Introduction
This element will present information about the economy within the Town of Westboro. Economic development, which can be defined as the type and level of business activity within an area, is often based on a combination of factors including market forces, regulation, and the extent of the local government’s encouragement and participation. The Town of Westboro has historically been a rural town of primarily agriculture and forestry activity. Most business growth concerning residents of Westboro occurs outside the town in areas where infrastructure is readily available.
Labor Force
The labor force is comprised of employed persons and those seeking employment, and excludes persons in the armed forces and those under age 16. Table 6-1 gives an overview of some of the characteristics of the population and labor force in the Town of Westboro.
Economic Base
The economic base of a community includes all the industries that provide jobs in a given community or geographic location. Figure 6-1 displays the number of employed residents in the Town of Westboro by industry sector from Census 2000. Nearly 38 percent (119) of town residents are employed in the manufacturing industry sector, which by far is the leading employment industry in the Town of Westboro. Considering the proximity of the Cities of Medford and Marshfield, many residents are likely employed in those larger municipalities.
Environmentally Contaminated Sites
The WDNR and EPA are urging the clean up of contaminated commercial and/or industrial sites so they may be used for uses that are more productive. DNR’s Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) on the Web allows you to find information on incidents that contaminated soil or groundwater. These “Activities” include Spills, Leaks, other cleanups and sites where no action was needed. There are currently twelve records of environmentally contaminated sites in the Town of Westboro, two of which have a status of ‘Open’. Table 6-2 details the environmentally contaminated sites in the Town of Westboro.
Attracting/Retaining Business and Industry
The Town of Westboro has a number of strengths and weakness for attracting and retaining business and industry. These include:
A. Strengths
- State Highway 13
- County Road D
- Natural Resources (clean air and water)
- Low crime rate
- Visible planning
- Good people/family values
- Decent school system
- Recreational opportunities
B. Weaknesses
- Limited sewer system to handle industry within the village area
- Property taxes too high
- Limited jobs
Desired Business and Industry
The Town of Westboro Comprehensive Planning survey asked residents to select the types of businesses that they believe are the most important for the Town of Westboro to encourage. The categories included tourism, service, retail, industrial/manufacturing, and other. The business/industry chosen by the highest number of residents in the Town of Westboro was ‘service business’, with 66 percent of residents surveyed feeling it should be encouraged. Tourism-oriented was second with 60.8 percent. Table 6-3 displays the results of this survey question.
Economic Development Assistance and Programs
Programs to start, support, stimulate and assist economic development activities exist at the federal, state, regional and county (local) levels. Table 6-4 identifies the major agencies and programs that are most likely to be used in Westboro for economic development efforts.
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