Economic Development Committee - Regular Meeting

I hate yourself. Watch yourselves. Yes. Hello everybody. I think this is the biggest inperson turnout we've had in a long time in summertime. We haven't had that. Well, um okay. So, it is for O2. Um this is the July meeting of the officer's economic development committee. Um I thought given that we have some new faces here, we could just go around do a quick round of introductions and then um carry on with approval minutes and and whatnot. Um so I am Megan Bailey. I'm the co-chair of economic development committee. Um Carrie Sans my co-chair. Um not able to make it today, so just me. Um I live here in Northeast Harbor and in my day-to-day life I am a public sector economist. works for the state and lives right here in Northeast. Brilliant young woman. Aren't we lucky to have her? Um Kathy Miller and I work with Mountain 365. So happy you're here. And you too. I'm Jamie Blaine. Uh I used to be the secretary. So I'm so glad that I live in North Star. I live in North Starboard across from the Astute. We're looking forward to the traffic stuff. Totally insane. But I'm excited to check out and I own Swallfield with the art and gift shop in town. Um I'm Mickey Mouseer. I live here in Northeast Harbor. I work part time at Swallfield. I work part time at the Barber Historical Society as the experience manager and I do custom fabrication out of studio on Trace. I don't see how I live in Northeast Harbor. um an added to the bush

somewhat Donald Graves summer here in East Harbor. Good to be here. I'm George Anne. I'm the um director of the search in the found northeast harborman author. I'm Steve Madiraa. also resident star and also retired. Uh and as well uh ressville full-time um and retired from uh banking in Boston um participate on the board with the nursing association and recently Rick Leard formerly now and Bernard and um I guess I'm a departed member uh April Wilson part-time South Lake California parttime Northeast Harbor and also totally hop. We're going to miss you both. We're going to miss you. Um, okay. So, before we get into more membership update things, um, we can review and approve the wonderful minutes that Kathy uh prepared from the last meeting. I wasn't at the meeting. I know that it was somewhat chaotic with the Zoom hack and all of that. Oh my gosh. Yes. I smells funny. Carrie was very stressed about it. Um but I from what I can tell she handled it very well. Um and uh we're able to still handle the minutes even if you weren't able to. I wasn't able to attend. I did look at the recording but I had the caveat and

the warning in advance. Uh hoping we'll see everything. Yeah. They had fixed it by the time I got it. Yeah. Um, so like to make a motion to approve the main payroll minutes. Second. Second. All in favor? I love you. Yeah. Um, okay. So, like I said, Rick and April are stepping off of the committee. Um, I did notice, uh, I was checking the town website that you guys are actually listed as continuing. Uh, your appointments still continue for another year. So, I'm happy to email Claire and copy you both as sort of confirming your departure from the committee and she can update the website if that's okay. Okay. Make sure to copy you. Um, this was going to be Derlin's last meeting, but he's not here, so I'm sad about that. Um, so it's my last meeting, so I'm sorry. Let me see. Okay. Then you're very loud. You're so large. So you've already spoken to clear. I did. Okay. Is this your last meeting? Yes. Oh my god. That's what I wasn't sure. Yeah. Was clear, but yes. Okay. Let's say that. Okay. Okay. And I did notice that also um Matt, Jen, and Stephanie, who's not here, um were set to sort of uh your term was expiring and it it looks like most of them just auto. Yeah, that's fine. That's good for you. You're stepping off and then I'll reach out to Matt and Jen and see what their intentions are. Um Okay. Um, so with Ann, so Ann, you have not submitted your paperwork yet, but you're

hoping and attending. I do that. Okay, we're excited. Okay, so now I think Nancy stepping off. That means we have I think three um vacant seats and I know Jamie is somewhat itching to also step off the committee um which will be another big loss. Um, but we uh uh so if anyone has names or um ideas um we've had some really great folks like Steve and Ann and Nikki um interested in sort of coming on board recently. Um if folks have any ideas on folks, young people. Yeah. Yeah. And also we have very heavy Northeast Harbor Yeah. sort of presence. So any particularly for any of the year round or even summer folks who who don't live um right here in town pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Um and I'll check with Stephanie because I know she's um and just a process question with Derland here. Maybe Martha. So the new top manager who will be coming on sometime this fall or later this summer hopefully. Will they automatically be appointed as an exeicio member of the committee? Yeah, pretty much. Yeah, I think we might have to vote vote on it. Yeah. Okay. So there's nothing we have to do to make sure that okay mind they sort the cracks. Yeah. Okay. Um so uh it is the July meeting which means we are electing officers. I spoke with Carrie. Um if no please if anyone else wants to be please speak now we would be

