A Letter of Concern
Submitted by Kim Tesoro
(Editor’s note: The following was submitted as an open letter to Hillsborough mayor Jenn Weaver and the Hillsborough Town Board)
Good Afternoon Mayor Weaver and Members of the Town Board,
I am writing on behalf of my Board of Directors, Membership, and Hillsborough’s Business Community to state our concerns for any change to the sound ordinance as it is currently written in the Hillsborough Code of Ordinances Article I. Noise: Sec. 5-4. – Special Provisions for Amplified Sound. For the board to consider a request that creates yet another obstacle to the recovery and rebuild of our local hospitality venues, especially considering that these businesses have been the most seriously impacted during Covid-19 and actually still remain under Executive Order restriction, sends a signal that the Town’s leadership is not only insensitive to the plight of our businesses who are still suffering from the impacts of the pandemic, but is also non supportive of the local business community.
Since the early 2000’s, a collaboration between Tourism Board, Hillsborough Arts Council, Hillsborough Visitor’s Center, and this office, has resulted in building a successful tourism economy, one that is the main source of revenue for our local businesses, whether retail or restaurant/bar. We have successfully marketed Hillsborough as a destination, until March of 2020. It is time to work to revive that status, as our business community is still reeling from the lack of tourism in our community over the last year. Taking steps that thwart opportunity for live performance because of a stringent ordinance, one that seeks to end entertainment at midnight, before local businesses can even reopen without restriction and adopt to the post-COVID economy, creates a very unfriendly business environment and isn’t based upon any recent and therefore, relevant information.
Not only are local businesses looking to reopen and recover, our town must also rebuild lost revenue in order to maintain the stakeholders that are supported through food and beverage tax collection. We must compete for every tourism $$, patrons from across the region have great choices for an evening of entertainment in every surrounding community. Many are hungry to be out and about, and they will choose the destination that offers a complete package from shopping, to dining, to late night live entertainment.
The work that went into creating a successful marketing campaign for Hillsborough as a destination resulted in attracting and keeping a business community that in turn, is able to draw more visitors in, and therefore, support our historical assets. Supporting restrictions that seek to return Hillsborough to a quiet neighborhood town, is not in keeping with 2030 Vision and undoes the work of so many over the past twenty years. Hillsborough has successfully achieved an enviable growth while maintaining a charming quality, we need to continue to support our main street businesses.
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