When it comes to Tax Increment Financing agreements, Sturbridge remains selective, focusing on projects that bring strong employment benefits. “We do not take TIFs lightly,” Bubon says. “The difference in Sturbridge is that as fast as we have a piece of property, we fill it up. So, for the right project, for the right type of job creation, when it is that perfect chemistry, then I think we’ve been very agreeable to that.” PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE As Sturbridge looks ahead, supporting local partners to the table immediately. “We brought the state in along with us, and provided that company with a one stop presentation,” he notes. This coordinated process allowed the business to evaluate incentives, cost reductions, and abatements all at once. He outlines a recent project where a 40,000 square foot industrial building received all necessary approvals within months, and that past projects, including New England Cold Storage and CORE X, have also benefited from the town’s handson, collaborative approach. 160 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
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