more than happy to relate our co-chair. Um we are we are yeah we'll do we agree we'll do it for another year. I think work has gotten a little there's been some work changes for both of us over the last year. So we'll we can commit to our co-chair for one more year. Um but for you know maybe so we can't um yeah all in favor I guess we'll just vote on that but we'll do that. Um, thank you very much. And if anyone else please be thinking over the course of the next year. Um, and Kathy has very graciously agreed to consider uh keeping on a secretary unless there is anyone else chopping at the Yes. Also happy to receive. I second. I know you know. Okay. Um I'm making a good time which is great because I want to save some time at the end. So towards the end for sort of our more robust discussion. Um so we just got a few quick maybe not so quick updates on sort of our major topics. Skating rink. Okay. Well, since our last meet, I think at our last meeting, I reported that the costs had doubled us. So, that's still true. Um, we pass we got through the um annual meeting, but not without controversy. There are some people in town who opposed to this and um opposed to the rank now that it's had a higher cost. Yes. No, not the cost because they're

not paying anything, but um just I mean the noise is an issue, you know, down there in February. There might be, but um anyhow, so we're pushing ahead. Um, we have since that meeting gotten pledges of $150,000 more. So, we're getting close to our 1.1 million. We uh my house is hosting a big fundraiser which you can all come to if you love to have it on Sunday 6 and 6. Um, and so, um, we're confident we'll raise the money pretty quickly. This has been I I don't want to jinx this but this has been relative to other people raising lots of money around here this has been a fairly easy sale so far. So um but we have one more hurdle which we had anticipated which is that we need approval from the planning board which meets here at 6 and I assuming it is just routine but one of the people who has has spoken out at every possible public opportunity against the rink is on the planning board. So um just to be sure yesterday we uh requested it people left users of the range to write letters. Uh we have to date 49 we received in less than 24 hours and Nancy has kindly and a couple of other people Chrismore um are going to be at the meeting uh today. It there shouldn't be any issue. Marsha Martha probably knows better than I do because planning board does not make

policy, but we I just don't want them to make Trump. So, we're we're prepared for that. And and uh Greg Johnson is going to be presenting for and it's really the issue is really a tennis court, but the rank has got maybe most of the black. Yeah. Um I I think it's really good um that you have some people coming to speak out in support of it. I to my knowledge there's only the one person on the planning board that's so opposed to this and um I've heard from him since town meeting again about the cost which isn't a cost to the town. And the simple answer is the town voted for it. Yeah, the town voted for those improvements to the to the tennis courts and there's no money being paid by the town to do the improvements to make it a skating rick. So that's all I that's all you need to say really. And I would you you came out when you spoke to the select there's some wonderful numbers about the usage and all that. I would have that at the ready because that's very impressive. Well, letters of support were also incredibly impressive. Good. Good. Talking about getting families together, people of all ages together, re building a real sense of community. Yeah. Of meeting new people. Even if you're a great hockey player, you didn't know the other person was there and the distance people were coming to play, right? So that they're they're fabulous. I think I think it's going to but I'm glad you got the support there. You see what Kathy said is it's it's not really about recreation again. It's about revitalizing this community in the offse and that's you know that's what's

happened to you know the store closes where so that's our history. So when I talked to Brian last month or two ago he said it was still he thought it would be open in you know December or whatever with Oh she's making a face. Maybe it's changed. I think January 1st since Okay. Cuz I haven't spoken with them in a while, but you know, we've been trying to coordinate like things that brought people here and so it is still this year. It's just a little unless it gets slowed down somewhere this year. Gotcha. Just would it be appropriate for the Chamber of Commerce to do something at an opening event in January just to Sure. Well, that's what we've been trying to as part of the offseason discussion try to figure out if we could have like Friday night skates or something where places are open and we advertise so people come to town and so we just so so far just trying to figure out like how when it's all going to come together is just we're trying to keep up. Yes. Well, that's part of the conversation is to tell the places to eat. Well, the skating rink will be open and so you would have some customers. It's all kind of linked together. That would be kind of a comprehensive one. Our best letters for this evening is from Adam Freley up in Northeast. Oh, wonderful. I think there was some input from the AST crew as well when they were that was one of the questions they asked me our first call. Oh, good. They said they they were going to commit to being open Friday, Saturday nights this winter. They are. Yeah. Nor Eastern. Yes. They were interested in the skating rink and any other They're interested for something for their guests to do because is that all there isn't anything that's at least for this winter and I think the smaller restaurant will be open which is great.

