Funding to support purchase of equipment for virtual counseling, additional staff
The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently approved a $25,000 loan to Connecting to Greatness, located at 15 Monument Square, Suite 100 in Leominster. The loan will fund the purchase of required equipment to effectively provide virtual counseling services to clients, as well as support the hiring of two full-time clinicians in an effort to reach more individuals in need of mental health care.
Founded in 2018 by Kimatra Maxwell, Connecting to Greatness focuses on mental health education and training to help clients confront self-limiting beliefs, realign with what is truly important to them, and learn to trust themselves again. The practice also helps address significant psychological problems and resolve issues that impair one’s ability to function well.
“With this funding, we are able to expand our services to those who are not able to physically come to our facility and also provide additional clinicians so we can help more people,” said Maxwell. “The need for mental health services is significant and with this support from the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, we will be able to make an impact in the lives of those who desperately need help.”
As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.
For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.
STRATEGIC PLANNING: The boards of the Chamber, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation and Visit North Central Massachusetts met in the Spring to begin working on the chamber’s next strategic plan. They reviewed the great progress made on our current strategic plan and discussed a variety of topics that are crucial to supporting our members and keeping our region a vibrant place to live, work and visit.We would love to hear from you. What can the Chamber and our affiliate organizations do over the next three years to support your organizations and the communities of North Central Massachusetts? Please send us your ideas and share your successes by emailing.
LAND BANK: The Chamber has commissioned a planning study to help us flesh out the Land Bank concept that was recommended in the One North Central economic development plan.The land bank concept was recommended as a tool to help spur more real estate development in the region.It would provide the region a method to identify and acquire land for economic development, market the property, and sell/lease the land when a prospect is identified.The study will commence this Summer and should be completed by the Fall.
VISITOR CENTER: Our Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center in Lancaster has completed some renovations and upgrades to help improve the experience and better showcase the region to the more than 165,000 visitors that stop there each year.Renovations include new floors, rustic paneling on the walls, new rugs and new office furniture thanks to a generous donation from AIS.Handicap doors, new security cameras, a dog walking station, a water refilling station and new signage were also added.Matching funds to help support the project came from a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and from the City of Leominster.
NEW LOANS: The Chamber’s economic development arm – the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation – has closed 15 micro-loans for a total of $561,500 since October 1, 2021. The loans were made to a mix of existing and start-up businesses and ranged from $6,000 to $150,000. There are another four loans totaling $458,500 that have been approved but have not closed yet.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: During the last quarter, our team provided over 300 hours of direct technical assistance to small businesses. We also hosted several workshops and seminars geared towards supporting small businesses, including a webinar in Spanish on marketing, a workshop on digital marketing and a session on business planning and cost control. We also hosted a special client reception to thank our loan clients and connect them with resource partners.
FAÇADE AND POP-UP SHOP GRANTS: The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation is partnering with ReImagine North of Main in Fitchburg and the City of Leominster to help fund façade improvements for a number of small businesses in both Cities and a pop-up shop program in Fitchburg. The project is funded through a state grant the development corporation received.
WELCOME SIGNS: The Chamber is sponsoring the construction of welcome signs at key entrances in the Cities of Fitchburg, Gardner and Leominster.The signs are intended to provide a positive first impression to visitors, potential investors and future residents, as well as boost civic pride.The new signs were designed to look like traditional New England style community welcome signs, except they are made of composite for their durability and longevity.Each sign is carved with the city’s seal and painted to match the official colors of the community. We are working with the three cities to identify key gateways for the signs.We have selected Leominster based company Add-A-Sign to design and construct them.
DIGITAL MARKETING: Traffic to our websites is averaging approximately 12,232 unique page views each month for FY2022.This represents a 2.3% increase over the prior year.We continue to be very active on social media, populating our Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter platforms with our content.Our social media platforms have a combined 21,836 total followers.In CY2021, our social media platforms garnered an average of 217,000 impressions monthly and a total of nearly 2.4 million impressions for the year.That represents a 20% increase over the previous year.
