Staff Writer
The regional planning commission in Aroostook County is the recipient of a $90,000 grant to develop an instructional CD-ROM to help train local planning board members in their work to improve their communities. Awarded to the Northern Maine Development Commission, the funds are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program.
According to Brian Longstaff, the project manager, the CD will offer certified training to planning board and appeal board members, who primarily volunteer their time, but rarely are able to receive adequate training. Real estate and business developments, which apply for local planning board approval, are becoming increasingly complex, Longstaff said.
“It’s very difficult (for local officials) to stay up to speed and feel they have the confidence to effectively handle the project,” said Longstaff.
How a planning application is handled could affect how a community grows and prospers, according to Longstaff.
“We’re so rural and so far north that (town officials) only receive Maine Municipal Training once or twice a year,” said Longstaff.
The grant was received by the NMDC on behalf of six Aroostook County towns, who will be the first ones to use the new CD. Included in the grant were the towns of Danforth, Orient, Oakfield, Smyrna, Weston and Wallagrass. Longstaff said the towns are classified as low-income and fit the program guidelines.
“We felt that they (the towns) were ready to participate and use the tool that we’ll develop for them,” said Longstaff.
Included in the development of the project will be a script that will convey the required information to the viewer. In addition, a cast will be put together to role play various scenarios of a planning board’s function, such as a mock planning board meeting. Longstaff said the disc will also include quizzes that will allow the viewer to receive a certificate as proof of the training.
The actual monies are expected to be awarded by next fall and then work will begin, Longstaff said. The CD should be finished in about two years from that point.
After completion and the participating towns have worked with the program, Longstaff said that the planning commission plans to offer it to other communities within their service area.
“We hope that this can be a model for other municipal officials,” said Longfellow. “Other regional districts could mirror the project.”