Yeah, that's great. That's what they're saying right now. Yeah. And then are they sir about I mean I don't want to get off topic because of that but you know they have issues with of the space which will come up I guess in our other discussion continue um well that's helpful. I saw on Instagram like an appeal for the letters. I just saw it this morning and I was saying okay let's go this morning. Wow. Let's post on how it goes this evening. Absolutely. Yeah. Or you can just stick around. I could just stick around. That's true. Um, other exciting news, housing, uh, we had our groundbreaking for our two homes going up on Summit Road and we have signed all the contracts and this week, uh, Goodman's supposed to be starting site work of that. So, so it's in process. Uh, the homes should be placed on site in October, but then take some time to finish them all off. Um, and so our board is going to be working through the the process of setting uh setting sale prices and affordability caps. So, what criteria we might use, etc., so that we can make it as widely available but also you know make it the um we will be subsidizing these houses quite a bit. You know there's no way to build something for less than half a million dollars even here and we can't possibly charge that amount because that's not what folks can afford. So it there is a a significant subsidy on this side. And this is a duplex. This is two families. It is two families. Yes. And it is Greg

Scott acted and his firm that he had now retired from uh they did the original design and it was always it's a fairly you know it's longish narrow lot. We are allowed to have two houses on there. They are structured legally it will be as a condominium. It is set as a duplex. So there is also you know requirements of how they're connected. But these the houses are connected in such a way that it's the smallest wall possible to connect these two. So there's the greatest amount of privacy for each of the two homes. They have a they have a front door with a porch and then they have a back door uh at a mudroom. And so it's those mudroom walls that are adjoining. So where it's going to be least disruptive for families to hear noise from somebody on the other side. So uh fingers crossed all will go. What is the the timeline or sort of the hope for when folks might um we will be putting out information later this summer and fall. And I believe what we will probably do for um applications is getting word out as broadly as possible for what the criteria are, the process, the application, all of that information, and then setting a a window of time to say we will start accepting applications at this point. And then um to be determined, but one of the options is a first come first- serve basis um as opposed to a lottery as opposed to any other criteria. So So we're it's not determined yet how the only two possible homeowners will be selected. So that's that's going to be a hard decision. And do you have similar uh earnings criteria as island? Yes, actually in Yes, exactly. So, we had always set that up as our criteria following what they've been doing for years. We've also had recent conversations with them that that are you still on the board that you're reconsidering what those

criteria are based on income levels, family sizes, all of that. And so, we are we will be looking at that as well. So, I'm I'm literally in the process of preparing for our next board meeting, which is this coming Monday. All the income data we have for the area. So, we have town staff, school staff. We have a report from another regional housing study on what kinds of incomes people get from a variety of jobs on the island or in the region. um and then uh state and federal guidelines or income information etc. So we have to just absorb and weigh all of that and make some hard choices. Yeah. He no word yet on heel. It is still in the main supreme court. That was argued a long time ago. April. Yeah. Yeah. Early April. And um and even later in April, they the law court set aside a week to deliberate on all of the cases they heard that same three days. But our attorney told us at the at the time, we're seeing decisions come out now for cases that were heard five or six months ago. So that would put this in around September, October kind of time frame um to get some answer. Uh they're also our attorney and the town's attorney are also suggesting it could be sometime later this summer. So um okay uh CDC finances for new folks. I'm going to explain a little bit what the CDC is. people can correct me

because my word is um so the CDC is the community development corporation. It's this like nonprofit extension of sorts of the committee. Um and it was set up to be able to receive funds for things like the skating rink and sort of other things like that. Um because we as a committee don't really not set up to do that. Um and so Carrie co-chair she serves as the treasurer of the CDC. So, she sent me a couple sentences that she wants me to read. If anyone has questions, I will relay them to Carrie. I don't know the answer. Um, so she says, "An update, the third party request for $3,500 was approved uh via the via the select board and at annual town meeting. Um, excellent news. It means that the CDC is in a good position to be able to cover administrative expenses, legal, accounting, insurance, all of those little things. um for 26 May 27. Um this will allow the CDC to continue receiving contributions for the next phase of skating rink fundraising and anything else um that we may want to embark on. Um and she says the CDC is grateful for the support. So and that's a 501c3. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yeah. You want there is another entity that is a 501c4 the EDC the economic development commit corporation corporation. Yeah. Which was designed to help support businesses in the town. Um sometimes by making loans it could be a grant but those would uh donations to that would not be taxdeductible to the donor. Yeah. And that right now is function. Yeah. being president.

