Support Westfield Memorial Hospital – It is time for action.

Let’s see how much our community values our Hospital?

Westfield Memorial Hospital is once more having to justify to the Department of Health  its value to the community it serves.  New York State Dept of Health is now threatening to close the hospital’s Emergency Room when the transitional designation the hospital is currently operating under terminates in June 2010. If this happens the current volunteer Emergency Service viability also will be under question. How many of our volunteer EMT’s will be able to spend the time from their other duties to transport cases to Dunkirk or Jamestown? What will that then do to our volunteer Fire service?

Many of us who have been here long enough remember when Welch’s pulled out their head office, at that time its significance and impact on the community perhaps was not realized by the majority of residents of Westfield and therefore we were not as vocal or demonstrative in fighting the change as we should have been, I include myself in this catagory. The impact of the change at the Hospital could be equally as devastating and therefore this time we must make our voices heard by our elected politicians in Albany.

You now have the opportunity with the benefit of our current technology to tell Albany what you think by visiting www.WMHsaveslives.org, and demonstrate to them that rural communities like ours need access to emergency care just like the bigger cities, we matter just as much, if one of us dies because we can’t get quick emergency care it matters just as much as if it was someone in Buffalo or downstate.

Let us show our politicians that small communities like ours are a force to be reckoned with.

Things to do in Westfield

I am amazed at the creativity that our businesses are using to stimulate peoples activity and get them out from in front of the television and into social settings.

I dropped into Sapore our Main Street restaurant last Wednesday to find it packed with people enjoying the food ambience and chess, yes chess. It seems Wednesday night is the time to challenge your skills at chess. There were at least 4 games going on and I detected a very competitive spirit. It is not my game, but it was enjoyable seeing people competing in this way and having fun.

Talk about having fun, try Thursday night at Zebros, perhaps a slightly younger crowd were watching the weekly volley ball tournament, when teams from local businesses come together on the beach next to the tikki bar to fiercely compete at volley ball. Another enjoyable social time with the sunset over the lake thrown in at no charge.

So who said there was nothing to do in Westfield, the opportunities are there for young and old alike.

Human Capital

Small Town Assets.  I know I sound like a broken record sometimes, and tend to repeat myself, a sign of my age I guess, but I want once more to highlight one of our greatest growing assets in our community, human capital.

I met last week with a marketing professional who recently moved to Chautauqua to enjoy his retirement and fruits of his many years of building a successful marketing business. Does he want to sit back and watch the sun sets over Chautauqua lake, well maybe sometimes, but what he really wants is to contribute to the community, and which community, Westfield. He sees what many others see when they move into our area, a small community working hard to improve itself and the lives of the residents, and people who welcome him and are anxious to utilize his talents.

We are blessed in that we are seeing this happen at an increasing rate, and therefore our human capital is growing, and a momentum is building. We must take every opportunity to nurture these people who bring this kind of experience and talent to our area. The Ambassador Program developed by the WDC is an example of how we welcome new people into the community. Only today we were contacted by a professional couple wanting to move to Westfield and looking for a connection to our Ambassador Program. The WDC web site (www.westfieldny.com) provides an opportunity for anyone in the world to get a glimpse of Westfield, and many are liking what they see.

Hopefully the contributions of these talented people will continue to help our community. Capital can be measured in many ways- buildings, equipment, dollars and cents- but human capital is the thing you need to get there.

Customer Service

It is kind of a passion with me, customer service. I learned in my other life of Marketing and Sales that the customer is always right, even when he is wrong you have to make him/her feel that they are right. In any business you have nothing unless you have customers, so why do so many businesses neglect the most important thing, customer service?

In our small community of Westfield we have many businesses that recognize the need to cultivate their customer base, but there are still some that don’t get it. It is particularly important in a small community as bad experiences spread quickly and can have disastrous effect on your business, so your front line people- the ones that actually communicate with your customers- are so very important. You can have the best product in the world but without customers you have nothing. So let me tell you what I think you need to address more than anything else: train your employees, train your employees, train your employees to deal the right way with your customers.

• Greet every customer that enters your business with a smile and engage them in conversation.
• If they are repeat customers use their name, try and remember their name for their next visit.
• Engage them in conversation, weather, family, sports, news, but talk to them.
• Remember to smile.
• Thank them for their business, and ask them to come again.
• If they have a complaint, listen don’t argue or defend, if you win the argument you have probably lost the customer.
• Don’t show stress, or complain, they do not want to hear it.
• Don’t make excuses, if you have a problem apologize and ensure them that it will get fixed.

You get the message. I could name the businesses that get it, but I don’t need to- they are the ones with all the customers.

