By TARA THOMAS

As Malta continues to reach significant milestones, we as a community know economic development has been one of our town’s defining issues over the past few years — and one that has ignited passionate disagreement on both sides.

This is an important debate, and one we as a community must have. Town investments are similar to taking out a loan on future prosperity. A good investment can set the foundation for generations of economic strength; a poor decision could haunt us for decades.

At the heart of the discussion is the question of our downtown — how we can become a sustainable, thriving business community while preserving our rich heritage and small-town traditions. Finding the right solution has required community input and the ability to put the well-being of Malta ahead of outside special interests and political squabbles.

Much of the debate over the past year has rested upon GlobalFoundries, the $4.2 billion chip factory that broke ground last fall. I was part of the team that helped approve the project, and I can assure you it was a decision not taken lightly. We had extensive discussion on the pros and cons of bringing such a large-scale project to Malta, ensuring job creation for future generations. The thousands of local jobs that have since been created by the project seem to validate our decision.

Nevertheless, we must remember that GlobalFoundries is the exception to the rule, not the rule itself. How we proceed with Malta’s downtown planning will have just as much — if not more —of an impact on Malta’s future as Global Foundries or other types of large-scale projects. Our Town Comprehensive Master Plan, while far from perfect, establishes a framework for future development initiatives.

Through workshops conducted recently, professionals who assisted the town in our downtown planning made it very clear that improvements are necessary to meet the goals of what the original Master Plan was to achieve. Recommendations from professionals have included reducing the 1.8-mile downtown boundary to a 1/2- to 1/4-mile boundary, enhancing walkability and connectivity initiatives, reviewing the current scale and implementing Traditional Neighborhood Design standards. Also under discussion was a careful review of our generic environmental impact statement, as the planned multi-family residential development threshold has already exceeded projections with only a small amount of development currently approved in the downtown area.

The important thing to remember is that we can never become complacent, ever. We must constantly review our plans, impact statements and standards to make sure each project will not only have a positive impact on our town, but will be deficit-neutral.

I know some of this can sound very technical, and the truth is, sometimes it can be. But, that’s why it’s so important that we have this discussion in an open and honest manner, and that residents have the opportunity to have their opinion heard. I would be very happy to meet with any resident to discuss this issue further, so please, do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you kindly for your input.

Tara Thomas is a member of Malta’s Town Board.