It's supposed to have enough money for a couple of years. You I would suggest that you continue to ask every year. Okay. Um Okay. I mean, and as a member of the warrant committee, I will say that if people don't, they're like, "Well, why? You didn't need it last time." Now, it's almost easier. What's this? and all of a sudden. Yeah. Um comp plan. Any updates there? Um that's me. Yes, I think it is. Okay. Uh the comp plan committee continues. Um does everybody know about what the comp plan is, etc.? Okay. So, uh, every town in Maine is required to have a comprehensive plan. It sort of lets the town, you know, registered voters, town residents decide what they want their community to do for the next 5 to 10 years. Our last one was approved in 2009. So, we're a little behind and it I think it took about three years to actually get it done. I think it was like 2006 to 2009 process. So, we have a new process. The town has hired uh the musen group to manage this for us and they are doing the lion share of reviewing what's been in there and reworking it. They've also done this kind of work for other towns and I think Rockport was one that they did fairly recently and so they often hold that up as here's what we're doing with this town. So, we look at um the resources the town has, the assets, you know, sort of inventory all of those with sort of a history and a timeline, but really the focus is on what do we want to do in the future? Here's where we've been, here's the here's the trends that we're seeing, and where do we want to go? And so, uh, we've been doing it quietly, but even

before this process got started, the Musking Group did hold a number of over the winter, uh, village meetings and got a lot of input from people for those in those discussions. And so, that will help feed, you know, some of the things we're doing. But we will be having more uh, general meetings for the public to say, here's what we're doing. years, would you please weigh in? What do you think about this? What's most important? What do we want to see in our future? What are the what are the critical areas that we have to work on? Um, at our most recent meeting, uh, which was just last week, um, we took the a section of the time we had to look at the goals of the last comp plan from 2009. And and actually the whole session we had was based on housing issues. And so we went back and looked at the goals of housing. It's like well nothing has changed. What have we accomplished since 2009 to meet those goals? Exactly. And the trend line is moving in the wrong direction completely. So we have a lot of work cut out for us in terms of how do we achieve those goals because the goals are still quite valid. So so I don't know that we need to make changes in the goals. We can tweak the language, but the goal is still increase the year- round population and have housing that's affordable to those people. So, I mean, it's fairly straightforward, but how we get there is going to be a big question. So just had a comment from my experience in Tmont because they passed their plan a year and a half ago and we had a situation where there was a major development that was going to be done on a piece of property along the shoreline and thank goodness somebody came in and bought it and so on. But what it raised and I just bring this up to you is there's a disparity between when you

have a comprehensive plan and says we want to grow here's where we want to grow here's what we want to protect and so on. What you really need to do is look at your ordinances. Yes. Because what we found was that the developers could legitimately come in and put in 25 units and with 25 wells and all that kind of stuff because the ordinance wouldn't and at least in Tmont planning board is pretty much tick the boxes and they were but that's just something that to keep in mind with with comprehensive plan. It's it's a guideline. It's not labeled. as a guideline. But what you really want to do is you want to get your planning board to say, you know, we're in in now we have to make our ordinances in sync with and there have been, you know, state developments, statewide developments in the last couple of years and the town has actually already made some adjustments to existing ordinances to comply with that. So, at this most recent town meeting in May, we approved changes and it was largely based on density issues and whether you could, you know, could every lot have an accessory dwelling unit or a second home and and what kinds of density bonuses do you do? So, so the town has actually already started working on it based on state requirements, but we can we need to tweak a lot of things. And the comprehensive plan really is a a foundation for the ordinances. They're supposed to grow from that. So, you take the guidance from where you move aside state regulations by what the town feels it wants. if you can and you know and Kathy I know as a committee we've done a couple things like distribute the survey trying to get folks to to fill out you know those

kinds of things but um you know of course as the comp planning process goes on if there's any way that or anything that the committee can do or should be doing or be involved you know that and I think that when we do set real dates for different events uh that might be informative or as a place to gather information um we can distribute it to this committee and all the committees to make sure that people are you know they know what's coming up are engaged in making it happen so I appreciate all you're involved in a lot in the town and the comp plan is a really important thing um so I appreciate your my life um okay there's done some business changes. Uh Jordan, you want to talk about some of the new businesses? Oh, sure. Yeah. Um so over this winter, we actually lost by my account um two restaurants and three retail places. Um, we gained back this spring a new restaurant, Vardies, took the place of Sea Street. Um, Seaside Belgi on Sea Street and May from Blue Hill opened a boutique. Um, more of a popup I would call it probably for this season only. Um, but I guess it might be TBD in where the shack I guess it was used to be. Um, and then also I know Kim Swan's doing a popup that's also, you know, very limited, but um, we're trying to support these new businesses. Um, it's a struggle. We're going to see in the end of this season, we're going to lose a couple more. Um, so this is not an easy way to make a living for some some. So,

