​The Braintree Chamber of Commerce board of directors has responded to a call for public comment regarding a draft vision statement for Braintree’s new Master Plan. The Master Plan will guide Braintree’s development, infrastructure, and preservation activities for the next decade.
 
Below is the board’s letter to the Braintree Master Plan Steering Committee. 

To:
Braintree Master Plan Steering Committee
c/o Melissa M. SantucciRozzi, Planning Director
1 John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
 
Re:      Proposed Vision Statement, Master Plan
 
Dear Steering Committee Members,
 
The Braintree Chamber of Commerce Board would like to provide business feedback and suggestions with respect to the proposed vision statement to be discussed at the next Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting on November 17, 2022. Our comments specifically address elements relating to business and commerce.
 
First and foremost, we would like to thank you for volunteering your time, energy, and expertise toward this important undertaking. Planning is hard work, and consensus-building is even harder. Our business community recognizes and appreciates your diligence, transparency, and conscientious approach. Further, our Board—which comprises small business owners, current residents, and business leaders with decades of personal history in our town—shares your vision of making Braintree the best it can be. We appreciate this opportunity to participate in the process.
 
General Feedback
 
Before our recommendations, we would like to make three general points on behalf of our business community.
 
#1. Braintree relies on contributions from a variety of business types and sizes.
 
We heartily agree with all aspects of the draft vision statement that promote thriving villages, vibrant commercial squares, and local businesses.
 
We also believe Braintree should recognize and support the full range of business types and sizes that together drive Braintree’s economic goals and support the town’s budgetary needs.
 
The fiscal health that Braintree has enjoyed historically and seeks to strengthen for the future is not the result of a single spoke on the economic wheel but rather many spokes spinning together. Supporting a wide range of businesses—including the commercial villages, commercial corridors, office and industrial parks, and the South Shore Plaza—will help Braintree achieve its goals.
 
 
#2. Braintree’s tax base draws heavily from business and multi-family housing.
 
As evidence of the value of Braintree’s business community, we would like to share data points regarding the town’s tax base:

• Braintree’s commercial and industrial taxpayers paid approximately $37.6 million in taxes in 2022, making up approximately one-third of the total tax base.[1]
• Braintree ranks #2 of 25 South Shore communities for share of taxes funded by commerce and industry.[2]
• The five largest taxpayers are (1) the South Shore Plaza, (2) industrial and commercial centers with Messina Enterprises ownership, (3) the Braintree Hill Office Park, and (4, 5) two apartment complexes.[3]
• The Plaza’s real estate taxes alone (approximately $7.2 million based on  assessed value and tax rate)[4] are nearly enough to cover the fire department’s budget ($8.8 million in 2022).[5] Another $1 million in estimated revenue for FY2023 will derive from meals taxes collected from family owned and chain restaurants.[6]
• Approximately 31% of Braintree’s housing units are multi-family according to the Phase 1 Existing Conditions Report (draft) created in connection with the Master Plan.[7]

 
 
 
#3. Braintree’s businesses operate and succeed as part of a larger ecosystem.
 
Braintree’s business community is a thriving ecosystem of larger and smaller businesses that complement each other, which enhances the entire town. Changes to the tenant mix can create challenges that require a shared commitment by the public sector and private sector to finding solutions.
 
For example, when Haemonetics vacated its space on Wood Road in 2019, local businesses felt an immediate impact through loss of retail sales, decreased hotel bookings, and fewer lunchtime diners. We are excited that Integra LifeSciences is moving its production facility to this site due to efforts by the property owner and Mayor Kokoros’s leadership, which will bring approximately 150 new jobs to town and boost the customer base of local businesses.
 
In business areas that rely on customer traffic, such as Braintree’s commercial villages, changes to the business mix can also present challenges. A good example is South Braintree Square. Over the years we have seen the departure of restaurants with high evening-hours traffic and their replacement with businesses that operate consistently during the day. These establishments undoubtedly provide a sought-after service, but they also heighten demand for the limited daytime parking available in the municipal lot.
 
