HOULTON, Maine — It has been one month since Nancy Ketch took over as the town’s community development director and grant writer.
And during that time, Ketch has been amazed at the overwhelming support she has received in her new venture.
Ketch replaced Lori Weston, who resigned in August to take a position with Bangor Savings Bank. Weston held the town post for about three years. The town went without a director from the time Weston resigned until Ketch’s hiring in December.
Prior to her position with the town, Ketch worked at the Department of Health and Human Services and before that, was employed by Maine Revenue Service in Houlton for 14 years. She also has an extensive history with Houlton, and in particular its downtown economy. From January 1987 to September 1999, Ketch was the executive director of the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce. She was also involved as the marketing director for Houlton’s Downtown Revitalization Project back in 1987.
“In some ways, things are kind of coming full circle,” she said. “I’m back working with a lot of the same people as before. It feels like a good fit.”
Grant writing will be a huge part of Ketch’s job as she looks to find new ways to bring revenue to the town.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is getting awarded the grant is simply the first step,” she said. “Once you receive the grant, then begins a long process of paperwork, documenting everything that has been done so the town can get reimbursed. Groups want to be sure that the money is spent the way it was intended.”
Active in the community, Ketch is a 26-year member of the Houlton Rotary Club, a member of the Houlton High School Alumni Association and is a former town councilor.
“I think living here my whole life has really helped,” she added.
As one of the town’s newest department heads, Ketch said she was looking forward to the challenge and felt her time spent at the Houlton Chamber of Commerce will prepare her.
“With any job like this, you can get pulled in any number of directions,” she said.
While drawing new businesses to the area will be a integral part of her new job, Ketch said she must not lose sight of those existing businesses that are already here.
“We want to see those businesses that we already have stay or even expand,” she said. “I see the town working closely with groups like SADC (Southern Aroostook Development Corporation), the Chamber, and NMDC (Northern Maine Development Commission). We really need to focus on the whole community.”
