Bartlett - Established 1884 in New York City

Economy:  PLAN & Feedback

 

CITIZEN FEEDBACK: TABLE NOTES 9/29/05 FORUM (60+ participants)

....as written on the tablecloth during café style conversations, in response to this vision/goals statement:

Economy Vision: We envision a regional community where citizens benefit from a vibrant and diverse economy with job opportunities and a livable income for all.

 

Goals to move us toward that vision:

  • A KEYS regional economic growth council works to implement KEYS economic development goals, led by the Chamber of Commerce with active participation by KEYS municipal appointees

  • The KEYS region has a Dept. of Labor “Career Center”, and existing business development resources (i.e. BRIC, SBA, Technology & Innovation Center, etc.) are known and used by new and existing KEYS businesses, and the York County Development District resources are used by businesses.

  • The KEYS region has excellent infrastructure (water, sewer, gas, electricity, cable) in areas designated for commercial/industrial growth, and travel flows well in our in transportation corridors: Rte. 236, Rte. 1, Rte. 91, Rte. 101, Rte. 103

  • The KEYS region benefits from lower overall costs of doing business in Maine, including low cost worker’s comp. insurance, improved access to health care insurance for employees, equipment tax reimbursement, etc.

  • The KEYS region natural resource base (i.e. beaches, public access to water, watersheds, Mt. A, rivers, ponds, trails, forests, parks) are maintained and strengthened to support a healthy environment and our tourism industry.

  • KEYS region resource maps are developed and distributed to local citizens & visitors: culinary trail, arts and heritage trail, hiking/biking trails, etc. in support of the creative economy & tourism.

 

Table Notes

 

  • $ - housing – 236 – environment

  • Core Values: Livable: sustainability

  • water, sewer, traffic – people can live, work in area – improve visual aspect of 236 – parkway mentality

  • public transportation

  • infrastructure first!

  • attract hi-tech business – competing with square footage and tax basis of Pease

 

  • Goal c - very critictal – infrastructure must be able to accommodate  new business and people wanting to move – goal c – water, roads, zoning is key

  • Goals e,f - important to capitalize on our natural beauty for tourists, cyclists, runners

 

  • Collaborative/Glue/together is better

 

  • Video of Mt. A

  • $ + love of area = contentment

  • Pease tradeport has 5800 employees located there now – max cap is probably 7500

 

  • Economy driven by preservation clean water and air – the commons

  • nurturing community

  • core values?

  • parkway to make function and vision of aesthetics a high value

  • invest in the future

 

KEYS Region Citizen Survey Results April 17, 2004 (125+ participants)

At the Our Future by Design opening event on April 17, 2004 participants were asked to reflect on "aspects of community quality of life and well being" and then to prioritize and comment on three areas from the list of OFBD topics. The survey responses received that day regarding "economy" follow below. All survey content that was readable was entered. The survey can be downloaded at http://www.keysregion.org/publications.htm

Economy

Rated #1 priority

  • Plans that will attract business location in Southern York County

  • How will regionalization (KEYS) attract new business and how will the infrastructure support the group

  • Feel important in order to keep younger generations living and working in Maine

  • This is what drives everything, without diversity and livable wages, nothing else happens

  • Work force housing, supply of service workers, unified marketing of area as an option to locate a business Regionalization/cost savings to KEYS municipalities

  • Industry incentives

  • How to access and integrate all of the economic development groups/tools available and how to migrate to a regional focus

Rated  #2 priority

  • While giving thorough review of what types of companies we attract in order to maintain Maine’s quality of life and to sustain long term economic growth

  • Effects of economic growth on natural resources

  • Encourage new industry and small business – retool closed factories to hi tech

  • Encourage investment in business diversity – emphasis on small business

Rated #3 priority

  • More funding for college if we keep students in Maine; what is available for scholarships

  • Opportunity for work in local community

  • Responsible economic development, keep college grads in Maine

Other comments – not rated

  • Job creation, equitable wage/benefits, regionalization of resources/jobs, affordable housing

  • Adaptable

  • The need to keep our communities from becoming economically “anywhere USA” from influx of corporate chains and loss of locally owned businesses

  • Work/career center in Saco too far; aspire in Sanford too far

  • Not just shopping!

  • Have to attract businesses

  • Need business to provide jobs

  • Need to ID regional growth sectors and opportunity for training and education to communities to help meet these very needs

  • Protecting natural resources to create a community that attracts visitors to a region with a vibrant and sustainable natural resource base

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2005 Project Seven Development