JOBS BOARD: The Chamber continues to promote the WorkNorthCentral.com online jobs board as a resource to connect employers and job seekers in North Central Massachusetts.The jobs board has had over 8,000 jobs posted and more than 76,000 views since being launched. We encourage members to post any employment opportunities they offer on the jobs board or send them to us and we will post them for you.
ENERGY SAVINGS: From its inception in August 2014 through April 2022 the solar field on Pleasant St. has produced 10,960,426 kWh of Net Metering Credits to the manufacturers participating in the program. Total value of these credits is $2,404,344 and the collective savings to participants totals $2,043,692.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: Developing the pipeline of talent for our members and communities to compete continues to be a priority for the Chamber. As referenced in our last edition of this newsletter, the Chamber has commissioned a workforce study to assess and recommend ways to enhance the labor pool in the region. We are expecting the study to be completed this Summer and hope it will be a resource to help develop strategies to deal with the workforce challenges faced by employers. In addition, we continue to partner with Mount Wachusett Community College and the Spanish American Center on the national Equitable Credentialing Initiative that our region was selected for through the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and the American Association of Community Colleges.
Seventeen of the region’s up-and-coming leaders recognized for community service, engagement
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce recently recognized the Community Leadership Institute (CLI) Class of 2022 at its Annual Meeting held on June 9 at Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg.
Seventeen graduates, who were identified as up-and-coming employees and future leaders in the region, completed the nine-month program focused on education, government, health care, social services, the justice system, media, arts and culture, the environment and history. CLI is dedicated to providing participants with individual leadership skills and a deep understanding of the region.
“The Chamber developed CLIto inspire a new generation of community leaders to enthusiastically assume important roles in their community while motivating participants from diverse backgrounds to be influential in our region’s future,” said Roy M. Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.
Mike Greenwood, Ph.D., Professor of Business at Fitchburg State University and Chairman of the CLI Steering Committee, was impressed by the caliber of this year’s class. “For more than ten years, I’ve worked with the CLI class and each year I continue to be amazed with the dedication, creativity and motivation of our participants,” said Dr. Greenwood. “Programs like CLI are important to our community in an effort to ensure a continuity of leadership, community engagement and service as our region’s current leaders look forward to retirement.”
This year’s class completed several initiatives, including the establishment of a foundation and a successful community event.
Austin Brooks, Small Business Relationship Manager for TD Bank, presented an idea to the CLI class to support local families affected by cancer during the holidays. “My father, Russell Brooks, was diagnosed with cancer and expressed his feelings to me one day before our last Christmas together that he couldn’t afford gifts for the family,” recalled Austin. “This experience made me think how I can help with gifts for families when a parent or loved one is undergoing cancer treatments.”
Following a discussion with the CLI class about his thoughts, and in just seven weeks’ time, the class established the Russell Brooks Foundation to help make the holidays brighter for deserving families in our community. “Everyone knows someone affected by cancer and we agreed to move forward. We helped a family who lost their mother just two weeks before Christmas last year and we fulfilled the wish list for three children.”
For Christian Lopez, Marketing Manager at the Fitchburg Art Museum, bringing community services and programs for families in need was top of mind. With the support of the class, Lopez created The Community Cuts Program, working in collaboration with local barbers and hairstylists to provide free haircuts before the summer for local youth. “With the support of my classmates, local businesses and organizations, more than 65 youth received a free hair cut at the event in June and also obtained helpful information for food, fuel and housing assistance.”
For both Lopez and Brooks, the CLI was a lifechanging experience. “One of the biggest takeaways from CLI is the relationships you develop with your class and also with those people you meet along the way when you visit businesses and organizations within the community,” said Brooks. Added Lopez, “We had such a diverse group of individuals who were all like-minded in wanting to learn about their community and do something positive to help people as well.”
