NMG holds ribbon-cutting
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house was held recently in Eagle Lake to unveil Northern Maine General’s new building, made possible through funding from the USDA and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Present for the event were from left: Reynold Raymond, Northern Maine General chief executive officer; Reed Devoe, Devoe Construction; Pam Buck, Buck Engineering; Virginia Manuel, USDA Rural Development state director; and Trustees Joan Sylvain, Arnold Devoe, Norman Fournier (Trustee chair), (Rep.) John Martin and Francis LaBrie.
EAGLE LAKE — Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel joined Chief Executive Officer Reynold Raymond, the Board of Trustees, employees and residents of Eagle Lake for a recent ribbon cutting and tour of Northern Maine General’s new building, which provides essential daily living and skills development for the mentally disabled.
The new building was made possible with a USDA Rural Development Community Facilities direct loan of $1,000,000, utilizing funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Total project costs were $1,211,900.
The original building was constructed in the 1940s. It consisted of 3,500 square feet which Northern Maine General’s staff and services had outgrown. The original building was over 60 years old and had a host of problems including a recent electrical fire.
The new building consists of two separate wings, one for housing administration and the second for program services. The new building consists of 7,300 square feet, allowing the facility to house additional services and create 10 new employment positions.
Manuel said, “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds have been a great resource to bring about critical projects like this Northern Maine General facility in Eagle Lake. This is the kind of project that we should be supporting — ones that provide critical services to rural residents in northern Maine.”
President of Northern Maine General’s Board of Trustees Norman Fournier stated “without the involvement of USDA Rural Development funding and American Recovery and Reinvestment funds, this building would not have been possible.”
Raymond stated “we have been waiting a long time and are happy to be able to provide a safe, accessible, comfortable environment for the people we serve.”
USDA Rural Development has Area Offices located in Presque Isle, Bangor, Lewiston, and Scarborough, as well as a State Office, located in Bangor. There are 83 employees working to deliver the agency’s Housing, Business, and Community Programs, which are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, and farmers, and improve the quality of life in rural Maine. In Fiscal Year 2009, USDA Rural Development invested over $420 million in the state of Maine. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA Rural Development’s web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/me.
