Economic group to seek backing for local projects

MACHIAS – With three of its members beaming in from Augusta, the Washington County Economic Development Task Force took active steps Wednesday evening to make sure their work is getting heard well beyond Down East.

While a handful of the task force’s 23 members met at the Machias Career Center, the group’s usual meeting place, three more who are also members of the Maine Legislature participated through a PolyCom video conferencing system.

Rep. Eddie Dugay, D-Cherryfield, who is the group’s co-chairman; Sen. Kevin Raye, R-Perry; and Rep. Fred Moore of the Passamaquoddy Tribe joined in with comments and content from Augusta.

Rep. Anne Perry, D-Calais, sat in on the Machias meeting in person.

The task force took three votes, each gaining the members’ unanimous support. Those votes addressed:

. LD 1948, Raye’s bill to “save the boat school” in Eastport.

. A resolution supporting the Downeast Heritage Museum in Calais.

. Support for the proposed Washington County Tribal Commercial Track and Racino.

The last action was taken on the eve of the Legislature’s consideration of a joint order calling on the Legislature’s Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee to report out a bill authorizing the Washington County racino subject to a Washington County referendum.

Raye’s “boat school bill” – with five cosponsors – is called “An Act To Save the Marine Technology Center and Strengthen Maine’s Boat-building Workforce.” It addresses the boat-building curriculum for the Washington County Community College, which has been subject to funding cuts that threaten the program’s future.

Based on a plan prepared by Bill Cassidy, the college’s president, the act will make available $433,877 in annual appropriations in FY 2007 to fund the Marine Technology Center – also known as the Boat School in Eastport.

That would ensure that a high-quality and sustainable boat-building program is offered to address the needs of Maine’s boat-building industry, 5,000 workers strong.

The marine center has operated for more than 30 years as Maine’s only public boat-building program. The curriculum has been broadened from its focus on traditional wooden boat building to encompass wooden, fiberglass and composite boat construction and related marine systems.

The boat school, the proposed racino and the Downeast Heritage Museum have all been talking points through the months that the economic development task force has been meeting, each as central points for strengthening the county’s economy.

The group resolved to “recognize the essential contributions of the Downeast Heritage Museum and urge the State of Maine, foundations and corporations to become partners in assuring the solid growth and secure future of an important cultural and economic asset.”

The $6 million museum opened in 2004 to a budget shortfall, highlighted for task force members by director Jim Thompson at their last meeting in December.

Raye and the other Washington County legislators will focus on the racino, the boat school and the museum – among other priorities – in the message they take to the rest of the state’s lawmakers as they seek support for Washington County initiatives and projects.

Dianne Tilton, executive director of the Sunrise County Economic Council and a task force member, said that good work occurred Wednesday, particularly when using the PolyCom link.

“I heard some comments when the task force was formed [last August] that there was a high number of elected officials,” Tilton said on Thursday.

“But it’s worked out really well. They have been part of all these discussions, and now they are in Augusta with all of our work in the back of their heads. Here is their chance to implement some of the group’s interests and see what they can do as leaders.”