MADAWASKA, Maine — People packed the St. John Valley Chamber of Commerce Wednesday to share their optimism for the town’s future during a meet and greet with David Daigle, the new town manager.
Daigle, who had only been working as the town manager for eight days at the time of the event, said he was humbled by the turnout.
He said his first week has primarily consisted of familiarizing himself with the town’s priorities and meeting with residents to hear their concerns and hopes for the town.
“A lot of ideas have been coming in for community projects like local music in the park,” he said. “Musicians are anxious to see us develop a gazebo for them. They’ve been living under a tent, figuratively speaking, for the last couple of years. So we’re ready to ramp up on that and try to get something that people can be proud of.”
Before coming on board, Daigle said he read the Madawaska “Grand Plan,” a 10-year outline for economic revival that was introduced in 2017. He said that he and other town officials are looking at how to reinvigorate some aspects of this plan.
He also said he was thankful to former Town Manager Gary Picard and Interim Town Manager Dan Foster for helping him get started after he was appointed last month.
The event was organized by St. John Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jessica Blalock, and included pizza courtesy of local restaurant Big Ricks Burgers & Wings.
“It’s a new day, a new era, and a new time for Madawaska,” she said. “And we need to bring positivity into the town again and move forward.”
Blalock said she wanted the event to be informal and fun, and that town officials and Daigle have been supportive of the chamber.
“I think [Daigle] is going to do a great job,” she said. “He’s very personable, very intelligent, and has a lot of experience.”
Dennis Ackley, who sits on the chamber’s board of directors and is the manager at VIP Tires & Service, commended Blalock for her work in organizing the event and as director since being appointed just two months ago. In that brief time, Ackley said he has heard several positive comments about the chamber’s progress.
Ackley also commended Daigle on his work so far.
“He’s going to do a fantastic job for the town,” Ackley said. “We’re lucky to have him. I think he’ll do really great here. Hopefully we can keep him for a while.”
Helen Hebert, a lifelong Madawaska resident, said she was hopeful about Daigle and the community’s future. Hebert runs the St. John Valley Community Out-Reach Center for Healing, a faith-based service.
“When I shook his hand, I just felt in my spirit that it’s going to be good for Madawaska,” she said. “And change is good. I know that he has a lot of experience. He’s been the town manager of St. Agatha for nine years.”
Hebert, who was born across the border in Edmundston, said that she would like to see the two neighboring communities collaborate more and communicate about future events.
“It brings people over, and we get to see each other’s towns and support each other,” Hebert said.
Van Buren Town Manager Luke Dyer also emphasized the importance of communities working together. Dyer, before becoming Van Buren Town Manager, worked on the Madawaska Police Department for several years.
Dyer said he would like to see St. John Valley towns work together more by coordinating activities and working with snowmobile and ATV clubs, as there are trails all throughout the region.
“I think the opportunities are there,” he said. “We just need to grab a hold of them and run with them. I love Madawaska. My heart has been with Madawaska since I worked here, and I hope our communities can bridge that gap and see if we can’t do some joint projects together.”
Looking ahead, Daigle said he and newly elected selectmen Jenney Dionne and Michael Williams want to continue the work done before them and maintain a positive trajectory.
“We’ll just try to carry that forward momentum with a lot more transparency and a lot more communication,” he said. “All of these things are important to the townspeople, and we’re committed to doing that.”
Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified Ackley’s role at the business. He is a manager.
