HOULTON, Maine — Regional representatives from area business and economic development groups took part in a Maine Public Radio program Thursday to discuss regional economic development issues in Aroostook County.
Approximately 25 people gathered at the Houlton Community Arts Center Thursday to listen to the taping of Maine Public Radio’s program, “Maine Calling.” The event covered rural economic development and featured a local panel in conversation with show host Jennifer Rooks. Those in attendance had the opportunity to ask questions during or after the show. Listeners also participated with calls, emails, tweets and Facebook posts.
Panelist Kristin Wells, former executive director of Aroostook Aspirations Inc. told the audience she felt that economic development in the area is “challenging.”
“Most people have different views,” she said. “We have a population decline that has been happening for years and years. At the same time, we also have so many positive things going on here.”
Rooks noted that the 4 percent unemployment rate was only slightly higher than the 2 percent unemployment rate in some of the more urban areas of Maine. Wells agreed, but said that the 4 percent rate did not reflect people who were pursuing a college degree or who had retired.
“I think that rate should go a little deeper and show more,” she said.
Fellow panelist Chris Anderson, president of the insurance firm F.A. Peabody Co., said he felt that outmigration was “still a challenge” but that there were internships and business opportunities that were available and geared toward young people and getting them to stay in the area and see all of the great things that The County has to offer.
Another panelist, Brett Richardson, the associate director of sustainable food and agriculture programs at Coastal Enterprises Inc., said the hard working people in Maine, along with its natural resources and a strong food systems program, were working in the state’s favor.
“Rural Maine is full of innovative and hard working people,” he said. “CEI is one example of that, being mission driven, we are a one stop shop where entrepreneurs can come and get support in terms of business planning to take their great ideas and make then viable.”
He added that “CEI, with partners, has invested approximately $15 million in Maine’s food economy, including everything from Maine’s food growers to distributors and producers.”
Kris Doody, chief executive officer of Cary Medical Center in Caribou, who called into the show, said that it was at times challenging to attract physicians and nurses to the rural hospital, but that a lot of local people were coming back to work at the hospital. She said Cary Medical has been employing a number of Caribou High School graduates, and recently employed an emergency room physician from Germany who was attracted to the area because she wanted some place small with snow because her husband was a snowmobiler and hunter.
Sen. Angus King also called into the broadcast. Responding to a Facebook question from a southern Maine resident, King said he believed that solving northern Maine’s problems would take a lot of “buckshot and not a silver bullet.”
“A lot of small solutions will add up to solving the problem,” he said.
He noted that recreation would be part of the solution and it was one of the reasons why he voted for the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Park. He said that recreational tourism was fast growing and could be a part of solving the problem in northern Maine.
