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Recent Successes
Somerset Economic Development Corporation collaborated with the investors of Maine Woods Pellet and the Town of Athens officials in successfully bringing about the investment in the town of a new wood pellet mill. The new mill is state of the art and employs 16 people. Somerset Economic Development Corporation was successful in attracting $950,000 in State and Federal grants to assist in the capital investment in the new facility.
We were successful in collaborating with Jackman Town Officials and the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railroad in having the railroad sell the historic rail station in Jackman to the Town for a minimal fee. SEDC wrote a grant, which allowed the Town to pay consulting services to do planning for potential future uses of the rail station and assessments of the costs to renovate this historic structure.
Somerset Economic Development Corporation was instrumental in collaborating with the officials in the Town of Bingham and the Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance Service in attracting over $81,000 in State and Federal grants to assist in the purchase of a new ambulance.
We were recently able to write a grant that brought $66,000 in grant funds to assist in the stabilization and partial renovation of the Old Meeting House in Bingham. The Old Meeting House is listed on the National Register of Historic places and is a very visible structure in the downtown area of Bingham.
Somerset Economic Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Somerset Workforce Development Team (SWDT) organized and implemented a training program for workers to teach them soft skills employers have indicated are lacking in segments of the labor force. The training program is titled Workready and two classes of workers have been trained. The Workready program is on going and plans are to offer it at least twice a year.
Current Projects
Several years ago, Somerset Economic Development Corporation organized the Chambers of Commerce in Somerset County to collaborate on issues of importance to businesses in the county. Several projects have been completed.
Currently the Regional Chambers have distributed the 2008 Somerset County Events brochure. The brochure is a comprehensive listing of various events occurring in the county during 2008. The group is currently designing and preparing to print and distribute a Somerset County map and guide, which will depict recreational, cultural, and historic sites and identify public lands and sites in the county. SEDC has been instrumental in guiding the groups work and in obtaining grants to assist in funding projects
SEDC in conjunction with the Western Mountains Alliance (WMA) has organized and implemented the first in an on going series of legislative forums. These forums provide the opportunity for a dialogue between Somerset County Legislators and business and community leaders on topics of importance to businesses and communities. The first forum focused on state tax reform. We anticipate future forums on health care, state regulations, transportation issues and workers compensation insurance.
In addition to the collaboration on the Workready Training, mentioned above, the SWDT in conjunction with SEDC, is collaborating with leaders in the education community and the business community to identify and promote career opportunities for young people in our labor force.
Somerset County as well as Maine faces potential shortages in our future labor force. We must act now to identify critical skills that are required by our businesses and work with the business and education communities to assure that these skills will be available in our future labor force. Part of the solution to this situation is to inform our young people of the opportunities that exist in their own communities.Somerset Economic Development Corporation has a position on the Board of Directors of the Western Mountains Alliance, Old Canada Road Scenic Byway, Kennebec Valley Tourism Council, Central Maine Growth Council and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy committee of Kennebec Valley Council of Governments. We work with all of these groups and others to promote various aspects of our economic development strategy for Somerset County.
We believe that economic development requires a regional approach and our work with these organizations provides the avenue for regional collaboration and cooperation to assist us in achieving a better future for the residents of Somerset County.
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41 Court Street
Skowhegan, Maine 04976
(207)474-0166
fax (207)474-0465
