I am responding to Alyce Maragus’ op-ed commentary, “Millinocket more than one-industry tourist center” (BDN, June 3). Maragus has accused me of conflict of interest in order to advance her well-known agenda of pretending our world is unchanging. For her, and a few others, it is easier to look backward than deal with our changing economic fortunes in a global economy.

Anyone who lives in Millinocket knows we live in a fish bowl. No one has secrets here; the community is too small. To think that I would trade my council vote for an option to buy land is an insult to me, my family, the good people of Katahdin Paper, my fellow council members and our entire community. Her accusations of conflict of interest are false and not deserve any response; I stand on the reputation I have earned in this community.

With respect to the tax increment financing (TIF), Great Northern Paper Co. has dominated Millinocket’s economy since that company and the town were established. A viable paper mill is in our best interest as is “growing” our economy to include activities other than papermaking.

In January 2003, Great Northern filed for bankruptcy and the citizens of Millinocket feared the mill would never reopen. We were faced with the prospect that our major employer and taxpayer was gone forever. As a council our foremost concern was to see the mill reopened and our citizens re-employed. All of this region’s efforts were directed towards that goal.

Gov. Baldacci deserves credit for Brascan participating in the bankruptcy sale process. Brascan made very clear that it could not guarantee when, or if, the Millinocket mill would reopen or the levels of employment should it reopen. Despite the uncertainty, I was pleased to see this region make a commitment to Brascan to work with them to reopen the mills. One aspect of that commitment was that Millinocket would continue Great Northern’s existing TIF in light of the changed conditions when the mill reopened.

By the time Katahdin Paper formally came to the town council to transfer and amend the existing TIF, some people had forgotten – or chose to ignore the commitment made to work with Brascan. Everyone who participated in the bankruptcy process understood that the Millinocket mill had no future with a work force of 630 employees. My position on the TIF issue was made in the best interests of our community. The TIF was not a one-way street, the mill is reopened producing paper and many of our citizens are back to work.

With respect to annexation, this issue was discussed in Millinocket off and on for some time and the concept died of its own weight and lack of support. At the point in time when the discussion pointed in the direction of a piece of land I was in negotiation to buy I promptly recused myself from the council’s discussion.

Maragus has been particularly critical of the Millinocket Area Growth and Investment Council (MAGIC) despite the widespread support for this local economic development organization. MAGIC remains as Millinocket and the Katahdin region’s best bet to attract business and new residents to this area. MAGIC has not placed Millinocket in financial jeopardy and has no power to do so. The Millinocket Town Council has done what it could with broad public support to assist new businesses such as Brims Ness and Allagash Valve and with that support comes some risk. Maragus continues to oppose support for new ventures by our municipal government.

While Maragus suggests that I have conspired with the governor to consolidate the region, I am not aware that Gov. Baldacci has any consolidation plan for this area and I have never discussed the subject with him. My efforts in that regard almost all predate the governor’s election and were based on population and job losses in this region and a desire to provide services to our citizens in a cost effective manner including broader educational opportunities for our children.

We need to be open to all opportunities to expand our economy and manufacturing is one avenue. Tourism is another. I would rather expand tourism opportunities here than do nothing but hold my breath waiting for manufacturing to save us. We have been waiting for 20 years. How much longer should our laid off mill workers have to wait for employment opportunities?

I have been working on a proposal to bring a major resort project to the Hammond Ridge area of Township 1 Range 8. It is my hope that if this project goes forward, it will benefit the entire region by helping to diversify our economy. Every job created by this proposal will be a new job for this area. Maragus opposes this project simply because I am involved with it and because she and a few others equate tourism with a “trinket selling” economy. The time has come for her to back this proposal as being in the best interests of this region, and put aside her personal bias and animosity towards the state’s largest industry, my business and me.

I support tourism as well as papermaking, the wood products industry and any sustainable value-added manufacturing that might come our way. We can have it all if we work together. We need Maragus and her friends to join with us in performing the hard work ahead. She has not been part of the solution and I extend an offer to her to bury the hatchet and get on board. The train for tomorrow is leaving the station and we would hate to leave her behind, even though the thought holds some temptation.

Matthew A. Polstein is chief executive officer of New England Outdoor Center and a Millinocket town councilor.