Budget Amendment ID: FY2021-S4-387

ECO 387

Establishing a Massachusetts Main Streets Office

Ms. DiZoglio, Messrs. O'Connor and Eldridge moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following section:-

SECTION XX. Chapter 23A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 13 the following section:-

Section 13 ½: Mass Main Streets; executive director; function; employees; advisory commission; gifts and grants; trust fund

Section 13 ½. (a) In the near-term to address disruptions caused by the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, and the effects of the governor’s March 10, 2020, declaration of a state of emergency, and in the long-term to facilitate the commonwealth’s economic recovery and future growth, there shall be within MOBD an office of Massachusetts main streets to be known as Mass Main Streets, in this section referred to as MMS, which shall be under the supervision and control of an executive director. The powers and duties given to the executive director of MMS in this section and in any other general or special law shall be exercised and discharged subject to the direction, control and supervision of MOBD.

(b)(1) The executive director of MMS shall be appointed by the governor, and serve at the pleasure of the governor. The position of executive director of MMS shall be classified under section 45 of chapter 30 and the executive director of MMS shall devote full time during business hours to the duties of MMS.

(2) The executive director of MMS shall be the executive and administrative head of MMS and shall be responsible for administering and enforcing the laws relative to MMS, any administrative unit of MMS, and the policies, programs and initiatives enacted to fulfill the mission of MMS pursuant to this section. Powers and duties given to an administrative unit of MMS by a general or special law shall be exercised subject to the direction, control and supervision of the executive director of MMS.

(c) MMS shall serve as the principal agency for protecting, coordinating, promoting and revitalizing downtowns and commercial districts of the commonwealth’s cities and towns, advancing economic and community development within the context of historic preservation, and advocating public-private partnerships to ensure continuing progress and enduring success, by providing strategic, organizational, informational, marketing and technical assistance and resources to the commonwealth’s cities and towns and to public and private entities organized for similar purposes or committed to similar mission outcomes. Dedicated effort shall be made to encourage diversity and advance equity based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, disability, and language in any recommendations, policies, programs and initiatives developed to fulfill the mission of MMS pursuant to this section.

(d) The executive director of MMS may, subject to appropriation and with the approval of MOBD, appoint and may, with like approval, remove all such employees as may be necessary to carry out the work of MMS. Unless otherwise provided by law, all such appointments and removals shall be made under chapter 31. The executive director may, subject to appropriation and the laws and regulations pertaining to the employment of consultants, employ such consultants as the executive director may deem necessary.

(e)(1)  MMS shall establish an advisory commission to develop budget recommendations and strategies for the development of policies, programs and initiatives to fulfill the mission of MMS pursuant to this section, including, but not limited to, the design and implementation of an MMS interactive web portal, coordination of such portal with the MassMakers Portal, and qualification of MMS for Main Street America Certification in order to be eligible for programs, tools and resources provided by Main Street America. The executive director of MMS shall convene the advisory commission quarterly. The advisory commission shall annually report its recommendations to MOBD not later than November 1. The advisory commission shall annually file its recommendations with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives not later than November 1. The membership of the commission shall annually elect a chairperson.

(2) The advisory commission shall have 32 members: 1 representative from the Massachusetts cultural council; 1 representative from the Massachusetts historical commission; 1 representative from the community economic development assistance corporation; 1 representative from Boston Main Streets Foundation; the executive director or the executor director’s designee of each of the commonwealth’s 14 regional planning agencies: Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, Cape Cod Commission, Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission, Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Martha’s Vineyard Commission, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Montachusett Regional Planning Commission, Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission, Northern Middlesex Council of Governments, Old Colony Planning Council, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District; and 14 persons appointed by the governor, 2 of whom shall be from each of the 7 regions of the commonwealth: the western region, the central region, the northeast region, the Merrimack Valley, the metro west region, the Greater Boston region, and the southeast region. Commission members shall be persons with demonstrated interests and experience in advancing the cultural, historical and/or economic vitality of downtowns and commercial districts of the commonwealth’s cities and towns. All persons appointed to the commission shall be selected without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of the qualifications and experience that the appointing authorities determine are necessary to fulfilling the mission of the commission, and shall as fully as possible represent a diverse and equitable array of stakeholders. Each member appointed by the governor shall serve at the pleasure of the governor.

(3) The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for any usual and customary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. This commission shall annually, not later than November 1, make a report to the executive director and the secretary of housing and economic development, and may make such special reports as the commission or the executive director of MMS may deem desirable.

(f) MMS may accept and solicit funds, including any gifts, donations, grants or bequests or any federal funds for any of the purposes set forth in this section, which shall be credited to the Mass Main Streets Trust Fund established pursuant to subsection (g).

(g)(1) There shall be a Mass Main Streets Trust Fund which shall be administered by MOBD as custodian for MMS and held by MOBD separate and apart from its other funds. There shall be credited to the fund such sums received pursuant to subsection (f) and such sums as may be appropriated for MMS by the general court.

(2) All available money in the fund that is unexpended at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be available for expenditure by MMS in the subsequent fiscal year.

(3) MMS shall submit an annual report to MOBD, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the joint committee on community development and small businesses not later than December 31 on the cost-effectiveness of the fund. The report shall be made available on the MMS website. The report shall include: (i) expenditures made by MMS from money out of the fund to promote the revitalization of downtowns and commercial districts of the commonwealth’s cities and towns and to otherwise fulfill the mission of MMS pursuant to this section; and (ii) expenditures made by MMS for administrative costs.