The list goes on and on but I am sure you have got the message.

First Fridays

Even with the weather a little cold for this time of year a lot of people were on Main Street last night to celebrate “First Friday”. We had a new store open- Park View- and it seemed a lot of people wanted ice cream and to visit this unique old time soda fountain. During my time there people were lined up wanting to round off their evening with a delicious ice cream cone.

It was great to see so many people walking the street socializing and talking to the vendors. As the summer moves and hopefully the weather improves I am sure “First Fridays” will become a regular outing for many people just as the Farmers Market on Saturdays is now the place to be.

Hoorah people are reading my blog

I was very pleased to see a comment by Rob on my post “Summer is coming and Westfield is the place to be.” Look at the comment and listen to the podcast. What is being said is what we who live in Westfield and Barcelona know already, it is nice that people who do not live here think the same way.

New Business Potential

It is not often the WDC gets the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a business that wants to locate in Westfield and can have a global impact.

TimberFish Technologies (www.timberfishtech.com) is such a business, and you can read about the founders, Jere Northrop and Aaron Resnick, on our web site.

Last week many of the WDC board had the chance to see the pilot project and better understand the various technologies developed by TimberFish and potentials for implementing these technologies. This business has potential to revolutionize fish farming as it is currently being practiced, and provide the world with a truly contaminant-free fish food at lower costs than are currently being incurred. Additionally the process can assist current fish farms with the ability to treat their waste in an environmentally safe way.

The WDC board backs this company 100% and is currently assisting them in their efforts to find investors and a building for further development of  an R&D facility in Westfield.

Summer is Coming and Westfield is the place to be.

Having just come from a Chamber Board meeting I am overwhelmed by the activities taking place in Westfield this Summer.

From things like the Farmers Market with more vendors this year, First Fridays with main street thronging, to Celebrate Westfield to welcome the Westfield Academy alumni, we have a community that is alive and well. Visit our Community Calendar on this web site to see the extent of activities and opportunities to enjoy these Summer months.

This does not happen automatically, a lot of work by many volunteers is necesssary to bring these events to the public, so I will repeat the message in my earlier blogs, get involved. You will feel a great deal of satisfaction from contributing to your community and there is a great feeling being part of a winning team. Call me at 326-2200, or the Chamber at 326-4000 if you want to be part of this team.

Boom Town USA

No, this title does not refer to Westfield yet, but my hopes are that eventually we might feel that we are in this category. The title refers to a book written by Jack Schultz, a nationally recognized expert on development in small communities. Joel Seachrist and I recently drove to Bradford, PA to attend one of Mr Schultz’s seminars, and we got the chance to talk with him and subsequently sent him information on what we are doing in Westfield to help our community grow and prosper.

I was  pleased to receive a very encouraging response from him indicating, in many respects, we are moving in the right direction. Like many small communities we have our challenges, but doesn’t everyone? In our current economy there are many other communities suffering more than Westfield, perhaps to a certain extent because we did not have as far to fall.

We have now joined the internet world of FaceBook (search for the group “Great Things About Westfield, NY”) and Twitter (JohnTRawlinson) and you can there see Jack Schultz twittering about why Welch came to Westfield. I know I wish their head office would have stayed here, but let’s be thankful for their plant and some office personnel.

Visit Jack Schultz’s twitter feed and you might find it interesting to see some of what he promotes here in Westfield.

Regional Flavor Conference

I attended this conference today and was most impressed with the content and speakers. I believe that we have great potential building that will capitalize on our Agr-Tourism asset and the Concord Grape Belt Discovery Center will be able to make Westfield a destination that should attract tourists in the future. If you ad the already established Cross Roads Craft and Farm Market with 55000 visitors per year, we can start to develop critical mass in the tourism market that can only help all our local businesses.

One theme that came out of the conference was that competition is good and that the synergy that comes from business clusters getting together benefits all. The wineries have proved this by demonstrating that they have been better able to increase business by collaborating than working individually. There are many other business clusters in our community that have the opportunity to do the same. Restaurants, B&B’s, Antique Stores and many more.

Westfield Obama and Lincoln

Hopefully many of you saw the Good Morning America segment last Saturday showing the Grace Bedell and Lincoln story. Since our new President is obviously a Lincoln fan it was very appropriate to show the part that Grace Bedell and Westfield played in the role of helping President Lincoln get elected.

Our history is something that we should all be proud of and is an asset that we can use as we move down the path of developing tourism in our area. In these difficult economic times, when businesses are retrenching and holding onto their development plans, tourism is one area that can still grow and therefore the WDC has it high on our agenda for 2009. The ability to attract tourists to our community is helped by the positive PR that was broadcast on national television last week.

