The Joint Economic Development Committee on April 3 further discussed creating an entity to assume responsibilities for the regional economic master plan. The committee previously discussed the resurrection of a decades old nonprofit called the Boothbay Region Economic Development Corporation (BRED) as the vehicle.

The rough draft outlines several points including BRED being changed from a state to a federal 501 (c)(3) nonprofit entity; town representation; new bylaws; leadership from important community sectors like business, manufacturing, marine, finance, real estate, healthcare, education, housing and tourism; the integration of the master plan’s goals; and a name change.

JEDC co-chair Wendy Wolf said she followed up the last JEDC meeting by speaking with Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission’s (LCRPC) Economic and Community Development Director Mary Ellen Barnes. Barnes told Wolf the JEDC needs to be thinking about what its next step is such as hiring an economic development staff person or creating a new entity to take responsibility for the goals outlined by Camoin Associates in the economic development master plan.

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Patricia Royall said there are too many reasons for business not to come to the region. “… I think we need to tackle those specific issues before we start to entice people to come here because they’re going to say ‘What about broadband? What about affordable housing? What about education,’” said Royall.

Boothbay Region YMCA Executive Director Andy Hamblett said he believes the easier position would be going out to recruit businesses to the area because, though it may be too much responsibility for one person, it is a clear direction.

“The other one? I wouldn’t apply for that job … You’ve got the Chamber, you’ve got the towns, you’ve got Southport that has its own leadership and opinions. There’s a lot of herding of cats and I wouldn’t envy that person because the expectations are going to be really big.”

“No one person can fill that role,” Boothbay Harbor member Jon Dunsford said, adding that is why an organization composed of several board members would have more success.

Wolf said it would be helpful for the JEDC to consider when it should sit down with each of the four select boards. Her worries are that the JEDC, in its consideration of a separate entity, is just assuming municipal participation – the JEDC should instead be asking for feedback.

Boothbay member Steve Malcom said the first step for the JEDC, as a sanctioned committee, should be an official vote. Malcom suggested taking the BREDCO bylaws and merging them with Barnes’ suggested bylaws so when the JEDC approaches the select boards, there is a “well-baked plan.”

“Right now, we’re dancing around a lot of this stuff and we were dancing around it 20 years ago. What we need is effective leadership … and I still advocate that we create an entity to be the leader,” he said. “Otherwise, (the Chamber’s) stuck with it or we have this ‘Oh, jeez, who’s doing what?’” 

Boothbay Harbor Town Manager Tom Woodin said Boothbay Harbor has often used consultants.

Said Woodin, “I have also seen a lot of committees and task forces start off with the best intentions … and after a while, the impetus peters out and it doesn’t go anywhere … I fear that forming this entity – although that’s a great recommendation that Camoin came up with and in an ideal world, yes, that’s the way to do it – I don’t see how you squeeze that into a square peg, created with motivated people who are going to run and jump with that and be on the same page.”

Boothbay Town Manager Dan Bryer agreed saying if the JEDC decides to go this route, it is going to be important to identify achievable goals because after time, participation will drop off.

Before the next committee meeting, Malcom, Tomko and Hamblett will work on a clearer proposal for the committee to vote on.

The JEDC meets next at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 17 in the upstairs conference room at the Boothbay Region YMCA.

Editor’s note: This article has been edited from its original posting.