All towns · windham

Windham Economic Development Committee Meeting (minutes)

Document

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 
3 N Lowell Road, Windham, NH 03087 
(603) 432-3806 / Fax (603) 432-7362 
www.WindhamNH.gov 
 
 
 
Windham Economic Development Committee (WEDC) Minutes 
Friday 5th June 2026 
Community Development Department 
 
Call to order 7:34 am by Dale Valvo (Chair) 
Present: Dale Valvo (Chair), Matthew Swoboda, Gary Garfield, Shariq Yousfi (Alt), Whitney Taylor, 
Heath Partington (SB), Paul Brozo, Payal Ballaya (Planning Board Liaison), Bill Urbon (Alt), Simon 
Senior 
Excused: Mitch Jacoby, Mike Oldenburg (Alt) 
Absent: Jeff Murphy (Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, SNHCoC) 
Appointment of Alternates: Bill Urbon for Mitch Jacoby 
 
Also Present: Cheryl Haas (Parks and Recreation Director), Alex Mello (Community Development 
Director), Jennifer Simmons (America 250) 
 
Introduction of new member: Bill Urbon, new Alternate member, who has a finance and business 
development background. 
 
Review of minutes from May 8th, 2026: Motion to approve with postscript clarifying postponed Library 
event, proposed by Whitney Taylor, seconded by Simon Senior, carried 9-0-0. 
 
Economic Development Update – Alex Mello:  16 Rockingham Rd autobody repair and additional rental 
units are now occupied.  The foundation is in work for the restaurant at 1 Indian Rock Road.  All the 
contractor’s bays at 135 Rockingham Rd are leased.  The 1 Sharma Way Convenient MD building exterior 
is complete, and the Starbucks project on Enterprise drive has Planning Board approval.  
 
Projects in the planning phase include a Sports Complex at 140 Rockingham Rd Sports which received 
initial feedback from the Planning Board.  The Windham Woods School Sports Dome project on 
Delahunty Road is still with the ZBA, with further public meetings planned.  A Planning Board public 
hearing is scheduled for the proposed self-storage and contractor’s bays at 14 Ledge Road, and the Dubay 
Group will present the latest plans with variances required for Gateway Park. 
 
Dale Valvo noted that Sprouts is looking to expand into the Northeast, and Mitch Jacoby has provided 
them with information about the Town.   
 
Finally, Alex Mello noted that the Arena Square multi-family housing plan for the Gateway District 
petition to NH state Housing Appeals Board resulted in it being referred back to the Town ZBA. 
 
 
Liaison Reports: 
 
• 
Select Board – Heath Partington:  Nashua Road Field well fracking was approved, as was parking 
lot paving at Rogers Field.  Town Procedures are being reviewed with Michael Bramley, Town 
Administrator.  Drought conditions were reviewed and watering restrictions were approved. 
 
• 
SNHPC – Jeff Murphy: N/A 

 
 
 
• 
Planning Board – Payal Ballaya: CIP and Design Review Committee appointments have been made.  
They are working on restructuring impact fees, and CIP methodology.  A Growth Management 
Ordinance is also being discussed that will take a more comprehensive approach looking at more 
parameters than just school capacity.  Payal Ballaya is tasked with preparing a threshold analysis for 
Town to determine what parameters would drive GMO decisions.  This is still aimed at residential 
only, not commercial.  The Planning Board will get a presentation by Nate Miller, Southern NH 
Planning Commission (SNHPC) on June 10th on the role of SNHPC and the services provided, and 
Impact Fees. 
 
 
Subcommittee Reports: 
 
• 
Infrastructure – Gary Garfield:  The NHDOT Rt 111 study report PAC comment period is now 
closed, and they are working on finalizing it.  The water contamination lawsuit against the Town 
shows no movement.   
 
In response to question from Dale Valvo, Gary Garfield noted that the NHDES water line option 
presentation has dead-ended due to lack of interest within the Town, which has installed at least 40 
point-of-entry water treatment systems and has received reimbursement.  Grant money is available, but 
the Town is unwilling to match.  Heath Partington concurred the SB has had no interest in pursuing a 
water line; he personally is in favor of studying water but believes should look across the Town at 
quantity issues rather than start with a Rt 111 water line extension as a solution; however, there is little 
interest in discussing this.  Gary Garfield believes the emphasis on keeping immediate taxpayer 
impacts down drives the approaches in cases like these, instead of long-term thinking, and believes 
that a water line would lead to additional spur connections.  Payal Ballaya believes we should be 
studying water table levels and noted that grants are available.   
 
Promote Windham – Paul Brozo:  The second Speaker Event was postponed from June 1st to June 
24th 6-8pm, focusing on business growth and development, with a business consultant and a CPA 
speaking. 
 
The July business appreciation event advertising has started and attracted some interest already.  They 
are looking to have flags available for participating businesses.  Jennifer Simmons recommended 
going face to face into businesses.  Paul Brozo and Shariq Yousfi are working on Windy Indy and 
Greet Windham advertising.  Alex Mello noted that he has budget that can cover advertising.  Jennifer 
Simmons had suggestions for first advertising to get business interest and then public awareness.  She 
also had ideas for flags and other publicity to get the project ready by start of July.  The WEDC is 
maintaining a list of interested businesses.  Dale Valvo voiced appreciation for work the Subcommittee 
is doing. 
 
• 
Land Use – Mitch Jacoby:   N/A (see comment above re Sprouts) 
 
 
Other Old/New Business: Dale Valvo noted that Canobie Lake is low for this time of year.  A lot of water 
is used by Salem in the summer (which also feeds the pipeline available to parts of Windham). 
 
8:24 am Motion to adjourn proposed by Gary Garfeld, seconded by Payal Ballaya, passed unanimously.