The WDC is also hard at work developing tools to promote Westfield, a new DVD is close to being released, our web site www.westfieldny.com is being refreshed, and we have formed a tourism promotion committee. Therefore look for a very active and busy year in 2009, and hopefully many tourists treading our streets.

“To Merge or not to Merge” That is the Question

By now most residents of Westfield should know that a merger with Ripley school is under consideration. It seems to me as the expression goes this is a “no brainer” Something has to change if we want the kids of our communities to continue to receive an education that enables them to compete in this ever increasing competitive global market. I know there are suggestions that an annexation would be a better solution, but as the consultants stated, they believe that a merger has a better chance of being accepted by both communities.

My view, which is personal, and is not necessarily the W.D.C. position, is that we have to do something, the status quo will not work. Once a new school district is established the new school board can monitor the position, and make changes as time goes by.

Looking at the the situation from an economic development position, a vibrant strong school system is just one of the assets that attract new residents to our community, if we do nothing it could be a deterant to people considering moving into our community, which eventually will impact our tax base and only exacerbate the current demanding property tax position.

No I Have Not Left the Country

No I haven’t left the country, although with all the up-evil lately I did think about finding a desert island somewhere. We as individuals may be feeling pretty despondent at the moment, but as a community Westfield is still on an upward path and there are a lot of positive things happening that we can feel good about.

The Tuesday morning at Sapore with local government officials is proving to be a great forum for communication and the ability for residents to get up to speed on what is happening, although we still hear of communication shortfalls. Perhaps you read the Westfield Republican this week and the article about getting involved. This one of the best ways you can know what is happening and perhaps have some influence on things.

Let’s review some of the things taking place in the community.

• Farmers Market.
• First Fridays.
• Christmas in Westfield.
• Town grant to extend water line on East Main.
• Village grant to upgrade parking lot at back of ROR building.
• Bed tax grant to Chamber and McClug for promotion.
• School Merger study.
• County Comprehensive Plan to include Westfield Business Park.
• Ripley Westfield Lakefront Opportunity Plan completion
• Monthly networking meetings for local businesses.
• Grant applications for Main Street businesses through Village.
• $1 million grant for new Grape Discovery Center.
• Fishway project for Chautaqua Gorge.
• New Westfield web site.
  

I haven’t listed everything, but the above is an indication that we are moving forward and there are plenty of reasons to think Westfield is a very active community, and there are plenty of opportunities for residents to get involved.

Westfield Getting Attention

A number of positive things for our community are developing, which is an indication we are not standing still.

This week I had the opportunity to show Randall Arendt, the internationally recognized planner that the County IDA has hired to develop a new comprehensive plan. The County has selected Westfield as the place for Randall to focus on for a model business park. We have been promoting for some time Bourne Street- our industrially zoned area- as a Business Park and the IDA believe our plan was worth being the one to use for Randall to develop his model.

Needless to say he was extremely impressed with our community. It was a bright, sunny day and Westfield was looking good. He made an extensive tour of the Bourne Street area and I can’t wait to see his proposal. Other areas of the community such as Barcelona, Main Street, and Moore Park were also showcased.

On Oct 6th a delegation from BNE (Buffalo Niagara Enterprise) will be making a tour of the County, and Westfield will be visited in some depth, with the proposed Business Park, Welch Building, and other vacant business premises being shown to the delegation. BNE have done great work in the Buffalo Niagara area, enticing businesses, and I applaud the County IDA for their initiative in getting them to look at Chautauqua County, and more importantly Westfield.

You will have noticed that it was reported in the newspaper that Benderson Development have purchased the Quality Grocery store building and lot. Although we will not see any changes in the short term, it will I believe be a positive move in the long term; the lease does not expire until 2011. The fact that Benderson has decided to develop in Westfield is indicative of the fact that they believe we have potential.

If you take these events together with the propsed Grape Discovery Center being planned by the CGBHA (Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association) which recently received a $1 million grant from the State, we can truly say that “Westfield is Getting Attention” and it is postive attention.

Westfield on the Move

Farmers Market. First Fridays, Light up the Lakes, these are all events that are helping keep Westfield on the map and enticing people to our community. The number of people from out of town that I have met on those Saturday mornings at the Farmers Market is indicative of the evectivity of the events in our community this year. The recent announcement of the $1 million grant from the State to start the Concorde Grape Belt Hertage Discover Center in Westfield is another indication that we are considered a community on the move.

