Resilience helps ‘future-proof’ Easthampton

For The Last Few

years I have written this column looking forward to the coming year. After two years under the threat of COVID, it feels like we’re finally out of the woods. As I look back on the past year and forward into the next, I have been struck by one word that continues to resonate: Resiliency.

We often use “resiliency” in public policy discussions, but, typically, it’s in terms of climate change. To be clear we’re building a city that is more prepared to withstand the increasingly erratic and severe weather that comes with climate change; Easthampton has major road, sewer, and wastewater projects scheduled through at least 2030.

Easthampton’s first comprehensive Climate Action Plan will be created, cataloging what steps we take next to minimize carbon output while maximizing impact. It helps plan for assertively negotiating solar PILOTS, electrifying the city fleet and migrating to more efficient water, sewer and wastewater technology. Each of these projects is meant to future-proof our city against the changes in the world around us, creating a cleaner environment as well as expanding economic development possibilities in the coming years.

Just as we’re building a city that is more prepared for the changes we’re seeing in the climate, we’re making those same investments in our future through building new schools that will better prepare our children for the next economy and the changing world that we’re all experiencing. Similarly, we’re bringing in new businesses and new development to ensure that our tax base grows and remains strong in the coming years.

The new Tasty Top development is turning underutilized property into dynamic, mixeduse space that will welcome hundreds of new residents to our city. The Massachusetts LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce has chosen our city to open a regional office because they recognize the type of ecosystem we’re building in Easthampton. While this might seem to be a small thing to some, the chamber is an open and willing partner, working to solve problems for local business owners and will help attract new businesses to our city. Their presence in Easthampton signals there is a safe space to incubate where there was not in the past. The Chamber is an open, willing partner to solve problems and build bridges among stakeholders. Easthampton welcomes and supports their work.

Adapting to rapid market changes, Blueprint Easthampton’s operations move to our longtime partner, the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce. This deep partnership allows programming to expand and diversify, including English and Spanish curricula. On the city side, we’re going to use dynamic data to drive our decisions in municipal decisions around issues like parking, plowing and potholes.

Data is the new currency of a municipality. Fresh, constantly updated data drives us forward — tracking how our infrastructure is holding up depending on current traffic patterns, who accesses what city facilities and who does not, correlating speeding with accidents. Data will drive Easthampton’s decisions for future investments, expenditures, and services.

Throughout the pandemic we were able to respond in real time to spikes in COVID positivity, growing out Department of Public Health by 300%; similarly, we can use data to provide improved and