Turley Publications photos by Taryn Plumb

 

An afternoon WRTA bus rumbling down Central St. in Brookfield.

 

 

A plan for the future

 

By Taryn Plumb

Turley Publications Correspondent

 

This is the fifth and final story in a series about Brookfield's future. Go online to www.quaboagcurrent/archives to read the entire series.

BROOKFIELD – It's not something that should sit on a shelf to accumulate dust, or get tucked into a drawer and forgotten.

Rather, the best-case scenario for the town's now in-progress master plan: Townspeople and officials

would take its recommendations, and continue returning to it and revising it as the 21st century ticks forward.

“Ideally it would be a guiding document for the town,” said Bill Simpson, Jr., who chairs the committee now drafting the comprehensive planning document.

With chapters devoted to housing, economic development, open space/recreation, land use, zoning, governance and transportation, the intent of the master plan is to formulate a current picture of Brookfield, and, ultimately, offer up suggestions and recommendations for the future. The committee is still formulating the latter two chapters.

The goal is to have the document completed by the summer, Simpson said, and present it to voters either this fall or at the next annual town meeting (in spring 2011).

The group started its work in Feb. 2008 and beyond research, solicited input from residents in the way of several public forums, as well as surveys sent out to all households in town (about 15 percent of which were returned). All told, the plan is projected to cost $54,000, which will be partially covered by $20,000 from the town and $10,000 in private donations, as well as small grants.

When it came to analyzing town services, the committee gathered information on all town departments (including staff, duties, equipment, respective issues and capital needs); compiled a survey of assets; and created a pie chart breaking down the town budget.

Help was also solicited from a Tantasqua intern – she created a town governance tree, and interviewed key employees about what they viewed as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in their respective departments.

Ultimately, the chapter will offer up this information “in a way that's digestible,” Simpson explained. It will also suggest ways to make town processes more streamlined, with the end goal being to “make it easier for people to interact with town hall,” Simpson said.

He noted that, “For the most part, the town runs pretty well,” but said there are various tinkerings that can be done.

The transportation chapter, on the other hand, will look at the town's current public transportation – most notably WRTA's route 33, which has four inbound trips from Brookfield center a day (two in the morning, two in the afternoon). Like all the other chapters, it will likewise have a forward-thinking component, offering up various proposals on improving transportation throughout Brookfield.

Meanwhile, in addition to its comprehensive chapters, the document will contain land use, implementation, and open space and recreation plans.

Inevitably, all the plans together will assure “orderly and predictable” development, while allowing the town to protect its history and natural heritage, according to a charge written by the committee. Similarly, the plans will guide “efficient” government spending, assist with the town's bond rating, and increase chances to receive state grant money.

In any event, the committee stresses, it's important for the town to have a vision for the future. As Simpson noted, “The biggest risk is moving forward without thinking ahead.”