FSC Digs Into North County Economy
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Joshua Spero, the director of the new Regional Economic Development Institute.
A new initiative at Fitchburg State College promises to offer North Central Massachusetts businesses and elected officials easy-to-use local data on subjects like employment, education and costs of living, starting as early as this fall.
The Regional Economic Development Institute, spawned from discussions between business and community leaders and college officials over the past year, is intended to mirror organizations already in place at other state colleges. Rollstone Bank & Trust of Fitchburg recently gave the college $50,000 to get the group started.
Joshua Spero, an associate professor of political science at the college, has been chosen to lead the institute, and he’s now working with other faculty to start research projects that could result in reports or public events in the fall.
The institute will also tap FSC students to serve as research assistants, he said. So, it will provide two purposes — educating the public on the local market and giving students valuable research experience in the real world.
Just The Facts
Spero said a key aspect of REDI’s mission is its objectivity.
Despite the fact that it was conceived by people with a vested interest in the North Central economy and that its projects will probably be funded largely by contributions from local businesses, the institute is not designed to act as a cheerleader.
Instead, Spero said, it promises to offer hard data, analysis and even critiques of the ways the local powers that be are handling things.
“That’s not negative,” he said. “Businesses certainly want to succeed, they want to be innovative — and this is a way to help.”
One of the models for REDI is the MetroWest Economic Research Center at Framingham State College.
A. Theodore Welte, president of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, helped create MERC 19 years ago and said it’s been a great resource for the region.
In particular, he said, its reports have been a boon for marketing the area and for seeking government funding for local development projects.
“Over the years it has shown specifically what’s happening within sectors and what’s happening in the overall realm of demographics,” he said. “We have used the information on a regular basis in terms of convincing the state how important this region is to the overall commonwealth.”
Subject To Interpretation
Of course objective data will point to different conclusions in a fairly prosperous area like MetroWest than in the 26 cities and towns covered by REDI.
But Welte said he thinks having more information available is a good thing no matter what.
“I think it’s so important to look at any region of the state in terms of the strengths and weaknesses,” he said.
“Unless you have the data to back you up it’s really hard to go out and start planning.”
And despite his promise to offer information without bias, Spero is clear that his ultimate goal is to help North Central Massachusetts leaders find a long-term path toward a better future.
“This region stands at a crossroads,” he said.
“We want to see North Central Massachusetts succeed, and succeed potentially in new ways. And that’s hard to achieve. You can’t achieve that in a couple months time."
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