Towns pursue joint economic initiative

DOVER-FOXCROFT – Municipal officials in Piscataquis County are mentally eliminating town lines and shucking off the attitude that neighboring towns are competitors.

Taking the all-for-one-and-one-for-all stance, municipal and county officials are supporting proposed emergency legislation that would give county officials statutory authority to fund local and countywide economic development projects.

Faced with job losses and tight finances, municipal officials recognize that none of their communities is large enough to fund or undertake the financial risk of assisting the location or relocation of significant new employers to the county. The only solution, they say, is to pool their resources under the county umbrella, which would avoid duplication of effort, reduce overall risks and spread the costs to all municipalities and unorganized townships.

That philosophy was supported unanimously Tuesday by Piscataquis County commissioners, who signed a resolve that supports the development and passage of special legislation that would get them into the bonding business for economic development.

“I see this as a wonderful way for Piscataquis County to take the lead in the state,” Sophia Wilson, Brownville town manager, said Tuesday.

It is expected that Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, will sponsor the emergency legislation to be introduced this session and that other local representatives also will support the move. The proposed legislation will allow county commissioners to go to a countywide referendum to borrow up to 2 percent of the county’s most recent taxable valuation for an economic development endeavor, should one present itself. Based on the current valuation, that would represent $2.7 million, according to Eben DeWitt, chairman of the commissioners.

“This is an effort that is certainly grass roots,” Mark Scarano, executive director of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council, said Tuesday. The idea first surfaced late last year during county budget deliberations and gained momentum over the months.

Scarano said Piscataquis County is an economic center and all of the communities and unorganized townships within its boundaries are related. What goes on in one town has reverberations in other communities, he said, noting that the county has a high commuter rate within its borders. The joint benefits of such a move are increased retail business development, sustainability of property taxes and increased school revenues, he said.

Had such legislation been approved last year, it is likely the county would have sought $29,000 for the first year’s capital bond guarantee for a proposed speculative building in Greenville. The commissioners had included the funds in the 2003 budget, but the money was eliminated during budget cuts.

Other funding sources are being sought and Greenville Town Manager John Simko said Tuesday it was likely the speculative building for a proposed wood-composites business would be under way by the time the special legislation was approved. He said the proposed legislation would give the county the ability to move forward quickly on another business venture.

Sangerville Town Manager Martin Puckett said the proposed legislation would serve as a wake-up call and would show people that the county is headed in the right direction.

“This would be an important tool in our tool case,” said Tom Lizotte, a Dover-Foxcroft selectman and member of the economic development council. “One town can only do so much to create jobs.

“We don’t care where the jobs are created as long as it’s in the region,” he said.