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GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce takes an active advocacy role with government on behalf of our member businesses, focused on issues that impact business, and the economy of North Central Massachusetts. As part of our government relations efforts, we actively work to engage with policy makers. Below is an update on some of the more recent government relations activities at the local, regional, state and federal level.
FEDERAL:
Back in the fall we hosted the economic development advisor and the district director for 
STATE:
Prior to the special election, the Chamber staff met with all of the candidates for the Worcester & Middlesex District Senate seat formerly held by Jen Flanagan.
In the fall, we organized a special manufacturing tour for legislative leaders to highlight the importance of manufacturing to North Central Massachusetts as well as legislative efforts to eliminate the inventory tax for manufa
Earlier this month, we hosted our annual Legislative Briefing to present our economic development priorities to our legislative delegation, and engage them on efforts to shepherd those priorities through the state budget. Over the last year, we have seen more engagement with our legislative delegation, due to concerted efforts to raise the Chamber’s government relations.
LOCAL:
In the fall, the Chamber staff met with many of the candidates for city council in Leominster and Fitchburg to engage them on priorities of the business community. Post-election, the Chamber continued its proactive outreach to newly elected public 
Chamber’s regional priorities.
The Chamber also testified at the annual Fitchburg Property Tax Classification Hearing. The Fitchburg City Council voted in favor of reducing the burden on businesses, moving toward a single tax rate. The Leominster City Council voted to maintain their single tax rate.
In January, we testified at a Fitchburg hearing regarding the renovations to the old City Hall building and we also testified at the Finance Sub-Committee of the Gardner City Council on the issue of tourism funding.
This month, the Chamber also hosted a briefing for the four new city councilors in Fitchburg with several local developers and business leaders to discuss priorities such as tax classification, tourism funding and streamlined permitting.
For more information, please contact Christopher McDermott, Public Affairs Manager at 978.353.7600 ext. 224 or email .
Regional Economic Development Forum Friday January 26th
Representative Jennifer Benson
invites you to a
Regional Economic Development Forum
Friday, January 26, 2018 – 1:30 to 3:30 pm
The Bull Run Restaurant
215 Great Road – Shirley, MA
Speaking guests include:
Speaker Robert A. DeLeo
Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Secretary Jay Ash
Secretary of Housing and Economic Development
Commissioner Jennifer Flanagan
Cannabis Control Commission
Light refreshments will be served
To RSVP, please contact my District Director, Joshua Bedarian,
at 978-582-4146 x4 or joshua.bedarian@mahouse.gov
Sam Adams Air & Après Show Sponsorship Opportunity
CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
PROPOSAL: Local Sponsorship
EVENT: Sam Adams Air & Après Show
DATE: Wednesday, March 7, 2017
LOCATION: Wachusett Mountain Ski Area
EVENT SUMMARY: Olympic and XGames Pro Athletes performing big air rounds where they hit the jump solo, side by side and as a wall of jumpers under the graphics and music. This is the greatest show on snow. The graphics are high tech and we have created a “never been done before” entertaining mix with amazing visuals and big air by the best athletes in the world.
PROJECTED AUDIENCE: 2,000
SPONSORSHIP FEE: $2,500
SPONSOR BENEFITS:
On Site Activation:
o One 10 x 10 outdoor booth space to promote your company
- Announcements:
o Inclusion in sponsor thank you recognition during event by MC
- Signage at Event:
o 3×6 banner on show site
o Logo projected onto show site jump
- Promotion/PR
o Press Release of event
o Wachusett website event page
o Wachusett Mountain Social Media Posts of event
o Include name/link in Wachusett Mountain email promoting event
o Include logo on show flyer posted in Wachusett Base Lodge up to 2 weeks prior to event
- Hospitality:
o 10 lift tickets for evening of event
o Access to meet & greet with participating athletes
New England and Old England: FSU Professor to Speak on “Finding the Ancient and Medieval in Fitchburg”
The Fitchburg Historical Society will welcome Fitchburg State University Associate Professor Kisha Tracy on Thursday, February 8 at 5:30 p.m. for a talk on cultural heritage called Cultural Heritage: Finding the Ancient and Medieval in Fitchburg. The talk is structured around photographs taken in central Massachusetts that illustrate aspects of our historical memory and cultural heritage. Our experience of Fitchburg’s local history can be more fully understood in the context of ancient and medieval history, which will also be illustrated through photographs taken by Professor Tracy in the course of her medieval researches in Europe.
