Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The Fish River Scenic Byway may find itself in good company if the proposed St. John Valley Cultural Byway is realized. During the Executive Board of Directors meeting of the Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC), Business Development Specialist Brian Longstaff presented a proposal for a grant application to create the new Byway, which would highlight the cultural and historical heritages along 92 miles of road in the St. John Valley. That heritage includes Acadian, Irish, Scottish heritage influences.
“Obviously this is very wonderful scenery, but we’re not highlighting the scenery; we’re highlighting the cultural aspects,” Longstaff explained to board members.
The Cultural Byway would sister the Fish River Scenic Byway, which was designated back in the ‘70s. As of last Wednesday, Longstaff estimated that the Byway application would be completed this week.
Denis Berube, NMDC director of planning and transportation, updated the Board on recent activity regarding the Montréal, Maine and Atlantic Rail lines (MMA). According to Berube, on Feb. 4 MMA put out their intent to file for abandonment.
“It’s not officially abandonment yet, but essentially that’s the process … and as such, they intend on following up with the official abandonment on or about Feb. 20,” Berube told the board. He also informed the board of a bill currently in the legislature to maintain rail services in northern Maine.
NMDC President and CEO Robert Clark informed the board on the status for a Trade Adjustment Assistance for Communities Grant Application which would be used for job creation should the grant be approved; according to Clark, communities need to have experienced 80.25 layoffs per 1,000 residents to apply. NMDC is aiming to apply for this grant for Aroostook and Washington counties, which is new for NMDC.
Clark also informed the board on the status of the Workforce Investment Act Program transition from Aroostook County government to NMDC as the fiscal agent of the program. Clark and County Administrator Doug Beaulieu are confident that the transfer of the program will benefit Aroostook residents.
An update was given on the Mobilize Maine initiative by Walt Elish, Aroostook Partnership for Progress (APP) president and CEO.
According to Elish, Mobilize Maine is an economic development approach to growing the county’s economy similarly to APP, but where APP focuses outside the county to bring new businesses in, Mobilize Maine focuses inward to identify in-county businesses opportunities that could draw additional businesses to the area. Two cluster groups consisting of local industry leaders have been formed to pinpoint business opportunities in the areas of renewable energy and Information technology/operation centers.
