Local realtor and Williamstown resident Paul Harsch expressed interest in serving on the new Economic Development Committee.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen on Monday evening appointed 10 people to its new Economic Development Committee, though the panel’s size could grow.

Following up on a discussion from its recent retreat, individual selectmen asked a number of volunteers to serve on the committee, which will be asked to develop an economic development plan for the town over a six-month to one-year period.

In addition to Selectmen Andrew Hogeland and Hugh Daley, who have done preliminary work on a plan, the board received commitments from eight members of the community to join the process.

Other people named on Monday include: attorney Jamie Art, businesswoman and community activist Liz Costley, Dr. Karen Lartin, Clark Art Institute Associate Director Tom Loughman, Williams Vice President for Finance and Administration Fred Puddester, Williams economics professor Stephen Sheppard, Williams adjunct professor and director of business incubator Lever Inc. Jeffrey Thomas, and former director of Images Cinema Sandra Thomas.

The board is waiting for answers from four other people who have been asked to serve, and one local businessman made a point to come to Monday’s meeting and ask to serve.

Realtor Paul Harsch, a frequent participant from the floor of town committee meetings, had previously applauded the town’s efforts to develop an economic development plan and again Monday asked to help the process.

"With all due respect, no one sitting at this table is employed in town," Harsch told the board. "When I look at the list of those so far you've selected ... Liz Costley is associated with a very significant business [Overland], but I don’t see any other business people on this committee who are locally based."

Daley noted that Lartin is a dentist who has established a practice on Main Street. And Selectman Thomas Sheldon, in nominating Lartin, noted that the owners of Mad Macs specifically credited Lartin with convincing them to locate the computer retailer on Spring Street.

That said, the board already was open to the notion of increasing the size of the committee and agreed to consider Harsch's offer to serve at a previously scheduled special meeting of the board on Friday afternoon.

Daley said he saw gaps in representation on the board. Specifically, he noted the hospitality and retail sectors.

"I feel we’d benefit from a Spring Street retailer on the list," he said.

Hogeland said he did not think the committee needs to grow to include a representative from every potential sector of the local economy.

"Hospitality is important," Hogeland said. "If one of those four people [yet to answer] is from hospitality, it would be outstanding to fill that gap.

"I don’t feel as strongly that the committee itself needs to be from all aspects of the economy. The committee's job is to reach out to all the restaurants and hotels anyway. It doesn't seem to me to be an insurmountable gap if there's not someone from each sector."

Aside from the two spots for selectmen, the board went into the selection process with just two specific seats it wanted to fill — one each from the town’s two most prominent employers, Williams College and the Clark Art Institute.

The board agreed on Monday that the the committee size could grow if the committee itself meets — hopefully next month — and decides it needs another voice.

Selectmen Andrew Hogeland and Hugh Daley will serve on the economic committee.

"Let’s get this group together and let them take a second to talk among themselves and see if they've got everyone they need," Daley said.

The board also hoped to have those last four responses in time for the Friday afternoon meeting needed to accommodate the developer of the Cable Mills housing project.

Art was before the board on Monday to discuss the project's historic preservation restriction. That restriction is being reviewed by the Massachusetts Historical Commission in Boston.

Art said he hoped to have a revised version of the restriction approved by the state by the end of the week, and the developer would like to have it signed by the board and the Williamstown Historical Commission in time to have it filed with the Registry of Deeds on Monday. Such a filing would expedite the developer's closing on financing for the project — which includes historic preservation tax credits.

The board agreed to meet on Friday at 1:30 for the purpose of approving the final restriction. Once it had that meeting in place, the board agreed to put the Economic Development Committee appointments on the agenda as well. The board does not anticipate another meeting in 2014; its custom has been to forgo the regularly scheduled meeting on the fourth Monday in December, Dec. 22 this year.

In other business on Monday night, Selectwoman Jane Patton informed her colleagues about a recent honor awarded to Williamstown Elementary School employee Bernadette Archibold. She submitted a recipe to a "Tools for Schools" contest organized by Price Chopper that won first prize. With its winnings, the school will be able to acquire iPad Minis and headphones, Patton said.

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