People Behind the Plans: Andrew Martelli, Town of Cheshire Assistant Town Manager

Q: What is your professional role and what is your interest in participating with the NVRPOCD Steering Committee?

I’m currently the Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Cheshire. I began my employment with the town in August of 2021, originally being hired as the Coordinator of Economic Development. Prior to coming to Cheshire, I worked for a non-profit affordable housing developer based in New Haven, developing quality affordable housing in communities across Connecticut.  I began my professional career as an intern with the Waterbury Development Corporation (WDC) in increasingly important roles within that organization. I have always had a keen sense of the built environment and throughout my career, I have been able to watch the Naugatuck Valley Region grow and develop, and I want to have a seat at the table as we plan its future. This region has always been my home, and I look forward to its exciting future.

Q: What does the Naugatuck Valley Region mean to you?

The Naugatuck Valley Region has always been home to me. My family originally immigrated from Italy and settled in Waterbury working in manufacturing. Both my mother and father’s family lived in Waterbury, worked within its borders either in manufacturing or for the city and attended both public and private schools here.  Growing up, I would hear my relatives’ stories about the golden years of Waterbury – the bustle, energy, and strong sense of community and pride. I witnessed firsthand as the factories began to close, and the sites were cleared to build Waterbury and the Regions’ future.  I was lucky to have played a role in the redevelopment of several sites helping to give back to this region.

Q: Why is the RPOCD important to you?

The RPOCD is important to me as it will be the foundational document to help shape the region’s future. Each of the 19 municipalities that comprise the region have their own Plans of Conservation & Development that guide development within their borders. Each of our member communities are unique within their own right. This document will take each of the unique characteristics and develop a common theme, a common plan that considers how each “piece” of the overall “whole” can work together to support each other, to support the region, and its future. This might be conservation, housing initiatives, transportation improvements, quality of life etc. As unique as each municipality might be, we are certainly in this together and are stronger as a whole – a cohesive region working toward a common goal.

Q: Can you share any standout experiences or insights from your time on the Steering Committee?

Serving as the Chair of the Steering Committee has been a rewarding experience for me. It is not often that you are able to be at the “table” with a representative of each of the communities of the region. It is interesting to hear from each community and how there certainly are common themes. One thing I would point to is when we were having the discussion on housing. It was clear to me that we all are facing issues with housing although different, but nonetheless housing issues are a common theme. Residents in Cheshire are facing housing “fatigue” whereas many think we have approved too many new housing units. Some of our counterpart communities feel they are facing a housing shortage. It was interesting to hear the differences within the same topic of housing from one town to the next.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share about the regional plan?

I would like to share that the plan and its development is an exciting opportunity for the region. The region has changed considerably over the past ten years and will change dramatically in the next ten. Helping to guide thoughtful changes while preserving the sense of place and encouraging quality development is crucial to the area’s future. We are lucky to call this area home, and it is our current role as stewards of this region to leave it better than we found it. I know we will do just that!

Q: Outside of your role, do you have any personal interests or hobbies that inspire your perspective on the regional plan?

I’m all over the region! From visiting local breweries, hiking in our open spaces or just taking a cruise around the woodsy corners of the region – I love this area and Connecticut generally. You can often find me out with my daughter or friends grabbing a bite in Southbury, a show in Waterbury or a beer in Naugatuck, I certainly don’t spend my days only in Cheshire, as much as I love my hometown – the bedding plant capital of the world!