SADC sets next two sessions in alternative energy workshop series
HOULTON, Maine — Southern Aroostook Development Corporation’s Executive Director, Jon McLaughlin, announced the schedule for the third and fourth week’s sessions in the seven-week series “Are Alternative Fuels/Energy in My Future?”
This evening, May 2, at 5:15 p.m., SADC will host Bill Goetsch, facilities manager for Region II School of Technology; Lany Sherman, estimator and project manager for Buildings Etc.; and Mark Burnett, president of New England Spray Foam Insulation Company of Newburgh.
Goetsch will speak on “Heat Loss Observations Using Camera Technology,” Sherman will discuss “Energy Audits” and their use as a long range efficiency creation tool, and Burnett will discuss the “Importance of the Entire Building Envelope as an Energy Efficient Model,” stressing the use of various insulation improvements.
The session will be held at the Houlton Regional Hospital’s Health Education Center.
The Week Four session is slated for Tuesday, May 8, at 5:15 p.m. at the HRH Ed Center. This session will focus on “Alternative Heating Sources” and will feature speakers Andrew McPartland of J.H. McPartland and Sons; Jonathan Harbison of Harbison Plumbing and Heating; Doug Callnan of Agri-Cal; Matt Bell, president of Northeast Pellets in Ashland; and Sam Zaitlin, president of Maine Thermal Energy Systems.
McPartland and Harbison will discuss various wood pellet systems from the simple to the sophisticated. Callnan will discuss bulk transportation of wood pellets and storage systems available. Bell will discuss how pellets are made and what to look for in good pellet manufacturing. Zaitlin will discuss new electric thermal storage units and their potential in the Houlton Water Company service area.
There are still vacancies in either of these sessions. To register, simply email Jon McLaughlin at sadc@aroostook21.com or call him at 207-521-0157. The sessions are free.
Katahdin Trust announces earnings
HOULTON — Katahdin Bankshares Corp., parent company of Katahdin Trust Company, recently announced first quarter earnings of $1 million. Total assets grew to nearly $550,000,000, which President and CEO Jon J. Prescott attributed to strong loan growth of $40,372,000. Deposits also continued to grow, especially in the core checking and savings categories, up $24,075,000 over the prior year.
The bank is on schedule to open its 17th branch location and third location in the greater Bangor area on May 21 in The Christmas Tree Shops Plaza on Springer Drive. In commenting on this new office Prescott stated that to better serve the Bank’s business customers in the Bangor area the commercial loan office located at 12 Stillwater Avenue in Bangor will be relocating to this new location on Springer Drive, providing customers with a full array of business and personal loan and deposit services all from one convenient location.
The Company issued a first quarter cash dividend on March 26 of $.09 per share which was 9.8% above the first quarter of 2011.
Non-profit finds eco-friendly way to recognize employees
PRESQUE ISLE — Companies know how valuable long-term staff members are to an organization. Central Aroostook ARC is no exception and has put a recognition program in place to show their appreciation for employees who have been with the agency for a number of years.
In order to officially recognize employees who have dedicated 20 or more years to the agency, young maple trees have been planted in their name along the side of ARC’s Lombard Street entrance.
Not only do the tree plantings serve as a way to give back to the environment but are also representative of the slogan for the agency’s most recent logo: Eight Programs, One Association. The logo was introduced in 2010 and shows the image of a person serving as the trunk of a tree (the agency), with eight roots (programs) holding the tree to the ground.
This idea was conceptualized by the Board of Directors when Executive Director Steve Richard and Board President Matthew McHatten brought up the idea of recognizing long-term employees at a board meeting in the summer of 2011. A plaque will be put in place that will list each employee receiving this recognition, along with a description of the appreciation program. As staff members reach this milestone, a tree will be planted and their name added to the plaque.
Currently, there are 16 staff members’ names going on the plaque for their length of service to the organization: Merle Antworth, Evelyn Cyr, Irene Dafonte, Carolyn Deschesne, Pamela Dyer, Katie Endy, Virginia Forbes, Kelly Gagnon, Kathy Howlett, Sally Lewin, Josette Madore, Alice Malloch, Barb McNeal, Pam Powers, Steve Richard and Mike Samon.
The agency, whose eight programs provide services to people with developmental disabilities, hopes to keep adding names to this list over time. It certainly is well on its way to do so, considering many employees have been there for many years.
Pam Powers, adult services program director and staff member for over 25 years, shared her thoughts on her time with the agency.
“My experiences at Central Aroostook ARC reminds me of the quote from Julius Sterling Morton, ‘The cultivation of trees is the cultivation of the good, the beautiful and the ennobling in man, and for one, I wish to see it become universal,’” said Powers.
The event during which the Board of Directors will officially recognize the 16 employees who have earned this honor will be held on Thursday, May 24, at 11 a.m. on the grounds of Central Aroostook ARC, near the location where the trees are planted. Once the plaque is unveiled and employees are awarded their gift of appreciation, other staff members will be preparing a nice, hearty cookout for lunch.
For more information call Natasha Brobst, administrative assistant/special projects coordinator, at 762-5591 or e-mail aasp@ainop.com.
