The Downtown Revitalization Task Force is now Discover Putney

Over the course of the past year, the Downtown Revitalization Task Force of about 90 interested people and about 30 active participants, was able to undertake:

• A successful fundraiser and promotion event at the Vermont Welcome Center  funded assistance from an Economic Development Consultant and more

• A community Downtown Block Party summer celebration

• A well-attended get- together and survey for downtown property owners

• Putney Shines – providing lights and helping downtown property owners light up Main Street in December

In addition to these activities, the Downtown Task Forces’ several committees generated many ideas for projects to improve Downtown Putney. These range from streetscape ideas to enhancing the look, navigation, safety, and functionality of downtown to support and promote businesses and community cohesiveness.

To keep the momentum going and provide a way for these and other projects to be realized, the Task Force transitioned in January 2024 to a more permanent downtown organization - Discover Putney.

Discover Putney, which has existed in a variety of ways for several decades, welcomed the volunteer energy of the Task Force and shares its mission: To enhance the beauty, functionality, inclusiveness, and prosperity of Putney by making downtown a place where people want to live, work, and spend time.

Discover Putney, now has a transitional new board of directors, and is working to secure federal tax-exempt, non-profit status to support fundraising. The new Discover Putney is organized along the lines of the Main Street America model for community revitalization with four committees (Organization, Economic Vitality, Design, and Promotion) to prioritize, fund and make happen the many great ideas of the past year.

Discover Putney is working with the Town on overlapping concerns and recently supported the Town’s re-certification of its Village Center and Neighborhood Development Area designation, and the important effort to renovate and update the historic Putney Town Hall to inspire and support downtown revitalization and community development.

Catherine Stephan (catherine@yellowbarn.org) Lyssa Papazian (lyssa@lyssapapazian.com)       

 The Housing Task Force

Volunteers on the Putney Housing Solutions Task Force continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder to create "affordable, safe, and quality housing for seniors and people of all ages and income levels."   

Over the past year, we have met as a collective (and in subgroups) with our next taskforce meeting happening on Monday, March 11 at 4 pm at Putney Cares.   

Highlights from this year's efforts include:

• Networking with VCRD housing groups in Londonderry, Brattleboro, Rockingham along with Putney's Planning Commission to help create an updated Putney Housing Needs Assessment

• Dusting off the town's 2005 Housing Study while exploring cost-effective, community-driven infill housing solutions. These projects use existing infrastructure in Putney's downtown 

• Investigating the development of the 50 town-owned acres known as Parcel 0. This effort has been part of the idea to create alternative, work-force housing to house and attract trades people to Putney

• Inspiring the creation of more housing through networking & education ($30 - 50K VHIP funds available with new criteria starting March 25, 2024).

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Moving forward, we have agreed on the following working objectives: 

Putney Housing Solutions’ Working Objectives

• We work with small, local developers and homeowners to increase Putney’s housing stock through educating Putney homeowners & local developers on incentives and funding.

• We focus on innovative, entrepreneurial housing solutions, with an emphasis on building the most affordable housing, which often utilizes existing housing stock and infrastructure.

• We foster a caring community of Putney residents that can positively impact housing challenges – with both the creation and access to housing – through networking.

• We can serve in an advisory role to the Putney Select Board and its municipal committees as well as other regional and state housing coalitions.

• We will create & manage a Community Housing Fund to inspire local housing investments, fundraise and distribute funds to small, local developers.

One of our first priorities in 2024 is to generate strategic, collaborative partnerships with Putney organizations, residents and municipal committees, along with the creation of a Putney Diversified Community Investment Fund to serve small, local developers (and their crews) to add to Putney’s housing stock. 

Come contribute your unique skills and resources to create housing solutions for Putney! 

Marcella Eversole     marcellaeversole@gmail.com

The ‘Develop a Community Center’ Task Force

The Community Center Task Force is working towards creating a virtual hub to house the many resources identified on our asset mapping.  The subcommittee for this project incudes Katy Emond, Ruby McAdoo, Kora Skeele and Libby North. 

We've also been working with the town to plan for the future Town Rec Board.  Libby North, current Rec League coordinator and Task Force member has been working to establish new bylaws for the Rec League as well as a detailed timeline of goals to achieve at our next town meeting. 

Finally, we are excited to introduce a new subcommittee, led by Laura and James Chapman, that is exclusively working to create a skatepark for Putney. 

Katy Emonds     katy.emond.82@gmail.com