Staff Writer
The Northern Maine Development Commission elected a slate of officers Thursday and adopted the operating plan for the next fiscal year during its annual meeting in St. Agatha. A $2.8 million budget also was approved as part of the operating plan.
Ryan Pelletier of St. Agatha was elected as chairman of the board and Ray Merserreau of Mars Hill was elected as vice chairman. Dick Ross of Monticello was elected treasurer and Jim Tweedie of Blaine was elected secretary and clerk.
There were no nominations from the floor.
The operating plan for the next fiscal year is funded by federal grants of more than $1 million and by about $596,000 in state grants. Contracted services and dues from member communities also generate revenue.
During the meeting, NMDC Executive Director Robert Clark told the board that passage of the Northern Border Regional Commission has received final federal approval and is waiting for financing.
According to information distributed during the NMDC session, the new federal-state commission will target the economically distressed border states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. The commission will be funded by a $30 million annual appropriation for fiscal years 2008 to 2012.
Clark said that a federal co-chairman must be appointed for the commission, although he doubts that the appointment will be made before President George W. Bush leaves office. The U.S. Senate must confirm the appointment.
The next Congress is expected to consider the appropriation.
In other business, the following individuals were appointed to the Northern Maine Empowerment Council: Connie Sandstrom, representing community/development organizations; Barry McCrum, representing economic and business development; Don Tardie, representing forestry; Max Lynds, representing healthcare; and Steve Farnham, representing minorities, seniors and disabled.
The empowerment zone is a federal effort to develop programs to stem out-migration from the region. Staff for the program will monitor and advocate for federal legislation to extend the empowerment zone’s termination date from 2009 to 2015. In addition, there is a proposal to include all of Aroostook County within the northern Maine region, according to NMDC officials.
The following individuals were appointed to the executive board for two-year terms; Scott Allen of Easton, Karla Bell of Caribou, Herman Condon of Castle Hill, Don Guimond of Fort Kent, Charles Harris of Limestone, Doug Hazlett of Houlton, Phil Levesque of Frenchville, Jeff Parkard of Sherman, Dick Ross of Monticello, Bonnie Steeves of Mapleton, Patricia Sutherland of Chapman and Jim Tweedie of Blaine.