Community Leadership Institute Class of 2022
Daisy Ayala, Enterprise Bank
Joshua Bedarian, RCAP Solutions, Inc
Austin Brooks, TD Bank
Joseph Ferguson, Fitchburg State University (ReImagine North of Main and TDI Partnership)
Justin Goettsch, The Arc of Opportunity
Ramon Gonzalez, Mount Wachusett Community College
Brittany Haley, Leominster Credit Union
Megan Heffernan, UMass Memorial Health HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital
Kimberly LeBlanc, Resource Management, Inc
Bea Lee, North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation
Christian Lopez, Fitchburg Art Museum, Sponsored by AIS
Stephanie LoSasso, Avidia Bank
Hannah Pollan, Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts
Andrea Sampson, Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts
Melanie Sauvageau, Rollstone Bank & Trust
Patricia Wayrynen, Workers Credit Union
Marcus Williams, Mount Wachusett Community College
While the class of 2022 has officially graduated, their work continues. Class members are currently seeking a member of the community to assist with guidance related to expanding the development of the Russell Brooks Foundation. If you are interested in helping the Russell Brooks Foundation, please reach out to Kat Deal at the Chamber.
Applications for the class of 2023 will be accepted until August 26, 2022. Please contact Kat Deal, Events & Programs Manager, at 978.353.7600 x 235 or for more information.
With 130 plus restaurants, 1,420 rooms to stay, 27 communities to visit and more than a million visitors annually, North Central Massachusetts is on the map as a growing drive destination for family fun, outdoor activities, and sporting events for those throughout New England and beyond.
Want to take a walk?Hop on a bike? Or even a scooter? There’s a trail waiting for you. State and community parks, conservation areas, even former railroad routes make North Central a haven for those who like to move their bodies. Want to check out a soccer game or enjoy a night on the town with friends? We’ve got dozens of fields home to sporting events, and restaurants and breweries abound!
“We are confident in North Central Massachusetts’ ability to entice individuals and families to rethink their vacation plans. Easily drivable amenities, food and farm attractions, and arts and culture venues present an appealing and affordable alternative to hectic air travel to far-flung destinations in the U.S. and around the world,” said Henry Tessman, General Manager of Great Wolf Lodge, a family destination located in Fitchburg that attracts more than half a million people annually and employs more than 700 staff, known as Pack Members.
In 2020, a group of local business and community leaders, dignitaries and other key regional stakeholders got together to really understand what makes our region tick. The result is One North Central, a regional economic development plan to set a path forward for growth and opportunities. The group analyzed dozens of quantitative and qualitative data and factors to identify target industries as viable targets to invest in the region and grow their businesses.
One of the top industries identified was the tourism sector.
Prior to the pandemic, the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism identified tourism as the third-largest industry in Massachusetts, providing more than 155,000 jobs and a payroll of $5.9 billion state-wide, with North Central Massachusetts offering the potential of more than 16,000 jobs in the industry and more than $185 million in direct visitor spending. Post-pandemic, tourism in in North Central Massachusetts is slowly rebounding, proving the region’s potential in the industry.
Rick Walton, President of Moon Hill Brewing Co., and the Gardner Ale House, knows a thing or two about hospitality. His businesses serve more than 150,000 customers annually, with approximately 50 full- and part-time jobs filled. “Right now, many businesses are experiencing crickets when it comes to hiring workers, but we are doing more to retain our current workers, including offering higher wages and providing opportunities for growth in the business,” said Walton. “Rather than having a revolving door of workers, we want to cultivate an evolving family of employees.”
Tessman echoed Walton’s thoughts as Great Wolf Lodge grapples with finding and retaining qualified workers. “While local companies must spend more money on training and developing employees to run their business, I’m fortunate to have strong corporate training programs to train someone on a skill if they have the drive to work at a family resort,” said Tessman. “We are also working with our local trade schools, high schools and colleges to seek employment, but it would be great if our educators would look to providing areas of hospitality for study so we can more clearly identify our future workers.”
For Dean Hirtle, Senior Vice President, Game On Sports and Performance Center in Fitchburg, running a tourism business is fairly new, as the facility formally opened in late 2021. “Businesses have a major opportunity to invest in North Central Massachusetts,” said Hirtle. “There is a lot of growth here and when people visit, they are surprised by what this region has to offer.”