um, but we're trying to do the best we can to promote the area. I know tourism can be a dirty word to some um but um we are trying to do some things to be more out there. I did bring these and I'll pass them around, but we did a joint guide this year with the Acadia Chamber of Commerce over in Southwest Harour that we are very proud that is a beautiful magazine that is strictly for this side of the island. I'm gonna apply for anote grant this fall to market it more. But um it's really I think it's it's a beautiful piece. I hope you will take a look at it and share them. They're wonderful. Really super. Um the other thing is we we tried to do a co-op in Down East this year which we try every year for the businesses to to get a a break on it and we do have brought some of those as well. This month's issue does have a spread uh two-page spread. Um Tira at Gallery of Home Sound did a paid content spread and then we had three businesses that advertised and we placed an ad just to um discover the tranquil side of Mount Dessert Island called Explore Mount Dessert. So that's in down east. Great. So that's in this month's down east. If anybody wants to take a look back, there's an artist that explored the tranquil side. Yeah. As opposed to the side. Well, we had to actually if you if you look at that publication on the cover when we were working with the Acadia Chamber, we had a bit of a semantical issue because they said, "Well, we're the quiet side, so we're we rebranded the entire side the tranquil side." Um anyway, um and also I'm sure you all have seen this, but Travel and Leisure just named Mount Dessert Island the number one island destination in the

continental US yesterday. So, um the Today Show had a feature this morning and there were some memes from businesses that were on national television. So, that's what we're up to. Great. Thanks. Apologize for my cough going. I don't think it's contagious. I'd love to if it works then I can pass it on just um so you know we the last couple of meetings and we've touched on it earlier today. Um, you know, our focus has really been the idea of year-round revitalization, offseason, um, businesses and places to gather and and whatnot. Um, and so, Jordan, again, you had a roundt participating as off that discussion with that. I don't I don't know what their perspective is. Um, I will just say this is a very tough nut to crack. Um, just because um, I do think that that actually Tyler Carol from the as the Astic Food general manager came to the event. I wanted him to come and tell let people hear him say that they plan to be open. Um, because that's, you know, something that people are really interested in. Um on the other hand, he can't tell him right now how many you know rooms he'll book or you know how many people are going to show up and you know the financial reality is that people can't kind of just most people can't go out on a limb and you know hope that because we asked if it was open that they'll have enough business. Um it

was also really interesting to hear even Nancy when Wilds was talking about it. Some of them it's, you know, the spaces are hard to um open all of in the winter because it's so expensive and so you know um attended and he was clear in his space he it's too much space it takes too much heat too much people too even if the as were open uh I did not get the impression that he feels that that could be viable if he had and that's why He's been looking for a smaller space over time to see if he could do that. So, um I I'll let you chime in. Also, I'd say it was a productive discussion. There there are a lot of challenges and I think the next thing to do is people are interested in like September to hear from Tyler at the ASU and I'll get him back. How many rooms do you have booked? Um I will say the other thing they're very interested in is this whole Christmas festival thing. So um that's only one weekend but um that again is something they think will draw. But what what did you guys think about it? I was excited. I got the feeling he was committing to this year being open Friday through Sunday with a small restaurant and he talked about being open to community events happening there and reduced rates and rooms. So, and market they have a whole marketing team for Atlantic Hospitality and they want to market the girls weekends and other kinds of things. So, they're they're interested in it their events that are going to go on. It's felt really hopeful about it. There was discussion in the last couple of meetings about possibly having a little little van or shuttle going back and forth. Is that likely to happen? So, I've talked to

them about that now three times. Um, and said, you know, we've been I think one of the things other than I guess Tim's probably driven through town. But most of these people like with Atlantic Hospitality that I've been dealing with in Kenny Bunkport, they're brand new. Um Tyler, the manager, just came from Massachusetts. So, when I say, you know, have you tried to park? You know, do you not? And well, so um so far I've gotten well they might have little cars or this or that. They're not they don't really see it as a problem yet. They are I'm actually training their team next week um on like what to do and things in the area and I wanted to I said while you're there we can talk about parking again because you really So I've tried um I don't think I alone am going to convince anyone. They don't seem like they're they think it's an issue. I think discover they may discover it. Right now they have no plans. They're thinking of like little gem what are those little claws or they they're talk they don't concrete and quite frankly I think they've been so focused on just trying to get the shrubbery in um they expected to 17. Okay. But I think the the to me the attraction to them should be tremendous marketing opportunity. If they have a little van as a cool and it's attractive or and it comes through the marina and picks up cruisers and it takes them up to main street or it takes they have to go down and vice versa. the estic who guests can come down and my feeling is if the driver can handle it if he obviously guests are their first priority but if there's somebody else who wants a lift

