With Hooksett’s unprecedented growth in recent years, some residents think an organized approach to attracting economic development is overdue.

“There’s been an interest by a number of people over the last year and a half in an (economic development committee),” said Town Councilor Paul Loiselle.

“It’s one of those things that’s been put on the back burner.” Upon Loiselle’s suggestion at a recent council meeting, the board agreed to look into forming a town-run economic development group.

While the town has never had its own economic development committee or department in the past, two private groups have organized with the goal of marketing economic development in Hooksett.

The Hooksett Industrial Development Corporation was formed in the mid-1980s to lure companies into the Route 3 Hooksett Industrial Park. The group enticed only one business in its several years, said Hooksett Planning Board Chairman Richard Marshall.

The most recent group organized to lure businesses to Hooksett – the Community Economic Development Corporation of Hooksett, or CEDCOH – has has seen little reward since it was formed in 2003.

But one of the goals of CEDCOH, said its cofounder Steve Korzyniowski, is to educate the public about economic development, and how it can benefit a community.

“Economic development puts food on the table,” said Korzyniowski. “It brings in culture. It brings in jobs. It brings in an educated workforce. Hopefully, it gives the community a balance of those things.”

Korzyniowski suggested Hooksett has a slew of enticing infrastructure elements – like three interstate exits, an underutilized river, increasing sewer capacity and housing – but said he would think twice about moving here if he were a business owner because of lack of office space.

“The resources are here, but somebody’s got to pull them all together,” said Korzyniowski.

Loiselle said the town has seen residential and commercial growth in recent years that has outpaced industrial and hightech growth.

“We’ve certainly got our fair share of used car lots and commercial projects,” he said. “And every developer looks at Hooksett as a place to build houses.”

Loiselle said he would like to see a town committee supplemented by help from a professional marketing firm to boost the town’s image as a destination for high-end businesses.

He pointed to the Exit 11 area as an example of an opportunity for the town to dictate its future growth.

“There’s a lot of land up there,” he said. “It’s one of the most prime locations in the state.”

Town Councilor Pat Rueppel has volunteered to visit other towns with economic development groups already in place.

“I want to collect opinions from other people and see what’s been tested,” said Rueppel, who hopes to visit economic development groups in towns including Goffstown, Bow, Franklin and Pembroke.

Rueppel said she favors the idea of adding a staff member at town hall to focus explicitly on economic development. That person, she said could be a resource to a potential volunteer economic development committee.

“I am only one of nine (councilors), and the majority may have a different idea,” said Rueppel.

Marshall said the prospect of adding another salary in town hall could put off Hooksett’s more tax-weary residents.

Marshall also suggested economic development can be tricky business when tackled in the public domain.

“If you can find volunteers who are looking to enhance the town without political agendas, then fine,” he said. “People come in with their own agenda and it gets sticky at times.”