The following is a letter from Mike Lassel:
The Town Council and the EDC (Economic Development Committee) have put forward various economic initiatives over the past several years which have received limited public support. Listening to the public we have started a process that everyone can participate in. In order to move forward, the EDC recently hired Planning Decisions, a research and planning firm out of Southern Maine, to assist in a process whereby the public may participate in planning for our town’s future.
Working with a limited budget, members of the EDC and Planning Board began asking diverse group of citizens, who reflect a wide variety of interests in town, to comment to a list of questions that have come up in various town meetings and discussions. The intent of this survey was to get a sense of what people think about economic development and associated topics. This survey was only the first step in a process. The next step in the process is to discuss this survey and economic development in a public forum. This forum will be a combined meeting with members of the Town Council, Planning Board and EDC along with representatives from Planning Decisions. Planning Decisions will help moderate the forum and provide insight on local and regional economics.
We hope to have the results of the survey along with a short synopsis on the town web page very soon. We will also have the synopsis available at town hall on Election Day.
There were many interesting and positive comments made in the survey but perhaps the most powerful one was that good economic development is also good community development. We all look forward in seeing you at the forum and hearing your thoughts.
Thank you
Michael W. Lassel, Chair EDC
One comment I have is why in are downtown is it not like Dover’s in that thier store fronts are all the same and nice and updated looking and ours looks like a run down poor mill town downtown?
Mike, this sounds so great!
There are a lot of people here in town who would like to explore the potential for creative industry in South Berwick (at least as PART of the development solution). If this interest is reflected in the survey, is there a way we could work with the EDC?
There will be a sign-up sheet at tonight’s talk to add any people who would like to discuss: what creative industry is, explore how it has worked in other towns in Maine, and to take a look at information, initiatives, grants, etc. the state offers for this kind of development. (If anyone is unable to make tonight’s talk, but would like to be added to the list, please just give me a call – I’m in the book – and I’ll let you know when we plan to meet).
And many thanks to Roberta and the Town Council and the EDC for your tenacity in seeking an economic development path that people will support.
One more thing – I didn’t mean to give the impression that the organizer’s of tonight’s event are necessarily pushing for creative development – I had just asked permission to have a sign up sheet as I figured there might be some folks attending who would be interested.