds to hire a contractor to support Peterborough’s economic development efforts.
An economic development contractor is needed to support improvements to Peterborough’s economic vitality. This does not just include providing marketing and reaching out to attract businesses to relocate to Peterborough. Leadership is necessary to attract entrepreneurs and skilled workers and to support creation of new enterprises.
One of our greatest challenges confronting our current and future vitality is the availability of workers. According to the N.H. Department of Employment Security, as of March 31, 2016, unemployment in Peterborough was at 3.2 percent. As our young adults graduate high school, many tend to leave, whether for college or the draw of larger communities, and millennials are not drawn to relocate here. This tight workforce makes retaining and attracting businesses difficult.
On the positive side, there are critical needs and significant opportunities to create new services to improve the long-term sustainability or our community, including opportunities that improve food and energy production and consumption.
Taking advantage of these opportunities will require leadership, new thinking, and collaboration among existing businesses and new entrepreneurs. Our social, environmental and economic success requires a focus on innovation; the traditional model of economic development that focuses on attracting businesses to relocate from other places will not be enough.
Retaining a contractor who can help us build the systems and approaches needed to address the challenges listed above will be a critical investment in our future economic vitality.
Please come to the Open Session at Town Meeting on May 11 and vote for the new EDA contractor to lead the creative collaboration required to strengthen Peterborough’s economic vitality for the future.
James Kelly
Peterborough