what a great way to be a good community I I I totally agree and I yeah it may take somebody you know whispering in Tim Harrington to go a cocktail well you know actually a used to just bring people to Yeah, that means somebody who said they needed a lift to town and they needed a pickup. Yeah, I know they are working on some ideas, but the shuttle so far when I brought it up didn't seem to be in their plans, but again, I don't think they do it based on my recommendations. So, did they look to to town with the village at some point to help support that? I think we're going back a year or two, more than a year or two. Wonderful. No, I think that there was some talk about it and we actually had a presentation by somebody who who thought it would be a good idea to have a shuttle. I my own feeling is I would I wouldn't lead with parking. But that's a good point. I'd lead with with the fact this is a terrific marketing opportunity and a community opportunity. It was insurance that nobody could ever. Yeah, we thought about a golf cart kind of thing, right? We were looking at connecting the arena to the main street more than anything else. Well, it was actually it was as I recall it was the one concept was to have something a shuttle just going around. People can get on and off. Kids could get on. the far point would be the golf club go swinging through and there's people like the idea but then I think it went on the rocks with insurance as I recall it yeah I I do think once they open maybe it'll be easier to for them to look into some of these other things yeah and see what their guests are

trying to do or Yeah. Yeah. What's the demographic of these guests that are coming? Are they doing I would imagine he do also like crosselling between all his properties, right? So yeah, get you from here to there. I I think a real opportunity for them are cruisers. People have been out in the water for a while. They obviously have they're in a wealth category that they can afford going to a nice restaurant at the Asticoot. They got a shuttle to pick them up. I think they go over to the I was thinking they tend to go to the go to the if you stretch that first. Yeah. It's one thing if you're on a moing and you have your own tender and you can go to Is that is that it? Is that staffed the landing? No, but it's show. Yeah, I think they have a sign that it's a one hour to move to. I mean, I guess this They I think it was interesting that they're open. I will say no one else is really signed up necessarily just because of that to throw open their doors because there are challenges and so we need to we're going to meet again once they're open and they have some idea of what their bookings are. I think if they said, "Well, gee, we're booked every weekend between that's a different I mean, and if he wanted to, I felt the inclination to maybe come to the October meeting and like chat. Um, that would be interesting." Our our meeting. Yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah, that would be interesting. Um, so I know, um, this idea of year-round community, um, we've talked a lot about building on the great success of those like SIP, what were they

called? The SIP and socializing events that happened over the winter. Um, I think at the last meeting in reviewing the minutes, um, there was talk about trying to identify some other spots where those could occur. So, you know, it's not fully on the the neighborhood house. Um you mentioned they would be interested in possibly community events with the asking you maybe interested. I would think so. Yeah. Yeah. Is there any location um that we should be thinking about in like SSville or somewhere outside of Northeast Harbor just to be a bit more inclusive. Yeah. I mean Tiara Hansen's gallery is amazing and she has room. I think she'd be interested in having all these people. Yeah. I think the library back to North. Yeah. Yeah. They've been doing a really good job about trying to do different things, especially they're looking into doing more. So, I think that would be perfect. Can I do a quick update about Browns because I just met them half an hour ago. Um, they they are closing this fall. They're going to be having big sale on everything and they are entertaining proposals from other people to come in there and I'm I'm one of them and um to come there for the space not to necessarily operate at a hardware but there might be opportunity for them to take the whole space. Yes, they want to get that's one thing they want. They want somebody to take the whole space. They don't want to subdivide it. They don't want to do half a million dollars of restaurant stuff work or anything like that. Um, my con because I'm already opening around. My concept is a part on the left being pop-up space someplace that we could do craft fairs, some Sunday farmers

markets, all that kind of stuff. And it maybe even some spaces where other people could come in and do stuff similar to an antique food um area. I I picture a big table for classes and that kind of stuff. And I don't know if they're going to say yes, but they seem pretty psyched. I think it also so exciting. Maybe. I mean, it's it's really fun to think about. I think Kathy might remember that I' been talking with 365 since 2017 about us doing something similar and this could be better. So, but that's one thing that could happen for year round stuff. Yeah. Great. on the right right hand side would be your shot. Yeah. Yeah. It's perfect because it's the steps wonderfully been and I think they're also part of their decision because they're so overloaded is that they don't have to do a lot of work to make it useful for someone else. So they're not selling the building. Nope. And I found out today good news they're paying all the utilities except internet because it's all it's not separated right now. And I was probably worried about that. So they'll keep the regulars and all that. Yeah, they don't want to rent out the basement or any of that buildings. Just That's wonderful. I'd heard that they might be interested in the back buildings being housing. Yeah, I think so. Yeah, there's already housing back there. There's at least one apartment. Yeah, there's more than one. I feel like whatever they pick, they're putting a lot of thought and intention into it. And they want somebody who's year round. Yeah. And that just feels the vibe of the town, I guess. Yeah. So, yeah, that's my really good. Would you still operate um my shop as well? No, I would live there. Yeah. Wow. They own my building, so they may do something cool in there again. I don't think they want to do anything next year. Used to be a bakery for a while.

