Pyrtel to lead Orange Economic Development and Industrial Corp.
Published: 07-13-2024 9:32 PM
Modified: 07-19-2024 5:41 PM |
ORANGE — Mikael Pyrtel, former economic development director for the town of Orange, has joined the Orange Economic Development and Industrial Corp. (OEDIC) as executive director.
According to a July 8 announcement, Pyrtel has been in the executive director role since July 1. Recent budget cuts led to Pyrtel’s position as Orange’s economic development director being eliminated.
“This is a new chapter for OEDIC and for Orange,” Tom Sexton, who chairs the OEDIC, said in a statement. “With the addition of Mikael, we’re building an organization that will basically be the local partner for business and developers that want to open up or expand here. Our goal is to streamline as much as possible the planning, permitting, financing and construction of new projects.”
Pyrtel started working for the town of Orange last September, having been offered a $100,000 salary by the Selectboard in July, and he remained there for seven months before budget cuts led to the position being eliminated. The town has been in a dire financial situation stemming from an estimated $338,000 paid in fraudulent invoices last year. The matter is being investigated by the Orange Police Department, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office and the FBI. These fraudulent invoices led to a series of reductions to the town budget heading into fiscal year 2025, including a proposed elimination of all funding for the town’s two libraries, though this was later restored.
“Of course, as we learned more about the budgetary stress, you have to be aware of the town’s finances and some touch decisions have to be made,” Pyrtel said.
When asked about how the two roles will compare, Pyrtel added that working with the OEDIC has more of a focus on long-term strategic growth and such organizations show that a town is “open for business.”
“We want to make sure [business owners] have the resources to grow their businesses, and for our larger clients, we want to ensure those partnerships remain strong and to let them know we are a committed partner,” he explained.
One area that Pyrtel wants to focus on is further developing Orange’s downtown.
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“As you drive in, that’s what you see first, the downtown as the gateway, so we want to keep on that path,” he said.
OEDIC operates under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 121C, which empowers local development organizations to implement projects that increase employment and develop disused or dilapidated properties. The citizens of Orange last year voted to expand OEDIC’s footprint beyond industrial areas to include those zoned for business.
In the announcement, Pyrtel said Orange is “positioned for growth,” citing the Orange Municipal Airport, a rail line, access to major roadways and proximity to major cities, colleges and universities.
“There’s a proud tradition of innovation and entrepreneurship in manufacturing and agriculture that extends into our emerging sectors such as life sciences and Orange’s creative economy, an economic sector recognized by the United Nations,” Pyrtel said. “The Rodney Hunt Co. has been building sophisticated water control systems for almost 200 years here and now we have businesses like Impact Nano, a key supplier to the silicon chip industry. Seaman Paper is a leader in the forest products industry, which is a huge part of our local economy. We think our ability to support the growth initiatives of these types of businesses will lead to further success.”
Max Bowen can be reached at 413-930-4074 or at mbowen@atholdailynews.com.