Tourism and particularly Agri-Tourism is no doubt the market from which we can get the best and quickest results that is why much of the emphasis is being placed on this market by the WDC Chamber and County. Of course it brings dollars into our community, but just as importantly it brings people here from far and wide, and gives us an opportunity to showcase our community to these visitors. It is not by cooincidence that there have been applications for 6 new homes in the Westfield Town over recent months, it is not by cooincidence that Subway were here last week looking for premises for a new store, It is not by cooincidence that Benderson Development were here to discuss possibilities for the Quality Grocery Store development now that they have purchased the building from Paul Snyder.

There is momentum and we have to continue to keep it going, that why I stress the subject of attitude in my previous blog. Talking up the community and keeping a positive attidude does influence the people you come in contact with, they feed of it.

Reflecting over the year to date, it would be worthwhile making a list of all the positive things that have occured in our community, I think you will find the list of positives far outway the negatives, maybe I will do a list on future blogs, but not how need to go down to Barcelona and get ready for the fireworks.

Get Involved

We all have opinions about most things, and this country allows us to express them openly. However, opinions are received much more readily if they are informed, that is why I urge Westfield residents to learn as much as they can about our potential wind farm.

If ever energy conservation and our dependence upon fossil fuels needs to be at the front of our minds it is now. This latest run up of oil prices is probably one of the best things that has happened to this country in a macro sense for a long time. I know it is creating some short term pain and suffering, but it has finally sparked discussion on developing a national energy policy that if done right will benefit all of us in the long run. We have all heard the expression “neccesity is the mother of invention” well it could not be more appropriate for our current energy situation. It will spawn not only demand reduction, but exploration and renuable energy development.

I would encourage all the Westfield residents to explore the new web site set up by the wind farm developer Babcock and Brown at www.ripleywestfieldwind.ene.com and become informed, and all the other data that is available, so that when you offer your opinions you can speak with the benefit of researched knowledge.

Attitude

“Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative”

 

These lines from the old song have more importance to them than was originally thought when the song was written many years ago. Most successful companies, organizations even armies know that attitude of the people in their organization plays a significant part in their success and well-being.

 

In the two years I have been in this role of economic development it has been very apparent to me that the attitude of the residents within our community has played a big part in our success, yes success. You only have to look around the county and realize for a community of our size we are considered progressive and it shows, not only in the look of our downtown area, but in the people we are attracting as residents, who are coming here mainly for quality of life issues. On a number of occasions recently in conversations with county employees in development positions they have repeatedly said that Westfield is considered one of the most progressive communities of its size in the county, remember attitude.

 

Could we have more industry and more available jobs, of course, but that is what all the small communities in the country are saying, it’s a competitive world, and it will eventually happen here if we continue to have the leadership from our local leaders that we have at the moment, and we maintain that positive attitude.

 

I was extremely impressed recently with the enormous amount of intellectual capital we are attracting to our community that was evident in the newer residents to the community reception that the W.D.C. and Westfield Chamber of Commerce organized in the Welch building lobby. People really like it here, yes they don’t like the taxes but they came anyway. They “Accentuated the positive and eliminated the negative” from their thinking.

 

In discussion with people in our neighboring communities they ask how Westfield has been able to be successful as a community. My answer is, it comes down to the people and the leadership. We have been very fortunate to retain a nucleus of people, who are prepared to volunteer their time and energy to help our community grow and prosper, but many of them are getting up in years and the energy level is not what it used to be. The good news it that we are now getting an influx of younger talented people who can continue that momentum, as was exhibited at our reception. These people are our future, and they come with the right attitude.

 

So when you are in the grocery store or coffee shop talking to your neighbors accentuate the positive, you live in a great community, your attitude can make a difference.

Alumni Week

This is the week when Westfield gets an influx of people coming back home to make contact with friends and classmates. I hope that they are pleasantly surprised with the way Westfield looks and with all the activities that are happening over the next week or so and throughout the summer. This does not happen automatically, there are a lot of people and organizations that put a lot of time and effort in making Westfield an interesting and pleasant experience for visitors. We should be thankful that volunteerism is still alive and well in our community, and that there are many people who are prepared to give their time.

So when you visit the OX Roast, Farmers Market and Celebrate Westfield, enjoy the event and keep in mind the effort needed to make it happen. Westfield has maintained vitaility because of the people who live here, and continue to move into our community. Maybe some of the many Alumni visting this week may also want to come back home?

Welcome To my First Blog

If you have reached this point you must have at least some interest in our beautiful village of Westfield, New York, one of the best kept secrets in Western New York State. However, the secret is dissipating quickly based on the number of new residents who are coming to our community.

I will not try to explain why you should visit or maybe even consider moving to Westfield here, as there are many more eloquent people than me who can extol its virtues, just visit our web page westfieldny.com and start your journey.