I have been here in Alabama was there for one minute just was it ice cream wasn't it? Yeah it was captain was yeah it was um Elliot Cohen son ran that it was and you get sandwiches there too. Yeah, that was long time ago. We've grown it. So, yeah. I don't I'm not going to be mad if they pick somebody else, but I'm just I think they she said they have four that that makes sense. And then a lot of other interest that doesn't make sense. So, it's it's going to be what it is. Do you have an idea as to their time frame for making it into singing? They said two weeks or so. Yeah. They first started talking to me about it in February and then their life got really busy with Oh my god. Well, talk about a uh actually making a significant step towards a year round something. That would be amazing. It's been this idea has been on my mind. Could we help? Yes. What what can we do? I mean, I think you guys could help with just talking it up and Yeah. Maybe some if anybody has any strategy of taking other people's micro businesses in. There's some there's some really great success stories that I'm sort of basing that concept on, but I think it would help maybe pay the rent a little bit to have some of those things happen. Is this something the Economic Development Corporation could be involved? I think it's possible if we Yeah. Awaken the beast. Yeah, that's that's why I wanted to share it with you. I haven't shared it with anybody out in the public but yeah that would be great if you want to talk to get money for that grants. Yes, there are grants. There are

tourism. There are grants in the state that would could, you know, do that. And that's sort of where even back to the conversation with young people who can't keep their building or, you know, need some seed money for a season to try to be open. You there are towns that are doing things like that. thought some of the other retail chefs could grab one of those things and put like their their best sellers in there, you know, if they wanted to. Just a thought as to action plan. We'd have to look at we resurrect the EDC. But if you could combine whatever our structural capability is with, let's say, going to the resident assist, here's a way really help. Yeah. Yeah. And it's more scripted than just handing like we talked about before. It's got a structure. Yeah. So, Georgian, the are these grants, do you know, are they aimed at projects or could we could the corporation raise a fund? I I just started looking into this. So, I don't want to speak out of terms. It occurred to me when we were hearing this, you know, kind of, you know, this chicken and the egg problem and I read about another community that was doing something similar. So I um I would need to look into it some more before I stuff my foot in my mouth. But um I do think there is some money out there or there was now who knows the world is a changing place. One thing I think might be a challenge is all the people that like where's the hardware store? This is terrible. So I feel like the committee could be helpful in messaging that this is a business that they chose to be in there for the reasons they're around and a gathering

spot. Maybe you could have a few hammers the me the white building in the back. They did. They said they didn't they weren't planning to rent any, but if that could be a mini part. So, I was just I was just gonna say something I talked to Tom about and he did seem to particularly interested in, you know, True Value's got a website. Yeah. And they need to deliver it someplace. Yeah. So, if you had just like a pickup place that you could have the stuff dropped, um, you know, that's something that people would use and, you know, so that's something that, but I don't think I don't think there's a huge amount of money in there, which is probably why Tom was interested, but um, but it gets traffic. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. There's another thought which I thought made all the sense in the world a while ago, which was we haven't had a cleaners in Northeast Harbor for 10 plus years. And I assumed particularly in the summer there are a lot of people who look to clean it. And the idea was then to go to the little gas station for Does that have a name with you know the gas station? Yeah. For writing. Yeah. We suggested that they could be a pickup place for the cleaners in Ellsworth and people in North Beach Harbor could just drop their stuff there and they could charge a rental fee to the cleaners and cleaners come up pick things up bring them back and it just be just be space there. Yeah, there is. But the bike shop does they have a

they do laundry shirts, clothes. Yeah, it's because they're so dirty themselves after oiling the bikes. Spin. Yeah, she's she's going gang busters. Great. Since she got all ebikes, she started a second business. So what I'm hearing is that it would be helpful for us to look into exactly what it would take, what it would involve to revitalize the EDC, what role that could play in something like, you know, not just your business, but doing anybody doing this kind of thing, look into different kinds of grants that might be useful. uh and uh sort of keep an ear out about you know what the Asticoo is thinking or sort of projecting for the winter and what it's yeah we we'll have that nailed down like October is almost too late. Yeah. People need to make a decision before that. So we'll we'll hammer on that again probably in early September. Georgian, do I hear a volunteer over there to be I'll be glad to get to show up with more grant with some more information that I sound more intelligent than I do right now. You're totally fine. You're totally fine. Um, so I'm going to say that you're going to focus on the uh the grant. Let's do some research. Okay. Fantastic. Um, I'll work with Carrie. We'll probably be reaching out to some of the old-timers who are also on the EDC just to maybe confirm our understanding going through some of the EDC documents about who's on it, who's involved, if we need to make changes, you want to step off or whatever. And we can uh Dan McCual. Yep.