Game On is situated in West Fitchburg on more than 100 acres of land, with only 40 acres currently developed—the additional 60 acres will be transformed into additional turf fields, parking areas, and there are plans to build a hotel to accommodate the more than 5,000 to 10,000 visitors at Game On during any given weekend. “Fitchburg is getting on the map, but we need to utilize marketing opportunities to make people aware of what is happening here. We live and work in a competitive youth sports market so the opportunity here to increase visitor spending will positively impact the economy for the region.”
In addition to hosting sporting events, such as soccer, lacrosse, and basketball for teams from across New England and up and down the East Coast, Game On also serves as the home field for Monty Tech and Fitchburg High School sports. “We take great pride in supporting local athletic departments to use our facilities.”
While Game On is fast becoming a sports destination for athletes, the region is also home to large athletic field complexes in Lancaster and Devens, which host a variety of soccer and lacrosse games, to name a few.
Tessman said the sporting complexes provide additional tourism dollars for all the local businesses in the region, including Great Wolf Lodge, which is located just minutes west on Route 2A from Game On. “With the current and future growth this region is experiencing, we will see more businesses expand or create additional opportunities to cater to these travelers,” he said.
Walton also believes the region has a lot to offer, where one can hike, ski, paddle, sit and relax all within the same day. “We are quintessential New England,” he said. “Every region in the world has its benefits, so it is necessary to compete with other areas to obtain the tourism dollars. We have a solid Chamber of Commerce and a solid regional tourism council, but we just need the funding to promote ourselves and get the word out about what we have to offer.”
Tessman agrees that state funding is critical to ensure success of the industry. “We have proven that tourism dollars stimulate all other business sectors, but we have to fight every year to expand or maintain marketing dollars,” he said. “Other states in New England spend more dollars on tourism and those states experience the benefits of it. While it’s unfortunate that most of the funding the state does spend on tourism marketing ends up in the Boston area, we need to start screaming a little louder here in North Central to prove our value.” Make no mistake, Tessman added, that Great Wolf Lodge has experienced eight years of success in North Central Massachusetts, with plans to invest upward of $40 million in upcoming renovations for the future. “We look forward to many, many more years of presence here in Fitchburg.”
Local business owners can help the tourism industry capitalize on the region’s assets to promote good health, happiness, and well-being. In addition to good jobs and a lower cost of living, the proximity to tourist amenities makes our region a beautiful place to live and work, which helps in the recruitment of hiring talent who do not call North Central home.
Rachel Lopez, Division President of Resource Management located in Fitchburg, was born and raised in North Central. As a local employer in the region who hosts colleagues and potential employees residing out of the area, Lopez utilizes the region’s amenities and assets to attract talent. “To attract and retain a talented workforce, you have to offer an appealing place for someone to call home,” she said. “While I am biased because I grew up here, I’m always thinking about ways to show my out-of-town colleagues and guests the best of what this region as to offer. I’d love to have someone visit the area and consider entertaining a job opportunity here because of the experience they had when they visited us.”
Lopez added she encourages out-of-town colleagues to make a family trip out of their visit by staying at Great Wolf or skiing at Wachusett Mountain, and looks to local museums, restaurants and farms when planning employee events. “While we have been on a hiatus for hosting large group functions due to the pandemic, I am really looking forward to bringing back employee outings and annual celebrations to share the local area with my colleagues in Florida.”
“I encourage our local business owners to take their employees out to local establishments,” said Walton. “Instead of going into Boston, do a brewery tour, take a dive at Great Wolf, go skiing, and frequent our many restaurants. Also, think about buying gift cards to support our businesses, too.”
The Chamber’s tourism arm, Visit North Central Massachusetts manages a robust collaborative regional marketing program to support the visitor and hospitality industry which includes paid digital marketing, social media campaigns, public relations, and participation in trade shows. Printed twice per year, The Guide to North Central Massachusetts promotes tourism and travel in the region with stories and a calendar of events that encompass some of the great events happening here. The Chamber also operates the Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center that welcomes 165,000 visitors each year.
Roy Nascimento, President and CEO of the Chamber, believes the region is well positioned to continue to benefit from tourism and placemaking efforts. “North Central Massachusetts is a very special place located right in the heart of New England,” he said. “It’s up to all of us to share the many opportunities and experiences our region offers with our friends, family and colleagues from outside the area to not only help our tourism industry succeed but to make our region shine.”