Cultural Heritage: Finding the Ancient and Medieval in Fitchburg is free and open to the public; Professor Tracy will speak on Thursday, February 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Fitchburg Historical Society, Phoenix Building, 781 Main Street, Fitchburg. The talk is one part of a larger project created by Professor Tracy and her students, who are curating photographs of local history and ancient culture in an online gallery, as they also research their historic subject matter.
“The focus of this project is photography of ancient and medieval cultural heritage stories from other countries, and local cultural heritage stories in New England and Fitchburg,” says Kisha Tracy. “Cultural heritage is the manifestation of common human experiences, and, by drawing these parallels, we can emphasize the connection between the distant past and more recent, local history. We end up learning more about our shared need for preservation and historical study.”
Kisha Tracy is an Associate Professor of English Studies, and Co-Coordinator of the Center for Teaching and Learning, at Fitchburg State University. She received a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from the University of Connecticut in 2010. She has written the book Memory and Confession in Middle English Literature, and is developing a new book entitled Students Are People Too. She is the Book Review Editor for Currents in Teaching and Learning and on the board of the New England Faculty Development Consortium and the International Society for Exploring Teaching and Learning.
“This is a very exciting project,” according to Susan Navarre, Executive Director of the Fitchburg Historical Society. “It encourages today’s college students to think about the meaning of their local history in the context of world history. And at this talk, the audience will have an opportunity to see how Professor Tracy and her students interpret Fitchburg artifacts and history. After the talk, attendees can also see online and real world exhibitions that the students curate under Professor Tracy’s tutelage.”
Exhibitions of photographs from the Cultural Heritage Through Image Project will take place at the Fitchburg Art Museum and the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library at Fitchburg State University. More information on the Cultural Heritage Through Image project may be found at http://culturalheritagethroughimage.omeka.net/.
The Fitchburg Historical Society is fully ADA accessible, with a parking lot and plenty of on-street parking. For directions, visit https://www.google.com/maps/place/781+Main+Street,+Fitchburg,+MA+01420/@42.5850813,-71.8062273,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e3e656ca72ce63:0xcb20840fa007311a!8m2!3d42.5850813!4d-71.8040386?hl=en.
For more information, call 978-345-1157 or visit www.fitchburghistoricalsociety.com.
Time For Class Registration with A+ Firearms Training of MA
No time like the present to register for classes so that you can apply for your LTC and learn how to defensively protect yourself and your family. Also, learn how to better your chances of survival in the event of an active shooter event wherever you might be. With that said, following are the latest scheduled classes. More to come as the weather gets warmer.
CLASS: Active Shooter/Civilian Response
WHEN: Saturday, February 17, 2018
TIME: 9 am to 12:15 pm
LOCATION: Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
670 Linwood Ave., Bldg. A
Whitinsville, MA 01588
COST: $45 (payable by credit card, check or cash)
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CLASS: Home Firearm Safety with Live Fire
WHEN: Saturday, February 24, 2018
TIME: 9 am to 4:30 pm
LOCATION: South Fitchburg Hunting & Fishing club
60 Warren Road
Townsend, MA 01469
COST: $125 (payable by credit card, check or cash)
Hometown Bank Community Foundation Contributes $5,000 To Newvue Communities
NewVue Communities is a non-profit organization, located in Fitchburg, MA, that serves 22 communities in central Massachusetts. Since its founding in 1979, NewVue Communities has endeavored to improve local communities and the lives of their residents, regardless of their background. The contribution from Hometown Bank Community Foundation helps to support the various programs and services provided by NewVue Communities, including affordable housing, financial literacy, education and foreclosure prevention. It also helps with small business technical assistance for the creation and retention of jobs. Marc Dohan, Executive Director of NewVue Communities, stated that NewVue Communities “envisions healthy neighborhoods where residents choose to live, work and invest.”
Hometown Bank Community Foundation, Inc. was formed in early 2016 by bankHometown, a state-chartered cooperative bank headquartered in Oxford, Massachusetts with $730 million in assets. Christina DiRusso, assistant vice president of commercial lending for bankHometown, serves on the board of NewVue Communities. In addition, a number of bankHometown employees also serve as speakers at NewVue’s first-time homebuyer seminars.
bankHometown has served its communities since 1889 and operates thirteen full service branch offices; eight located in central Massachusetts and five located in northeastern Connecticut. Depositors of bankHometown have their deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for amounts up to $250,000 with amounts in excess of $250,000 insured in full by the Share Insurance Fund, a private excess insurer.
