HOULTON – Every town councilor agrees that economic development is vital to sustaining the area’s economy and culture. On the other hand, how to go about encouraging economic development is up for debate.

At a retreat late last week at the town office, councilors were presented with a summary of priority items, a rollout plan and a status report on economic development by Town Manager Peggy Daigle. The items were pulled out of an economic development and strategic marketing plan prepared for the town by Jim Damicis Associates of Scarborough.

Daigle, who presented the key items to the council in three different reports, identified key strategies for encouraging retail trade, spurring additional businesses in Market Square and promoting tourism.

“When we roll out these plans,” Daigle told councilors, “we should roll them out to the southern Aroostook region … we should tap into entrepreneurial groups that will be key components in creating education and excitement.”

Councilor Paul Cleary said he felt the town should look at businesses already established in the community to foster further growth.

“Ninety percent of the economic development that happens within the community happens in the businesses that are here already,” Cleary said. “We need to encourage our local businesses to expand and give them incentives to hire more employees. … We always hope for the big bird to land in town, and we don’t do much with the businesses that are right here.”

Councilor Phil Bernaiche thought the town had already “bitten off more than it could chew.”

“We get into so much stuff and give our information to everyone,” Bernaiche said, “and suddenly we don’t know where we are … you’ve got too many groups making plans for you.”

Councilor Gerald Adams, who owns a downtown business, said he felt the town had “too many economic development arms.”

“All of these economic development arms are important,” Adams said, “but there is too much competition among them. They want to get businesses here and they want all the glory. We need one economic development official, someone we can hire to coordinate all of these entities. They are all separate entities that don’t want to work with anyone else.”

Adams told the council that they needed to “step out on a limb” and not be “afraid of failing.”

“When we hear about businesses that are considering coming to Houlton and then they go somewhere else, we need someone to follow up and say, ‘Why?'” Adams said. “If we hire someone for $40,000 a year and we make a mistake, so what? We learn from it. I’m sure we can all think of a $40,000 mistake we’ve made before.”

Cleary said he felt the town had “missed the boat” on a lot of marketing opportunities.

“When the Soap Box Derby or a performer comes to town, we should have the Chamber of Commerce up at the [Millar] Civic Center putting brochures on the chairs, saying, ‘This is Houlton, here is what we have to offer,'” Cleary said. “That doesn’t cost that much.”

Daigle said she thought the idea of “branding” Houlton by incorporating tourism strategies and identifying a unique identity for the town was essential.

“I can give you examples of towns that have turned their economies around by branding,” Daigle said. “We’ve got to be positive. There are a lot of good things happening in Houlton.”