Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
BUSINESS MEETING — Houlton business leaders had an opportunity to sit down with Sen. Angus King Friday afternoon to discuss some of the things that are happening here in the Shiretown. Taking part in the discussions were, from left, Fred Grant, owner of WHOU; Max Lynds, F.A. Peabody; Gene Conlogue, Houlton town manager; Ryan Bushey, Louisiana Pacific; Jane Torres, Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce; Scott Allen, Smith and Wesson; Meg York, Nature’s Circle; Sen. King, Lori Weston, Houlton Economic and Community Development director; Dave Harbison, Harbison Plumbing and Heating/Bison Pumps; Pete Chase, Buildings Etcetera; Jon McLaughlin, Southern Aroostook Development Corporation; and Rep. Henry John Bear.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Shiretown business leaders had an opportunity to sit down with Sen. Angus King Friday afternoon for an impromptu economic workshop at the Houlton Town Office.
King was in The County to attend the Maine Potato Blossom Festival parade in Fort Fairfield, and decided to stop in Houlton to speak with local business leaders to get a pulse on what is happening for development in southern Aroostook County.
“We talked about everything from agriculture to health care to contracting … you name it,” King said. “We had a lot of good discussions. I tried to fill them in a little bit about what is going on in Washington, but it was mostly me trying to learn from them about what is going and what I can do to help. These people are basically my employers.”
One of the recurring themes business leaders mentioned to King was rising health care costs.
“Health care is a big one and I think everyone is struggling with that,” King said.
Another theme to come from the meeting was creativity in the business sector.
“Houlton has two businesses — Bison Pumps and WHOU — who are doing some very creative stuff,” he said. “It’s quite exciting. They are creating new products and new markets, and that is just terrific.”