Vibrant community squares require parking and accessible walkways. For possible solutions, we can look to the findings of a 2021 planning initiative known as the Rapid Recovery Plan for South Braintree Square. This plan was funded through a state grant and drafted with participation by Town of Braintree Planning Director Melissa SantucciRozzi and Assistant Director Connor Murphy, the Braintree Chamber of Commerce through its Chair, Kimberly Kroha, and Town Counsel through President and District 5 Councilor, Meredith Boericke.[8]
 
The plan offered several ideas for the town to consider, including:

• Assess parking availability, improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and develop strategies to improve last-mile connections between Braintree’s MBTA station and the square.
• Free up parking spaces for customers by shifting employee parking for village businesses to other private parking lots that are underutilized at certain times of the day, which would require collaboration between the town and private companies that control larger parking lots.
• Create bicycle parking facilities and add sidewalk lighting to encourage other modes of transportation.
• Consider well-planned housing in walkable areas as a means to this multimodal transportation goal—such as the recently constructed Hampton House Apartments & Townhomes near South Braintree Square (2 French Avenue) and the 30 age-restricted condos on Hancock Street that were recently approved for development across from Braintree Lumber.

 
Without infrastructure improvements in all of our village squares, their businesses cannot maximize their potential. The number of available parking spaces in each of Braintree’s squares is a limiting factor that requires outside the box solutions.
 
 
Our Recommended Changes to the Draft Vision Statement
 
With the points above in mind, we suggest the following edit to core theme #2 of the draft vision statement:
 
In 2033, Braintree will have…
 
2. Economic growth policies that promote a diverse range of strong, vibrant businesses within the village squares, commercial corridors, office and industrial parks, and South Shore Plaza area.
 
Additionally, we suggest incorporating the following themes into the overall vision statement:

• Recognize the full range of economic contributors that provide important revenue to the town, including the existing apartment and condominium communities and the wide range of business community members.

 

• Promote economic development as a whole, which derives from the interconnections between businesses and residents. Small businesses serve and sell to the employees of large businesses, residents count on goods and services from both small and large businesses, and all businesses depend on nearby and available work force and customers. Successful businesses and forward-thinking economic policies are essential for Braintree’s fiscal health.

 
Thank you for your time and consideration. We invite any members of the Steering Committee to reach out to the Braintree Chamber at braintreechamber@gmail.com or directly to any of the Board members (www.braintreechamber.com).
 
Please note we would like to share this letter with the community via the Braintree Chamber’s website and social media.
 
Sincerely,
 
The Braintree Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
 
 
CC:  Braintree Chamber of Commerce members
         Mayor Charles Kokoros
         Braintree Town Council members
 
 


[1] Source: Tax Levies by Class, data current as of 11/09/2022, MA Dept. of Revenue, Div of Local Services.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Source: Phase 1 Existing Conditions Report (draft), September 2022, page 58
[4] Calculation: Assessed value of $333,835,900 for Parcel No. 2089 0 22, 250 Granite Street, in 2021 x Commercial/Industrial tax rate of $21.63/$1,000 (Braintree Assessor webpage).
[5] Source: Fiscal Year 2022 Expense by Category, prepared for the Braintree Master Plan Committee, available at:
[6] Source: Town of Braintree Local Estimated Receipts, Fiscal Year 2023 https://braintreema.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9418/6-Local-Receipts?bidId=
[7] Source: Phase 1 Existing Conditions Report (draft), September 2022, page 37, showing 64% of housing in 2020 as 1 unit detached housing.
[8] The 2021 Rapid Recovery Plan

​The Braintree Chamber of Commerce welcomed Mayor Charles Kokoros to its annual address to the business community on May 4, 2021, by Zoom. The mayor discussed the budget, development plans, and master plan committee, and he took questions from members and guests via Chamber chair Kim Kroha.
 
-- On Braintree’s pandemic recovery: Kokoros attributes the town’s low Covid-19 case numbers to vaccinations and encouraged residents to get their shots. He looks forward to Phase 4, Step 2, of the reopening plan, which allows for indoor singing, road races, and parades, including the much-awaited return of Braintree Day on June 26.

The Town was recently awarded a $320,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for small businesses with 1–5 employees, known as microenterprises, that are Low-Moderate Income (LMI) and have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
"Small businesses are always the first, and in many cases the only ones to donate to our local youth sports and many fundraisers in our community. They are always there for us, and during this time of need we must be there for them,” said Mayor Charles C. Kokoros in a statement.
 
