Mayor Stephanie M. Burke is pleased to announce the release of the Business and Economic Development Transition Team Committee Report, a comprehensive report that organizes, compiles and analyzes important community input from throughout Medford.

The Business and Economic Development committee is one of four transition teams named by Burke in December 2015. The other three committees were City Hall Audit, Cultural Affairs and Recreation, and Constituent Services.

Throughout the winter and spring, these committees gathered information through public meetings and surveys to address these four important components of civic life in Medford.

The Business and Economic Development committee consisted of eight individuals: Co-chairs Rick Orlando and Council President Fred Dello Russo Jr., as well as Muhammad Chowdhury, Christine Cousineau, Linda Garriott, Kelly Hurstak, Paul Materazzo and Tim McGivern.

Between February and March 2016, the committee conducted five community meetings throughout the various business districts, and engaged more than 250 participants who contributed ideas about desired changes, upgrades and initiatives in the community.

These results were then gathered, categorized and five key priorities were identified: streetscape improvements/beautification; vehicle, pedestrian, and bike circulation; safety for pedestrians and cyclists; business development and marketing; and new mixed-use development.

The extensive report entitled “Shaping Medford: Community Conversations to Guide Our Economic Future” breaks down suggested improvements by individual business square, summarizes previous studies and makes suggestions for ways the city of Medford can better support economic development.

“It is key to understand that development is underway and will continue in Medford due to market conditions and private sector activity,” said Orlando. “The city’s challenge and opportunity is to influence and guide the changes to create the outcomes desired by Medford’s residents. I hope that the Business and Economic Development Transition Team Committee Report contributes to the numerous other initiatives by the city administration to create the framework for that direction in our city. I think the following quote by Peter Marshall is very relevant: ‘Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen.’”

The city of Medford is currently moving forward on several important initiatives that will continue to help drive business and economic development in Medford. These include the Medford Square Master Plan; the Complete Streets program, releasing a new business guide to help individuals navigate how to open a new business in Medford, strengthening the city of Medford’s relationship with the Chamber of Commerce and other important business coalitions, and exploring ways to actively invite businesses into Medford.

Each of these initiatives will be informed by the input gathered in the Business and Economic Development Committee Report as well as previous economic development studies and input meetings.

“This is a critical time for economic development in Medford, and I am grateful for the input this transition team gathered throughout this process,” said Burke. “This extremely thorough report will be an excellent guide as we embark on numerous revitalization processes in our various business districts throughout Medford.”

The full Economic and Business Development report and a video of the official announcement — as well as the reports for other transition teams — can be found on the City of Medford website at www.medfordma.org/mayor/transition-team.

This report will serve as a jumping off point for the Medford Square Master Plan process.

The community is invited to join the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and the city of Medford Office of Community Development on Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. in City Hall, 85 George P. Hassett Drive, Howard F. Alden Chambers for a community forum to guide economic development and physical improvements in Medford Square.

For more information, contact Clodagh Stoker-Long, city of Medford economic development planner, at cstokerlong@medford.org or 781-393-2480.