Improving our local economy in ways that build on the region’s assets is a high priority for each town on the Boothbay peninsula. On Thursday, Feb. 1, senior staff from the economic development planning consultant team hired by the Joint Economic Development Committee (JEDC) will present their recommendations for a regional economic development action plan to community members at the Boothbay Fire Station, second floor, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Last June, the towns of Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor entered into a contract with Camoin & Associates, a nationally recognized economic development consulting firm, to develop a roadmap for the region’s future. Having a regional strategic master plan can help mobilize ideas, energy and resources from public and private sector organizations to diversify and strengthen our local economy.

To ensure the regional action plan was based on the most current information on our local economy and demographics, the Camoin consulting team, which includes senior staff from engineering firm, Wright Pierce, and MRLD Landscape Architecture + Urbanism, started their work by conducting a comprehensive Economic Base Analysis of the Boothbay Region.

To supplement this data analysis, the consultants met with 73 key stakeholders to conduct interviews about the regional economy. They also facilitated an October Master Plan Workshop to solicit feedback and information from a broader group of business owners, community members and town officials. All this information helped the consultants and JEDC prioritize economic development efforts for the peninsula. The consultants from Camoin & Associates and the JEDC are concluding the planning process and are eager to transition into the implementation phase of the economic development action plan.

To learn more, community members are invited to attend the roll out of the proposed economic development action plan on Feb. 1. At the meeting, participants will discuss the goals and objectives of the plan and then focus on a larger discussion about how our communities work together to launch the implementation phase. Your input is vital to help us determine “What’s next?” 

Space is limited for this community meeting so you must RSVP to JEDC Co-Chair, Wendy Wolf, wolfbbhselect@gmail.com by Tuesday, Jan. 30.  Note: Feb. 8 is reserved as a back-up snow date.

The JEDC was appointed in 2015 by the select boards of Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor for the purpose of enhancing economic growth and prosperity through a process that builds on the assets of the Boothbay peninsula while preserving the quality of life for the residents in our region. The group also includes representatives from Southport and Edgecomb.