The Tuesday, Aug. 21 JEDC meeting brought a unanimous decision to draft a note to selectmen in Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor.

The JEDC is recommending the two boards do three things: Request their planning boards review ordinances as they relate to affordable housing;  discuss common features of the comprehensive plans to increase affordable housing; and hire one consultant for each town to revise suggestions. If needed, the JEDC would fund the consultants.

The decision follows the towns’ talks over their priorities in economic development – housing and broadband access. Boothbay member Dale Harmon, also a selectman, said his board's discussion was fairly brief since members all agreed broadband and housing are big issues that need attention.

“The final result is that we are fairly well in alignment between the two towns,” said Boothbay member Dan Bryer.

Bryer said regional collaboration was also a talking point as Boothbay selectmen want to keep an open mind on how the towns can work together on smaller issues that make sense.

Boothbay Selectman Kristina Ford and JEDC member Steve Malcom have been working collaboratively to find ways to bring fiber optic broadband onto the peninsula, said Bryer. Ford and Malcom brought the idea forward to apply for a Community Broadband Grant through the Maine Community Foundation. Bryer produced a printout of the program.

“If you have municipalities working together, you have a much better chance of obtaining that grant … It would (be) a kickoff for us as we actually do start delving into what actually is broadband and what level of it we need.”

The grant tops out at $15,000 and requires no matching funds, said Bryer. The deadline to apply is mid-October. Member Mike Tomko asked what the grant goes toward and Bryer said an assessment of internet access. He said fiber will not be needed everywhere, but the assessment would help determine where it is needed.

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library Executive Director Joanna Breen said most of the information needed for the grant is in the Camoin report.

“So, it's mostly work done,” said Breen. “And the library does provide lots of tech support, so we would be happy to bottom line this grant as a source of teaching people how to use the internet and outreach.”

While Boothbay Harbor's focus on priorities from within includes the downtown and waterfront business and development, Boothbay has prioritized its industrial park. Harmon was previously loath to dive too far into pursuing bringing water and sewer into the industrial park, but he said new information has come to light.

“I'm not going to remember exact figures, but there are large portions of land that are still planned in the industrial park that are not there now, but are earmarked to be going in after the rewriting of the zoning,” said Harmon. “That being said … it definitely changes my perspective that it's not just what it is now, but what it could be.”

Co-chair and Boothbay Harbor member Wendy Wolf said the goal is to have Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission talk with the JEDC about short-term progress  to help with current staff or potentially additional staff backed by JEDC funds. Tomko said the LCRPC desires to work with the towns on economic development.

Work with the housing group is gaining momentum with about 25 people regularly going to meetings and offering expertise. The group wants the towns to review ordinances and building codes and assess housing stock, and tie that into recommendations for management and maintenance.

“Those are some of the issues that the housing group is fairly close to I think coming to the JEDC and asking if there can be support from the JEDC budget that we have to support some of those activities,” said Wolf.

Bryer suggested if consultants are hired, the JEDC should advise them to work separately and think about areas of alignment between the two towns and where those overlaps can be written into ordinances.

Said Bryer, “The time is now if we want to begin the discussion and this is where I would see a lot of value in LCRPC because Bob Faunce did Boothbay Harbor's (comprehensive plan) and we still have the gentleman who did ours – Mark Eyerman – working on the ordinances. We have the two principals in place and to have those two assets available is invaluable.”