Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Don Keelan, a certified public accountant and resident of Arlington. The piece first appeared in the Bennington Banner.
Recently, there were three, somewhat related news articles that appeared in our area’s newspapers.
The Manchester Journal’s piece was fairly long and had to do with the plethora of consignment stores which recently opened in Manchester, the former retail outlet mecca of New England. According to the article, five clothing and furniture consignment shops have opened for business since the fall of 2010. Prior to 2010 there were no such stores.
Twenty miles south of Manchester, the Bennington Banner provided front-page coverage to an event that took place in Bennington on April 2. The event was the celebration of the first anniversary of the Kitchen Cupboard Food Pantry. The day’s event also celebrated the third anniversary of the Bennington Free Clinic as well as the Food & Fuel Fund operation (the latter in existence for 40 years). Gov. Peter Shumlin was the keynote speaker at the celebration.
About a week later, the Banner provided extensive coverage to the Vermont Council on Rural Development community forum that was held in Bennington. The nonpartisan organization has had several other forums in Bennington. Representatives from VCORD were there to assist the town on how to redefine itself by creating a downtown destination, town green, better communications, addressing poverty and dental care as well as some recreational enhancements.
What was so revealing about the Kitchen Cupboard is that in 2011 it distributed 200,000 pounds of food in its first year of operation. And not to be overshadowed, the Bennington Free Clinic, in 2011, administered to the needs of over 1,000 families according to a report in the April 2012 Battenkill Business Journal.
Additionally noteworthy about the reported news events was they reflect a significant change in the economic status of the north and south shires of Bennington County. And as so often happens with change, it comes about subtly and stealthy — nevertheless, it comes. What does it all mean?
Five years ago Manchester was a shopkeeper’s delight. Store vacancies were for the most part non-existent. Store sales were the envy of the retail world, topping out at over $1,000 per square foot or more. Many store rents were in excess of $30 per square foot assuming you could find an available location to sell your wares.
Manchester, the former gold standard of the retail outlet world, is having to deal with a major loss in quality stores. Countless stores along Route 7 and Route 11/30 are empty. Gone are the national/international name brand stores — Bose, PacSun, 9West, Garnet Hill, Burberry and others. To offset the exodus of name brand stores are the consignment establishments, attempting to fill the void.
The arrival in town (and soon to come to Manchester) of the well-intended organization, Vermont Council on Rural Development, is not needed. For over 250 years these towns have done pretty well for themselves and their citizens and institutions. Bennington has a half dozen well-focused development organizations in addition to its schools, recreation committee, nonprofit organizations and Chamber of Commerce — that can do so much for the town(s). So why bring in a consulting organization — no matter how well intended? Whatever they have to say or do has been delivered by other consultants in years’ past.
In June 2004, a county-wide forum was held at the Equinox Hotel. It was sponsored by the Vermont Department of Economic Development. The forum created the concept of the “Circle of Prosperity.”
The Circle of Prosperity was defined as follow:
“A Clean Environment, Good Schools, Access to Higher Education, Housing and High Quality of Life, Will attract a Talented Workforce, Diverse Industrial Base and High-Paying Jobs, And Increase Regional Income and Opportunity and Public Revenues.”
In 2004 we heard what had to be done and outside consultants will not get the job accomplished — let us pull together and do what needs to be done to close the “Circle of Prosperity.” Therefore, next year, the governor will come and celebrate the cutting of a ribbon of a manufacturing facility, an office complex or a retail establishment — and not come solely because of the distribution of 100 tons of food.