By the Numbers
Tourism in North Central Massachusetts
U.S. Adult Trips Annually
1,087,751
Jobs Benefiting from Tourism 16,000
Direct Visitor Spending
$185.4 Million
State Taxes Generated $9.4 Million
Local Taxes Generated $5 Million
Top Five Origin Markets
Boston, Providence/New Bedford Area, Connecticut, New York and Maine
*Data represents pre-pandemic numbers from CY2019 and is sourced from Arrivalist Travel Data, the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and the RKG Study conducted by the Chamber.
The Department of Revenue is still counting, but the budget watchers at the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation expect that the Legislature will have a surplus of $3.6 billion when the final accounting of the fiscal year that ended last week is complete. Through May, the state had collected $36.969 billion in tax revenue for fiscal year 2022 — $2.666 billion or 7.8 percent ahead of expectations. Combined with two upgrades the executive branch made during the budget year, MTF said Massachusetts is $5.932 billion ahead of benchmark. But that’s not the anticipated surplus. Supplemental spending has wiped out about $1.6 billion of the overage, about $1.2 billion in above-benchmark capital gains will be statutorily bound for reserves and more than $250 million is due to the School Building Authority and MBTA. When all is said and done, including accounting for an addition $750 million in federal revenue, MTF said it anticipates the final FY2022 surplus will be roughly $3.588 billion, which it notes would be more than twice as large as the roughly $1.5 billion surplus of fiscal year 2021. “The primary reason the surplus is larger this year is because the original FY 2021 budget relied on close to $2 billion in one-time resources, including the Stabilization Fund. Much of last year’s excess tax revenue was used to eliminate the need for these temporary revenues. The original FY 2022 budget did not rely on the Stabilization Fund or other one-time resources, freeing up excess tax revenues for the surplus,” MTF wrote in its brief. The organization pointed out four things that could change its calculations: if June revenues come in above the $3.363 billion benchmark, the surplus will increase; a greater amount of above-benchmark capital gains would divert more to the state’s rainy day fund; an updated view of outstanding account deficiencies could eat away at some of the surplus; and significant reversions, or appropriated funds that go unspent, could increase the surplus. “The FY 2022 budget surplus will be historic and it will require careful planning to use it effectively and sustainably,” MTF said.In addition to any FY2022 surplus, the Legislature also has $2.3 billion in unspent American Rescue Plan Act money at its disposal and is expecting that the state will collect at least $36.915 billion in tax revenue in fiscal year 2023, which began July 1.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce will host a new member orientation and reception on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Thirsty Robot Brewing Co. at 265 Summer Street, Fitchburg, MA.
Thirsty Robot brews a variety of beer with a “focus on aroma-packed and flavor-driven beers, with an emphasis on New England IPAs” states owner and brewer Bill diMario.The venue has ample indoor and outdoor seating along with an interesting menu, Thursday Trivia night and live entertainment from a variety of local musicians.
Chamber staff will explain the many benefits and programs of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce including networking events, government affairs, educational workshops and seminars, advertising opportunities and health insurance, to name just a few.The orientation is geared towards new members, but is equally valuable for current members who want to get the most value from their membership, or those interested in learning if chamber membership is right for them.The orientation will be followed by a reception for new members to connect and engage with other business and community leaders.Light refreshments and appetizers will be provided.
“This is a great opportunity for members and non-members to learn about the dynamic nature of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce,” said Roy Nascimento, president & CEO. “Attendees will learn about the important work that we do advancing the region as well as the tremendous resources we offer for businesses of all sizes and industries.”
There is no cost to attend the new member reception, but online pre-registration is encouraged.For more information or to register, please visitwww.northcentralmass.comor contact the Chamber at 978.353.7600 ext. 235.
Business owners unable to attend but interested in learning more about chamber membership may contact Tracy Gagnon at 978.353.7600 ext. 239 or via email at to schedule a brief introduction to the programs and services.
