Bedford’s new Housing and Economic Development Director says his experience places him in a unique position to carry out his responsibilities.
Eric Salerno most recently was the Economic Development Director in Tyngsborough, where his position also incorporated the Town Planner position.
And his resume also features a non-governmental side. Salerno said he was running a small marketing agency when he began serving as a volunteer for the Economic Development Committee in Chelmsford. “That sparked my interest in working with municipalities,” he continued, and the opportunity came up with Tyngsborough, “a lot sooner than I expected.”
“In order to be effective in economic development, you have to have a strong understanding of planning, zoning, and permitting,” Salerno said during a recent interview in his Town Hall office.
“My original reason for getting into this sector was economic development, but I did build up a pretty strong background in planning.” In Bedford, he observed, “we have good coordination” between economic development and planning through the town manager’s office.
He added, “Some experience in the private sector gives you credibility and perspective in talking to the business community.”
Salerno, 49, grew up on Long Island and earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. He received a Master of Business Administration degree from Babson College in Wellesley in 2006.
When Town Manager Matt Hanson hired Salerno in May to succeed the retiring Jeff King, he was reunited with Salerno, as they had overlapped time in Tyngsborough when Hanson served as Tyngsborough town manager.
Outlining some of his priorities, Salerno commented that “it is inherent in the role to be supportive of new employers, new development, making connections with the appropriate town departments to make [the work] a smooth and positive experience.”
He said he is “getting to know and understand some of the challenges with different property owners” in the commercial and industrial sector in Bedford, whether large development companies or local owners.
Salerno feels that it’s important for him not only to understand local issues but also “to bring them to light at the regional level.” He said he will be representing Bedford’s interests with organizations like the Middlesex 3 Coalition and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.
As a Chelmsford resident and a former Tyngsborough official, Salerno said, “I do feel a connection to all the communities along Route 3 and am invested in the success and vitality of the Middlesex 3 corridor.”
Salerno also commented on retail and office vacancies along The Great Road, noting that he wants to pay attention to retail as well as to commercial and industrial businesses. He added that he needs more time to determine government’s role. “As I get to know the community I will see if there are policy options.”
Sometimes the impact of surrounding communities helps focus on the best market, he noted. In Tyngsborough the town stopped trying to compete with adjacent sales-tax-free New Hampshire for retail and shifted its business focus, he said.
Housing and the Bedford Cultural District are parts of the Bedford director’s portfolio, and Salerno sees a holistic connection. “Support for the cultural district is important to providing a vibrant community and it helps make it a great place to live and to work.” He hopes to be in a position to “bridge the gap between residences and the business community.”
“I like doing work where I can see long-term beneficial effects,” Salerno observed, in contrast to individual private-sector projects. “Here you can create years of positive effects.”
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