Page 11 - BusinessWest October 26, 2020

Charlie Christianson says many local businesses have had to pivot and be nimble in the face of
COVID-19.
“We have seen a lot of activity in our remote- access business where we help companies get their remote employees into their online system in an effective and secure way,” he explained.
Chamber member Steve Graham, CEO of Toner Plastics, said several of the products his company makes are considered essential, a designation that kept his workers busy all year. Perhaps the most notable product Toner makes these days is the elastic for N95 masks.
“Since the pandemic, you can imagine the demand for that product went through the roof,” Graham said, adding that, during a time when other companies were cutting back due to COVID-19, his company had to quickly ramp up
for more production.
With Toner facilities in Pitts-
field and Rhode Island, as well as in East Longmeadow, Graham appreciates the opportunity to continue his operations during these challenging times. “We’re fortunate that we are able to keep people employed and con- tinue to ship to our customers; best of all, none of our employ- ees have been inflicted with COVID-19.”
Go with the Flow
Despite the pandemic, municipal projects in East Long- meadow keep moving. The town applied for a $600,000 grant through MassWorks to improve sewage outflow where it con- nects to the Springfield system,
allowing East Longmeadow to more accurately monitor what gets sent to Springfield.
“While it’s not a glamourous project, it’s a big undertaking and represents a real improvement in our town’s infrastructure,” McNally said.
After years of applying to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, East Longmeadow is in the eligibility period to explore funding for a new high school. McNally said this milestone is significant because it represents the first step in the process to eventually replace the current, 60-year old facility.
For many years, residents have been con- cerned about the site of the former Package Machinery site, with any potential development
hampered by its industrial zoning status. McNally said the Town Council and the Planning Board have recently taken action to change the zoning status to mixed use, which would allow residen- tial as well as commercial buildings to locate there.
“While no official project is in front of the Town Council, one development that has been
“We have seen a lot of activity
in our remote-access business where we help companies get their remote employees into their online system in an effective and secure way.”
discussed could include single-family homes, condominiums, apartments, and light-use busi- ness entities,” McNally said. “The idea is to have a new walkable neighborhood near the bike trail and the center of town.”
To keep projects like these moving forward, McNally and her staff are working to develop a new master plan for East Longmeadow. The last master plan for the town dates back to 1976, prompting her to put this effort high on the must-do list. The first phase of the plan is sched-
East Longmeadow
Continued on page 46
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
OCTOBER 26, 2020 11