Piscataquis County needs more tourism, council says

DOVER-FOXCROFT – The old proverb about not putting all the eggs in one basket holds true for economic development efforts, Piscataquis County residents were told Monday during a public hearing on the proposed Piscataquis County and unorganized territory budgets.

While past efforts by the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council have focused on retaining and adding jobs to the local economy, the council now is looking to diversify by placing more of an emphasis on tourism.

“We want to bring the [tourism] businesses together,” Mark Scarano, the PCEDC’s executive director, said Monday.

No faults were aired at the public hearing on the proposed county spending plan of $3.9 million that will require a tax rate of $2.01. This is a reduction of about 2 cents from last year.

Outside of governance questions in the unorganized territory, there was little discussion on its proposed $1.1 million budget. The budgets now are expected to be adopted by the Piscataquis County commissioners at their Dec. 6 meeting, according to County Manager Mike Henderson.

Included in the 2006 proposed budget is $100,000 for the operation of the PCEDC office, of which about $15,000 will be used to contract for a part-time tourism development specialist, the approximately 35 residents learned Monday.

The amount budgeted for economic development efforts in the county has grown over the past five years from no funds in 2000, to $40,000 each in 2001 and 2002, and to $75,000 each in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Those funds have been wisely invested and have saved and created jobs, according to county officials, a fact that was not disputed by any of the residents who attended the hearing.

Scarano focused on four businesses that the PCEDC assisted. He said JSI of Milo promised 40 jobs but now employs more than 110 employees; Creative Apparel in Dover-Foxcroft promised 40 jobs and now employs more than 60; and a family-owned furniture business in the new Greenville Business Incubator has added two employees.

The PCEDC’s assistance also helped a Maine company acquire Pride Manufacturing Co.’s Guilford plant, an effort that retained 60 jobs.

As part of the tourism effort, Scarano said the PCEDC is interested in supporting scenic by-ways, improving the signage and working with businesses to arrange for itineraries once tourists arrive.

“Studies show that of all the tourists who come to Maine only about 4 percent come to Piscataquis County,” Commissioner Tom Lizotte said Monday. Officials want to bring tourists to the region and offer them suitable opportunities without affecting the lifestyle of local residents, he said.

But as Donna Runnels of Abbot noted that for tourism efforts to succeed, lodging must be addressed. She questioned where the tourists would stay besides the facilities in the Moosehead Lake region.

Lizotte said that lodging would be addressed as part of the tourism effort.

“There is a real need in Piscataquis County for accommodations, there’s no question about that,” he agreed.