Department of Transportation overseers stamped their approval Wednesday on a five-year capital plan calling for spending nearly $15 billion on improving reliability, modernizing and expanding the state’s transportation system. MassDOT’s board voted unanimously in favor of a $14.9 billion proposal covering fiscal years 2023 through 2027, embracing a plan that looks ahead a half-decade rather than a single year for the first time since COVID-19 hit. More than half of the spending would go toward reliability projects such as routine maintenance and repairs. A bit more than a quarter would go to modernization efforts, including required accessibility and safety improvements. The rest would be divided between expansions, Chapter 90 reimbursements to help municipalities with road and bridge maintenance, and other planning services. Projects funded by the plan include the major ongoing Sumner Tunnel rehabilitation effort, replacement of the Rourke Bridge in Lowell, and design and permitting of the once-in-a-generation push to reorganize the confluence of highway, rail and pedestrian infrastructure in a narrow sliver of land in Allston. Highways across Massachusetts feature as the largest target for investment in the five-year plan — or as MassDOT Director of Capital Planning Michelle Ho put it, “highway does take the cake” — with more than $10 billion set to flow to reliability, modernization and expansion of the state’s roadways. About $1.4 billion of the MassDOT plan would put state dollars toward MBTA expansion and state of good repair projects, and the transit agency also has its own $9.6 billion five-year plan in place for other major projects including South Coast Rail.
Chamber Ambassadors are valued volunteers to the Chamber who serve as the face of the organization in the community.They assist the Chamber with communications to new and existing members, participate in ribbon cuttings and help connect members at various Chamber events.Howe was voted Ambassador of the Year by her fellow Chamber Ambassadors at their May meeting.
“We are grateful to Lauren for her dedication and support of our Chamber as we work to advance our goals throughout the 27 communities that comprise our region,” said Roy Nascimento, president and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “While Lauren is a fairly new member of our business community, she quickly become an engaged business leader across North Central and a sought-after expert in the areas of public relations and communications for a variety of businesses. We are eager to see what the future holds for Lauren, both through her work with the Chamber and with her business.”
Howe founded empHowered PR in March 2020 following an esteemed 23-year career in a variety of communications roles in the health care, manufacturing and non-profit industries.While her plans to launch her business were delayed due to the pandemic, she currently serves a variety of clients around the region, the country and the world. Her tailored services focus on brand strategy, corporate social responsibility, reputation management and thought leadership to effectively position her clients with key stakeholders to deliver long-term business goals.
Lauren holds both a master’s degree in Organizational and Professional Communication and a graduate certificate in Health Care Leadership Communications from Regis College.She received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and an associate degree in Liberal Arts from Mount Wachusett Community College.Lauren is a member of the Worcester Business Journal 40 under Forty class of 2014 and a 2017 graduate of the Leadership Worcester program.She currently serves as Chair of the Public Relations Society of America Independent Practitioner’s Alliance and is a member of the board at the American Red Cross of Central and Western Massachusetts.She also serves as the regular host of the Chamber’s “Good Morning North Central,” the region’s most popular morning gathering featuring high-profile guests discussing topics of interest with business, civic and community leaders.
“As a small business owner starting out at the beginning of the pandemic, the Chamber provided me with information and connections to successfully launch my business, literally from my kitchen table,” said Howe. “I am honored to be recognized by my peers as their Ambassador of the Year and look forward to continued collaboration and success with my fellow Ambassadors in the years to come.”
The Legislature on Monday set the dates of this year’s sales tax holiday weekend, settling on Aug. 13 and 14, when Massachusetts shoppers will get a break from state sales tax on most retail items less than $2,500.
The annual sales-tax-free weekend was made permanent by a 2018 law, which calls on the Legislature to set the dates by June 15 each year, otherwise the Department of Revenue gets to pick.
As part of the “grand bargain” law, retailers in 2018 dropped their push for a ballot question lowering the 6.25 percent sales tax to 5 percent. That law also raised the minimum wage will rise from $11 to $15 an hour over a five-year period, phased out time-and-a-half pay for workers on Sundays and holidays over that same period, and solidified the launch of a paid family and medical leave program overseen by the state government and backed by a payroll tax.
