Civil Municipal View Feb2023

94 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Patriot Place www.patriot-place.com Patriot Place is a shopping, dining and entertainment destination located adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The 1.3 million square foot complex features popular retailers, 23 restaurants, entertainment venues, state-of-the-art health care centers and more. For more information, visit www.patriot-place.com and follow Patriot Place on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. use of funds in the direction of the schools.” “There are so many areas where this money could be applied, so we really need to be diligent in aligning our priorities,” offers Shea.“I think everyone on the East Coast has to realize that many of these cities were built in the 1800s and there’s no question we have to do something about water and sewer. At the same time, the pandemic has us re-examining issues like public health and improving the general well-being of residents in the Norfolk area. The good news is that with the APRA money, we’ve got a new life, so to speak. Not because we can use that money to run our county, but because it gives us a chance to network closer with our cities and towns.” “County government, we believe, is the future,” Cronin affirms.“As communities look within—look left and right—it’s not just collaboration they want, but resource sharing. The way these economies work within Massachusetts is they’re very silo- driven. You’ve got large communities like Quincy, which are big economic engines all by themselves, and then you have a host of rural towns driven primarily by property taxes. So, anytime you can share the wisdom and resources with those smaller communities, you’re helping them thrive.” “We’ve got a good diversity in our county,” Cronin concludes.“But I believe the evolution of government is going to include our ability to use our resources equitably.” “The sky’s the limit,” echoes Commissioner Staiti.“And we’re going to keep the County of Presidents right on top where it belongs.”