“The Braintree Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the Town of Braintree and Mayor’s Office for making this grant possible,” said Kim Kroha, Esq., Chair of the Braintree Chamber of Commerce. “Receiving up to $10,000 in forgivable funds will make a big difference for eligible Braintree’s small businesses that have been hit hard by operating restrictions, changed customer patterns and increased costs.”
 
Here’s what you need to know about the grant ...
  
What is the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)?
CDBG is a federally funded, competitive grant program designed to help small cities and towns meet a broad range of community development needs. This program assists municipalities in preparing for, responding to or preventing Covid-19 ramifications. The grant funds were made available through the federal CARES Act of 2020. The maximum total grant award to any small business is $10,000.
  
How can CDBG funds be used?
Grant funds may be used for: 

• Rent
• Mortgage payments
• Staffing
• Utilities
• Personal protective equipment and costs for adapting to operations during the pandemic

How do business owners apply?
The grant pre-application and qualification criteria are available online at braintreema.gov/1141/Community-Development-Block-Grant

​The Town will award and disburse grants based upon eligibility criteria on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds are exhausted. If you meet the eligibility criteria, a representative from the Town will contact you via e-mail to complete a full application and submit the necessary back-up documentation.

​Extended outdoor dining and other COVID-19 recovery matters were on the agenda for the Braintree Chamber of Commerce business update meeting held September 14.
 
As a liaison between business leaders and government, the Chamber is hosting these business meetings for its members as well as the general public.
 
Chamber Chair Kim Kroha led the Q&A with Mayor Charles Kokoros, State Rep. Mark Cusack, Margaret Laforest of the Mass. Office of Business Development, and South Shore Chamber head Peter Forman.
 
Here’s the recap:

Braintree restaurants are free to offer expanded outdoor dining through the fall and winter (for 60 days after the end of the state of emergency), according to a recent announcement by Gov. Charlie Baker.
 

• Mayor Kokoros said the town will be communicating with restaurants currently licensed for outdoor service. The fire department must approve outdoor heaters and the building department will approve tents.
• Cities and towns can apply for funding to improve sidewalks, curbs, off-street parking lots and on-street parking spaces through the Shared Streets and Spaces program.
• The mayor announced that the Town recently secure a $291,000 Shared Streets grant, a program also discussed by Margaret Laforest. The Town will communicate details about this grant shortly.

 
“We’re seeing a lot of resiliency and people determined to make it through. A lot of businesses have adjusted by lowering expenses,” said Peter Forman, president and CEO of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce. “But we’re concerned about lingering unemployment and what early next year is going to look like.”
 
The mayor said Braintree restaurants continue to struggle and are worried about surviving through the winter without additional state or federal aid. “The landlords can only wait so long before people have to move out and close their business,” the mayor said. The mayor conveyed his support for local restaurants and is committed to working with the those and other Braintree businesses in any way possible.
 

​In the Braintree Chamber of Commerce’s fourth COVID-19 update, local business leaders learned about recent improvements to the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as well as phase 2 reopenings facilitated by the mayor’s office.
 
The June 8 video conference was led by Chamber Chair Kim Kroha of Baker, Braverman & Barbadoro, P.C. Here’s the recap:

On June 5, the president signed into law the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act, which addresses problems with the original PPP loans for small business owners.
 
Representatives from the Massachusetts District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Bob Nelson and Susan Lourie, led a discussion of the PPP Flexibility Act and other PPP loan information. Margaret Laforest from the Massachusetts Economic Development Office provided additional information on PPP and reopening.
 
Applications: Assistance funds are still available, and new PPP applications must be approved by June 30. SBA has guidance for calculating maximum loan amounts.  

• Any businesses that applied for a PPP loan before March 30 must reapply for Disaster Loan Assistance here to be eligible for the grant (forgivable) portion of the loan.
• The state is processing loan applications more quickly now that the initial rush has passed. If you received a request from the SBA for more information, respond as quickly as possible. Many applications are held up due to missing information (like an account number) or an error.

 
Repayment: The PPP Flexibility Act answered many questions of small businesses related to repayment requirements.

• It extended the payment period from 8 weeks to 24 weeks, and it allows up to 40% of the funds to be used for nonpayroll costs instead of 25% under the original program. There are no regulations created for the act at this point.

