In this issue....

• Now Available: 2023 Economic & Demographic Profiles of all 495/MetroWest Partnership Communities

• State Launches MassTalent, New Streamlined Hiring and Workforce Portal



• Housing Committee Meeting June 28th

• We're Hiring: Manager of Policy and Planning

• Sudbury Valley Trustees Land Preservation Priorities Presentation

• MetroWest Visitors Bureau Annual Meeting June 20th

• New Priority Trails Network Vision Map

Now Available: 2023 Economic & Demographic Profiles

of all 495/MetroWest Communities

The 495/MetroWest Partnership has released our 2023 Community Profiles! 

Each year, the Partnership publishes economic and demographic profiles of each of our 36 cities and towns. Data points presented in each community profile include population changes, educational attainment, commuting patterns, housing information, key industries, and more.

To access our 2023 Community Profiles, visit the "Reports & Data" section of 495Partnership.org, and click the respective link for each community to access its profile. Each Community Profile is a two-page PDF document.

State Launches MassTalent, New Streamlined

Hiring and Workforce Portal

On June 6th, Governor Healey announced that the administration is launching a new strategy for connecting employers to workers in Massachusetts called MassTalent. MassTalent will serve as a one-stop resource for companies to access multiple talent pipelines in growing industries like the life sciences, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. The purpose of the MassTalent portal is to streamline state workforce resources to create a new point of entry for both employers and job seekers. 

Governor Healey also announced another component of the MassTalent initiative, funded through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, called Pathmaker. This program will fund new training partnerships between life science companies and training providers. The goal of the new program is to create 8 to 10-week training programs that are free and accessible to students and adults with a high school education and no previous experience. Click here to access the full text of the announcement. 

Housing Committee Meeting June 28th

The Housing Committee of the 495/MetroWest Partnership will meet virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, June 28th at 8:30 AM to examine and refresh regional housing priorities identified by the Suburban Edge Community Commission (SECC). The SECC was established by the Legislature in 2015 to examine the development challenges facing suburban edge communities in the 495/MetroWest region and determine how the Commonwealth’s programs and initiatives can address their needs. One of the key topics addressed by the commission was Housing. The commission published its final report in 2018; click here to access the final report.

As an early step towards the 495/MetroWest Partnership's goal of identifying a regional strategy to increase housing stock and diversity, our Housing Committee will review the status of housing-related issues identified in the SECC report, as well as the status of strategies and approaches recommended by the report to assess which have been implemented, which remain to be addressed, and which merit reconsideration. Click here to register for the meeting. 

We're Hiring: Manager of Policy and Planning

The 495/MetroWest Partnership is hiring! The Partnership is currently seeking a Manager of Policy and Planning, who will be a team player reporting directly to the Partnership’s Executive Director, handling diverse responsibilities on planning and public policies addressing transportation and transit, regional infrastructure, economic development, workforce development, water resources, housing, and permitting.

To learn more about this position, visit the Career Opportunities section of our website. Applications are being accepted until June 23rd, 2023.

Sudbury Valley Trustees Land Preservation Priorities Presentation

On June 15th, the Water Resources Committee of the 495/MetroWest Partnership hosted a presentation from Sudbury Valley Trustees regarding their recent land protection prioritization work. To guide regional land protection strategies, Sudbury Valley Trustees has worked with the Metrowest Conservation Alliance to develop a tool that identifies the land that is the most essential to conserve in the region around the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers. Because the tool can identify priority areas at the boundaries of towns, it is also intended to facilitate collaboration and conservation partnerships.

• Click here to view a recording of the presentation
• Click here to access the slide deck from the presentation

SVT is a nonprofit land trust that conserves vital natural areas in the region between Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts. They actively protect some of the region’s most important forests, wetlands, and grasslands. As of Summer 2022, SVT cares for more than 5700 acres in 93 SVT-Owned Conservation Areas and 97 Conservation Restrictions, while maintaining more than 65 miles of trails. Since their inception, they have assisted other organizations and governmental agencies in protecting an additional 3,000 acres in the region. Of the 36 cities and towns in SVT's service area, 25 are 495/MetroWest Partnership communities.

MetroWest Visitors Bureau Annual Meeting June 20th

On June 20th, the MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau will be holding their annual meeting from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM at the Warren Conference Center and Inn in Ashland. A continental breakfast and networking session will be open for all attendees before the annual meeting, being held from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM. The meeting will entail updates about the Visitors Bureau's activities, as well as upcoming changes to the industry and region. Senate President Karen Spilka and Framingham State University President Nancy Niemi will speak at the meeting. The cost for attendance is $20 for members and $30 for non-members; online registration is available at this link.

New Priority Trails Network Vision Map

MassTrails has recently shared their newly-published Priority Trails Network vision map. The Priority Trails Network is an interactive map, allowing users to click on any existing and future trail segment in Massachusetts to view trail name, municipality, and MassDOT Project Information page. The planned priority trails were selected by communities and trail groups, as they represent the future trails and greenways that are to be constructed and interconnected in recognition of the many transportation, recreation, environmental, economic benefits trails provide.

For several years, MassTrails grants have focused on extending and connecting existing trails to one another, with the ultimate goal of having all trails statewide connect to the established framework. With MassTrails newly launched interactive network, all community members are able to access the shared-use paths and trails in their area, as well as those that have been established as the priority projects for the coming years. Click here to access the map.