Economic Development Committee co-chairs Sen. Eric Lesser and Rep. Jerry Parisella sponsored the date-setting measures in their respective branches Monday.
Prior to the Senate’s vote, Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said the Legislature was being “proactive” and setting the date, but he found it “unfortunate” no other tax relief steps had yet been taken.
“While we are here to at least accomplish two days of sales tax relief, I would hope with the remaining time in this session that we would consider still expanding this sales tax holiday,” Tarr said, “as one of the best ways to be able to give tax relief to the citizens of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, who are watching these debates, and asking themselves — repetitively — if we have billions of dollars in surplus, and we are properly funding all of our accounts, then why is it that we cannot find the ability to reach consensus on offering substantial, responsible tax relief?”
The holiday does not apply to purchases of some specific goods or services: motor vehicles, motorboats, meals, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, marijuana products, telecommunications services like prepaid calls, natural gas, steam, or electricity.
Christopher W. McCarthy, president and COO of Fidelity Bank has been elected Chair of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for 2022-2023.The announcement was made at the chamber’s Annual Meeting on June 9, 2022.
McCarthy was named president and COO of Fidelity Bank in 2015, after more than twenty years of experience in community banking.Headquartered in Leominster, Fidelity Bank is one of the oldest and continually growing independent, local community banks in Central Massachusetts.Fidelity offers a full range of banking, investment and insurance products and programs, and operates full-service branches in Leominster, Worcester, Fitchburg, Needham, Gardner, Shirley, Barre, Millbury, Paxton, Princeton and Winchendon.
McCarthy earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and a Master of Business Administration degree from Nichols College.He also holds a post-graduate degree from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.
In addition to his involvement with the chamber, Mr. McCarthy also serves on a number of boards and charitable organizations, including the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, the Worcester Business Development Corporation and Saint Vincent Hospital.He is also active in his alma mater, Nichols College, serving as a member of the College’s Board of Advisors.
He succeeds Rachel Lopez, president of Resource Management Inc. (RMI) who now moves to the position of Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors.
“It is an honor and privilege to have been elected Chair of this dynamic and respected organization that plays such an important role in North Central Massachusetts,” expressed Mr. McCarthy, “I am excited to continue Rachel Lopez’s efforts and make sure the Chamber remains a strong resource for the local business community.”
McCarthy was first elected to the Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2016 and has held several leadership positions including Vice Chair, Treasurer and has served on the Chamber’s Leadership Council, the One North Central leadership committee and the executive committee. As the Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Mr. McCarthy will work with the Board, Chamber staff, and membership to champion the Chamber in its mission to serve the region’s business community.
“As Chair, Chris will play a significant role in advancing the Chamber’s goals and initiatives,” noted Roy Nascimento, Chamber president & CEO. “We are fortunate to have his respected leadership. We look forward to working with him to advance the interests of our members and promote North Central Massachusetts.”
In the same election, James L. Vander Hooven, Ed.D., president of Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner was elected Vice-Chair and director Barbara Mahoney, president & CEO of Leominster Credit Union was elected to the position of Treasurer; and Dr. Richard Lapidus, president of Fitchburg State University was elected to the position of Assistant Treasurer.Board members elected for new terms were Winfield Brown, president & CEO of Heywood Healthcare in Gardner; Jackie Cullen, Owner of RiverStyx Brewing in Fitchburg; Melissa Glenny, founder and CEO of Franklin Professional Associates in Leominster; Michael Johansen, president of Bemis Associates in Shirley; and Lori Richardson, president & CEO of Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts;
Continuing current terms on the Board of Directors are Allie Catlin, co-owner of Smith’s Country Cheese in Winchendon; Tony Fields, president and owner of Cleartech Group in Leominster; Matthew Fournier, president of Elite Construction & Design in Fitchburg; Bruce Platzman, president of AIS, Inc. in Leominster; Steve Rocheleau, president of Rocheleau Tool & Die in Fitchburg; Rodrigo Souza, owner of Comeketo Brazilian Steakhouse in Leominster; Henry Tessman, general manager of Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg; and John Zarrella president of Research Results, Inc. in Fitchburg.