Getting to Know Your Chamber
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce will host “Getting to Know Your Chamber” on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Chamber’s main office, 860 South Street, Fitchburg, Ma 01420. This presentation is designed to help new members navigate the perks and programs of Chamber membership, 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.
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. There is no cost to attend the “Getting to Know Your Chamber” meeting, but pre-registration is required. Register online at www.NorthCentralMass.com/news/calendar-of-events/.
Business owners unable to attend but interested in learning more about Chamber membership may contact or David Ginisi at 978.353.7600 x240 or by sending an email to to schedule a one-to-one meeting.
Lunch at SJ Markham & Son, Inc. for National Get to Know Your Customer Day
January 18th is National Get to Know Your Customers Day! SJ Markham & Son, Inc. is celebrating by inviting all current customers to lunch on Thursday, January 18th from 11am-2pm. As a family-run company, we pride ourselves on treating our customers like family and want to use this holiday to get to know everyone more. Stop by for a few minutes or spend your entire lunch break with Lisa, Michaela, Emma, and Dottie. There will be lunch and a raffle with multiple prizes. We hope to see everyone at 365 Main Street in Fitchburg, MA to celebrate!
See our Facebook Event for more details!
New Classes Scheduled
Now that the frigid Arctic air has left (albeit temporarily), it’s time to schedule classes so that people can apply for their LTCs and learn how to defensively protect themselves and their families. Also, learn how to better your chances of survival in the event of an active shooter event wherever you might be. With that said, following are the latest scheduled classes. More to come as the weather gets warmer.
CLASS: Active Shooter/Civilian Response
WHEN: Saturday, February 17, 2018
TIME: 9 am to 12:15 pm
LOCATION: Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
670 Linwood Ave., Bldg. A
Whitinsville, MA 01588
COST: $45 (payable by credit card, check or cash)
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CLASS: Home Firearm Safety with Live Fire
WHEN: Saturday, February 24, 2018
TIME: 9 am to 4:30 pm
LOCATION: South Fitchburg Hunting & Fishing club
60 Warren Road
Townsend, MA 01469
COST: $125 (payable by credit card, check or cash)
Call A+ Firearms Training of MA to register for a class or acquire more information.
BANKHOMETOWN CEO TO RETIRE
Mike Hewitt joined the Bank in 2011 and was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in 2013. The Bank has more than doubled in size under his leadership and is widely considered to be one of the best performing banks in the region. Mr. Hewitt added that “I have truly enjoyed my time at bankHometown. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work closely with the dedicated professionals on bankHometown’s Board of Directors over the past five years. It goes without saying that I will miss my daily interactions with bankHometown’s exceptionally talented staff and management team. With that said, after 40 years in banking, I am excited to turn my attention to spending more time with my family.”
To provide continuity and maintain the Bank’s strategic direction, the bankHometown Board of Directors has chosen to fill Mike Hewitt’s role with Matthew S. Sosik, the President and Chief Executive Officer of bankHometown’s mutual holding company. Mr. Pappas added that “This decision maximizes our flexibility and leaves many strategic opportunities available to us. Matt formerly served as President and Chief Executive Officer of bankHometown for a period of 17 years up until 2013. We are fortunate to have someone with the familiarity and experience with bankHometown who can seamlessly fill Mike’s role upon his retirement.”
bankHometown is headquartered in Oxford, Massachusetts and has $735 million in assets. In 2016, bankHometown merged its mutual holding company with that of bankESB, a $1.35 billion bank headquartered in Easthampton, Massachusetts. The two banks are now both subsidiaries of Hometown Financial Group, MHC, a $2.2 billion mutual holding company. The two banks operate autonomously and share many of their back office and administrative resources. Mr. Sosik stated that “We are committed to mutuality and strongly believe in the value of our mutual holding company model. We hope to attract other like-minded banks into our growing and successful company as scale and size have become critical elements of being successful in today’s banking environment.” Sosik further added that “As excited as I am about the future of our mutual holding company and our two affiliate banks, I am truly excited for Mike on his upcoming and well deserved retirement. Mike is a great banker, but he’s an even better person, and all of us wish him the very best in his retirement later this year.”
bankHometown has served its communities since 1889 and operates thirteen full service offices; eight in central Massachusetts and five located in northeastern Connecticut. Depositors of bankHometown have their deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for amounts up to $250,000 with amounts in excess of $250,000 insured in full by the Share Insurance Fund, a private excess insurer.