In this issue...


• Welcome, Mansfield!

• Transportation Committee Meeting March 19th in Marlborough

• Housing Committee Meeting March 31st: Workforce and Housing

• MassHire Metro Southwest Trade and Construction Expo

• Unit Pricing Legislation to Support Small Business

• Free AI Training for All Massachusetts Residents

• 5th Annual Westborough Environmental Action Fair



• Save the Date: 495/MetroWest Partnership Annual State House Day

Welcome, Mansfield!

On March 4th, the Board of Directors of the 495/MetroWest Partnership voted unanimously to accept the request of the Town of Mansfield to join the Partnership as our 37th municipality! This marks only the fifth time the Partnership has accepted a new community since the organization's founding.

We look forward to working with municipal leaders, Mansfield's business community, and other local stakeholders as we advance the economic interests of our shared I-495 corridor!

Photo credit: Mansfield, MA Historical Society

Transportation Committee Meeting March 19th:

495 Connector Presentation

The Transportation Committee of the 495/MetroWest Partnership will host a special meeting featuring a presentation from the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) regarding their 495 Connector service. The 495 Connector is a new commuter shuttle connecting three MBTA Commuter Rail Stations and eight MetroWest communities. The shuttle serves the South Acton, Southborough, and Franklin MBTA Commuter Rail Stations via Hudson, Marlborough, Southborough, Hopkinton, Milford, and Hopedale primarily along Route 85. The meeting will also feature an overview of the 495/MetroWest Partnership's transportation advocacy work. The meeting will be held on Thursday, March 19th at 9:30 AM at the Marlborough Public Library; click here to register. 

Housing Committee March 31st: Workforce and Housing

The Housing Committee of the 495/MetroWest Partnership will meet virtually on Tuesday, March 31st at 8:30 AM for a discussion focused on how workforce constraints impact housing creation. As Massachusetts pursues an ambitious goal of new housing units, workforce availability has emerged as a significant constraint on housing growth. While laborers are often the most visible participants in the housing construction workforce, the broader housing ecosystem includes a wide range of skilled trades, professional services, and supplier industries that are essential to project delivery. This Housing Committee session will examine how workforce shortages — including an aging construction workforce, limited exposure to career pathways, and licensure or training barriers — may slow housing production, and what regional partners are doing to strengthen the talent pipeline. This will be a virtual event hosted via Zoom; click here to register. 

MassHire Metro South/West Trade and Construction Expo

MassHire Metro South/West is hosting their Trade & Construction Expo on April 2nd from 8 AM to 2 PM at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough. Employers in the trade and construction industry can register to be a vendor and showcase their business to over 500 high school students from the Metro South/West region. Participation is free for vendors. Click here to register.

Unit Pricing Legislation to Support Small Business

Last month, the Massachusetts Senate passed S.2965, a bill amending the Commonwealth’s unit pricing exemption law to keep the policy in line with its original intent of modernizing the unit pricing law to support neighborhood bodegas, convenience stores, and small grocery shops. Introduced by State Senator Michael Moore, the bill ensures that smaller retailers will continue to be exempt from unit pricing label requirements. Massachusetts has offered an exemption from unit pricing for more than two decades to retailers with lower sales volumes; the bill removes lottery and gift card sales from the the calculation of the unit price exemption so smaller stores can remain below the threshold. The bill now moves onto the House of Representatives for further review. Click here for more information.

Free AI Training for All Massachusetts Residents

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has announced a partnership with Google's "Grow with Google" initiative, and will offer all Massachusetts residents access to artificial intelligence and career certificate training programs at no cost. The available programs include the Google AI Professional Certificate, which provides participants with training on the AI skills most in-demand by today's employers. The Massachusetts AI Hub (MA AI Hub), a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) that was launched in 2024, will lead the Google AI Training programs. Click here to access the full press release.

5th Annual Westborough Environmental Action Fair

Sustainable Westborough, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Westborough, will hold their 5th annual Environmental Action Fair on March 14th from 1 PM to 4 PM at the Westborough High School. The event will feature exhibits from local professionals, students, and town employees to showcase their commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement. Click here for more information.

Save the Date: 495/MetroWest Partnership Annual State House Day

The 495/MetroWest Partnership will host its Annual State House Day on Tuesday, April 28th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This event is an annual opportunity created by the Partnership for our stakeholders to interact with members of our region’s legislative delegation, hear about their priorities, and ask questions or offer feedback relevant to your business, organization, or community.

The event is free to attend, though advance registration will be required. A full invitation with registration information will be published in late March. 

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if the 495/MetroWest Partnership can be of any assistance to you:

Jason Palitsch, Executive Director

(774) 760-0495

Jason@495Partnership.org

Thank you for your continued commitment to strengthening our region.