Page 32 - North Haven Magazine Issue 8 Spring 2019

A Message From

ur Grand List continues to grow here in North Haven as a result of new
Obusinesses that are coming in through our economic development ef-
forts. This past year, our Grand List grew 2.8% which is one of the largest
growth factors in the state of Connecticut. This momentum will continue as
I already have other announcements that will be made in the next couple of
months as other new businesses are coming.

As all of this is happening, we continue to expand with other major compa-
nies like Medtronics, the former Covidien corporation, who is currently our
largest Grand List member. Our strategy is to continue to bring new busi- Michael J. Freda
nesses into our town and also expand with existing corporations.
First Selectman
This past week, I took a tour of the 1.2 million square foot Amazon facility
which is scheduled to open later this spring. The facility is just about completed and will yield significant real estate
tax and personal property tax revenue to our town. The site will also ramp up to the 3000 jobs that will be filled at
this North Haven location. Through our relationship with Workforce Alliance, we will also be hosting a job fair here
in town in early June for those North Haven residents, and for residents from the general area, to apply for.

In the coming months, you will also hear about:

• A new restaurant, Adrianna’s, coming to town at the old site of Leons
• The completion of the new Town Fair Tire store
• The continued progress of the North Haven Shopping Center
• A new financial services company coming to the site at 84 Washington Avenue
• The completion of the plaza next to the Breakfast Nook with new businesses going there
• The sale of the old plaza between Monroe Street and Blakeslee Avenue
• An announcement from me about the old Howard Johnson’s building
• The opening of a new beer manufacturer, 12 Percent Brewery, off of State Street
• The demolition of 333 State Street as we prepare to integrate the Greater New Haven Tran-
sit District into North Haven
• The start of construction of a new hotel in front of the Cinemark Theatre
• An announcement as to new businesses also coming to that Cinemark site

These initiatives are also tied into a longer range plan that I have regarding other sites in town where we will be able
to attract and deliver other major businesses to our town in those retail, commercial and industrial zones.

Top line revenue growth, through new businesses coming in, is extremely important because it allows us to improve
the town by reinvesting back into infrastructure that is designed to enhance our town’s image, enhance our educa-
tion system, enhance our public safety and still offer the delivery of our other critical services to our citizens.

By delivering significant growth, we can reinvest back into our town and still have no increase in taxes, which I am
happy to be able to offer our residents this year.

Despite the progress that we have seen, I still feel like I did in both my baseball career and my business career. I am
never satisfied and I will always continue to look to get better, and look to improve at what I do to help deliver more
positive outcomes for our great town.

It is my continued pleasure to be your First Selectman here in North Haven.

Sincerely,
Michael Freda

18 Church Street • 203-239-5321 • www.northhaven-ct.gov