By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD —— Planning and Economic Development Director Erin Kokinda was at this week’s Town Council meeting to provide an update on the activities and initiatives that her office has been undertaking.
She began by summarizing the role of her department since it was created in 2020. The Community and Economic Development Department strategically positions the Town of Wakefield to compete regionally for economic development, maintains and analyzes data on the effectiveness of town activities and promotions and aims to increase the Town’s commercial and industrial tax base.
Services and initiatives supported by the office include business and non-profit support, commercial real estate searches and promotion, programming for business growth, marketing, maintaining partnerships with regional stakeholders, seeking grant opportunities for economic growth and event planning.
Kokinda said that around 200-300 businesses and non-profits have been assisted by her office since November 2020. That support includes connecting with property owners and streamlining permitting processes as well as connecting to state and regional business development organizations like the Wakefield Area Chamber of Commerce and the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, among others.
Kokinda said that she has forged relationships with downtown commercial property owners and assists them by connecting them with the correct town departments for their concerns and questions. She also provides information on town and state programs to help commercial property owners to update and promote their properties.
She highlighted some of the past initiatives that her office has worked on, including webinars for small businesses, digital marketing training, grant programs, Town Day, Project Pop-Up and more.
Kokinda also discussed some of the past and future planning efforts that her department has and will be undertaking.
She called attention to some of the ARPA-funded initiatives that her department had been involved with, focusing on the $1 million that was allocated to the Economic Development Council (EDC). Kokinda’s office took a lead role in a façade and sign program, a digital marketing program, a Chamber of Commerce Speaker Series, a marketing and PR campaign in partnership with town Communications Director Jennifer McDonald, project pop-up, the Creative Arts and Special Events (CASE) Grant Program and a downtown market assessment.
Kokinda said that the Round 1 of the Facade and Sign Program allocated $550,000 for a matching grant program that resulted in about $1 million in exterior property improvements for about 20 projects. She said that the EDC is currently reviewing about 14 more projects.
She also provided details on how a $60,000 digital marketing grant was implemented. She discussed a two-year marketing and PR campaign designed to promote economic development and build Wakefield’s reputation and visibility through media, events and digital outreach as well as position Wakefield as a top place to live, work and visit.
Kokinda also provided an update on Project Popup, including the latest effort involving a commercial space at 243 North Ave.
She discussed a $25,000 downtown market assessment, which she described as the first since 2016 to study downtown Wakefield’s business mix, consumer behavior and competition. The data and assessment will be a guide future economic development and town programming, she said, and will help businesses refine strategies. The study is to be conducted with oversight from the Economic Development Council and Community and Economic Development Department.
At the end of her presentation, Kokinda introduced Marissa Meaney, the town’s newly hired Senior Planner. Meaney briefly talked about her past work in Swampscott and her expectations as she begins work in Wakefield.