Update on the College/City Commission

From Kelly Ricaurte, Marketing and Communications:

I am one of the members on the College/City Commission, as charged by President Huot and Keene Mayor Lane. As we move into the new year, I’d like to provide an update on the work we are doing, and offer to be a resource if you have questions about the Commission.

During the course of the fall 2015 semester, our group of committed members, under the guidance of then-co-chairs Bart Sapeta and former city councilor, Emily Hague, began to discuss issues around parking/infrastructure and property/tax base. With Chris Cusack’s guidance as our interim co-chair while Bart is on sabbatical, we are continuing the conversation, with the goal of having a public report containing recommendations, this spring. These conversations have covered issues surrounding traffic patterns and lighting as they pertain to safety, the interconnectivity of the college and downtown area, a review of analyses of parking and impact the college has on parking, and ways in which the college and city can work together on master plans around property acquisition and tax base implications.

Our group of city and college representatives are working well together, and we are looking forward to sharing our recommendations on these topics. Keene State has strong support within the Commission, and the college’s economic impact study, cultural offerings, and much more have been an integral part of the conversation.

Our next meeting is on Monday, February 22 at 4 p.m. in City Hall – these are public meetings. I look forward to sharing more updates as they are available.