• Interest rates remain 1% (any remaining loan amounts not forgiven), but the loan term has been extended from 2 years to 5 years.
• Unlike the initial PPP application, there is no rush for forgiveness, so please take time to consult resources.
• Only costs that were regularly incurred as of February 15, 2020, can be counted for nonpayroll expenses.
• Businesses will not be penalized if they cannot restore operations to February 15 levels due to shutdown orders.

 
Employment issues: Businesses will not be penalized if former employees decline offers to come back to work, or if businesses are unable to find qualified employees.

• It is important to document all offers and attempts to hire and to keep clear employment records.
• An employee risks losing unemployment if he or she refuses to return to work based on fears of COVID-19.

 
For more information, or if you have questions: Contact your local SBA partners for free consultations, and sign up for SBA email notifications on PPP and other programs. 

Slowly and cautiously, Braintree is reopening for business with guidance from the state and town.

​In the Braintree Chamber of Commerce’s third COVID-19 update, business owners learned about the governor’s reopening plan and when businesses can reopen. The meeting was held by video conference on May 21 and led by Chamber Chair Kim Kroha of Baker, Braverman & Barbadoro, P.C.
 
Here’s what you need to know:

State Senator John Keenan and Margaret LaForest of the Mass. Office of Business Development previewed the reopening plan’s four phases. Advancing to the next phase will require a positive trend in public health metrics.
 
All businesses and service providers must comply with mandatory safety standards for adequate social distancing, hygiene protocols and cleaning. In addition, specific sectors should follow recommended best practices.
 
Sectors eligible to reopen in phase 1 are construction, manufacturing, office spaces, laboratories, hair salons and barbershops, car washes and pet grooming.
 
Businesses can use this Covid-19 control plan template to self-certify their compliance with the safety guidelines and display this compliance attestation poster to the public.
 
There will be no drop-in inspections, but employers and employees can report unsafe work conditions, which will trigger an inspection.
 
Under the “Safer at Home” advisory, people at high risk should continue to stay home except for essential errands.
 
Public health officials anticipate another surge of COVID-19 cases that will coincide with the annual flu season. “The fall will be very challenging,” said Sen. Keenan. 

​The Braintree Chamber of Commerce hosted its second COVID-19 update with Mayor Kokoros, State Senator John Keenan and members of the real estate community on May 11.
 
Meeting by video conference, participants discussed the pandemic’s impact on residential and commercial renters and landlords as well as the broader business community. Incoming Braintree Chamber chair Kim Kroha led the meeting.

The mayor reported that 78 Braintree residents have died of Covid-19 to date, and 65% of cases are in nursing homes and long-term-care facilities. The number of new cases is declining, although the numbers are “far higher” than could have been anticipated at the start of the crisis.
 
The mayor expressed his commitment to working closely with business owners to reopen safely after the governor lifts restrictions and issues guidelines.

• Restaurant owners are very concerned about their ability to survive financially if social distancing requirements require them to operate at reduced capacity. The town will investigate using public property for outdoor dining, such as parking lots or French’s Common. Street closures and sidewalk dining are likely unfeasible.
• Hair salons and personal services might be best equipped to reopen because frequent sanitization is already part of their daily business practices.
• The mayor is skeptical that the town’s summer programming, including community events, will be possible due to safety concerns with large gatherings. “If we don’t maintain reduced numbers of folks in public places,” the mayor said, “we’re going to end up with a spike and it will put us in a bad situation come Fall when we need to have school go back in session.”
• Braintree Golf has reopened with distancing rules in place.
• The town is working to procure face masks and hand sanitizers for local businesses.
• The mayor encouraged the state legislature to consider ways to direct insurance companies to pay out business stoppage claims.

 
“We want everyone to get back to work, but we also don’t want everyone to get exposed,” the mayor said. Given that Braintree’s numbers are higher than the state average, the town likely will require stricter measures than those ordered by the state, he added.

​Braintree’s elected officials briefed members of the local business community in a videoconference hosted by the Braintree Chamber of Commerce on April 27.
 
The virtual meeting featured Mayor Charles Kokoros, Town Council President Shannon Hume and Braintree’s two state senators: Walter Timilty and John Keenan. Here is the recap: