You're Invited to a Residents' Economic Development Forum

The Oxford Economic Development Commission will be sponsoring a Residents' Forum at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Oxford Town Hall.  Since we are currently engaged in an election season, First Selectman Candidates, Joe Calabrese and George Temple, have been invited to participate and discuss their economic development plans for the future.  

Oxford’s economic development record has been exemplary.  We are already “differentiated” as the fastest growing town in the region and state, both in population growth and in-town employment.  

We are known in the real estate and development communities as the “go to town” by being a “business friendly” town that respects developers and investors and providing prompt land use approvals so that new buildings and facilities can be built promptly.  

Since 2006 we have designed, approved and opened three new industrial subdivisions and approved more than 40 building site plans.  Over forty new businesses have leased our flex space buildings and our flex space landlords enjoy a +92% occupancy rate.  

To quote the Valley Chamber President, Mr. Bill Purcell from a September 2009 Republican-American article “Growth Takes Off in Oxford”:  quote “Oxford has the infrastructure and abundant land to accommodate all the new development moving up from New York through Fairfield County toward Central Connecticut.  I think they have done it skillfully, thoughtfully, and it has become a major emerging economic center in the state”.  

Even the legislature has taken notice by passing, with the help of Senator Kane and Representative Labriola, an Enterprise Zone surrounding the Waterbury-Oxford Airport to leverage our land assets to attract even more new business and land development investment.  

During my presentation to Oxford residents I expect to: 

• Provide objective, verifiable measures of our economic development performance to date
• Show how planned growth has allowed the town to fund our new high school and other town improvement projects without raising the town mill rate
• Define what the program means to individual home owners
• Quantify the taxpayer’s return on investment from the economic development program
• Outline the Economic Development Strategic Plan that EDC is currently following. 

The economic development program in Oxford needs the support of informed Oxford residents.  

I respectfully request that residents make the effort to attend this forum and get the “real story” about the town’s economic development successes.  Please attend and enjoy refreshing information and refreshments!

Herman Schuler

Economic Development Director

Town of Oxford, Connecticuter