He's very responsive to his email. I I still have the bank account still pops up on the EC or the CDC. Uh CDC. Well, your president. That's right. It was very very inactive for a very long time. Jesus says uh um you may know about this, but um the one 123 during the winter. I mean, they've got a sign saying coming soon and I'm not sure that has a wolf on. I'm not sure what's going but um is that a kind of space that is Adam from Nor could use in the winter if he wants a smaller space. Could he use something like one two three and is it otherwise that's hesitate to say too much. I mean I think he he tried and he was too late. I seriously so something else is happening in there in the bought it from the market is gonna use it in the winter right now in the winter because in the winter there it is Adam is without a small place so I'm just I don't know then the boys are very interested in having that building used the whole purpose of that building was to be a year round that was one of the things we tried being they both in this meeting we had get that out. Okay. I think it needs more of an offline conversation with them than this was in a group. So, it's a great point. Um, so has the home store sold? No, there's no she I don't own that building. She's selling the business. She's selling the business. She doesn't sell the business. I think the same you could convert that is what you're saying. Well, it's it's still a problematic heating space, but you could do something creative to tent it and it's a smaller space than the shore and it is

my understanding. She owns the business, right? space. I think it's a similar issue to what Brad says like restaurants have approached them that expensive doable which to your point that's why it has I think she's going to go into later fall next year. She had said she was going to open in the spring. What's the sign on the window say? But I just I just my understanding is she planned to go maybe till the Christmas festival, which is great. Oh, stay open. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's also a space which is very unusual space. I had a tour of not that long ago of the Masonic Hall. Yes. Which I think is also part of that. Where's that? No, it's the other that building splits there really unusual ways. The post office and the Masonic Hall. It's a really then the home store and the apartments above that the Masonic walls in above the building. I had no idea building one building. Yeah. I had no idea. As an aside, when they closed that hole, they came around. They had a lot of money that they So Chuck Buckland came over and handed me a check for $50,000 for the perfect school did the same several neighborhood house. Yeah. Wow. Sweet. But it's it's the last place. I thought it was the same ownership as the Noraster grandfathering fire sheep sir.

I mean, it would be really interesting to have a space that different chefs or restaurants could use every one week. They each take a weekend or whatever and do something throughout the winter if we could figure that out. I'm just that idea. They were they did that at the Atlantic Brewing for the first couple years. Yeah. Wow. They don't do it anymore. You mentioned there being interest. I think you said it was from Chime as you about really trying to hype up the the Christmas festival. Um and uh you mentioned maybe with this gang ring trying to do like a first Friday or like every some I was trying. Okay. So that's sort of where it is right now is sort of well and just again people weren't ready to say sure they'll be open on Friday nights. Is the skating ring going to open? When's it going to open? How many people? They have a lot of questions that I can't answer right now. But but it's only July. We're not giving up. That's our jam. And if you have a bigger space, more people gather. Yes. Yeah. Shop is a major attraction in general, but especially for an event like that. Um Okay. Okay. Well, that's exciting. I feel like that's potentially some very exciting and interesting news. Georgian grants the stuff. Carrie and I will look into the resurrecting the EDC. We'll keep our fingers crossed for you, Jen. And whatever does uh you know, move in there. We'll try to be so critical. Um but we're rooting for you. I think they're trying to be really mindful with it. So, whatever choose is great. Yeah. They're very thoughtful people in general. So I think

um okay so just a couple of things of just quickly new things we already hit on the Astic shuttle and that's sort of a TBD they can get up and running happy for someone else to give it to give it a go and I'll try your suggestion. Yeah. Do you think there's enough business for someone to run that as a small business and not be the asset? Like someone to just like rent a gem car racing talking about something that's bigger than the asue, right? If someone knew that they that shuttle was active a certain number of hours every day, you know, maybe that's an economic development thing like say the business plan look like. Is that even possible? Couldn't make enough money off tips and short rides. Do we have anybody in town who is experienced in running that kind of business that used to run a taxi firm or a shuttle firm or I do have kind of and they could call right just have a text you text that might be better rather than having somebody just go around if they could pick you up after a meal break or Yeah. Yeah. It would be really inexpensive and they would just have one in theory constant traffic, right? Constant use. Is there room anywhere on the island that they don't come in 45? I think Martin talking about community and so on. What if we created the term neighbor? E H O R neighborh

would come out of the antique museum space that kind of like the local way to travel in style. I think that's what they have at the Claremont. They've got that old station there. They do drive people to So maybe a a combination or a conversation with the Seal Cove Auto Museum. Yeah, it could be advertising for them. Yeah, totally. Yeah, he's a member of I don't know if he has any cars that go that far. He do. They probably down to Massachusetts. Oh, so sorry. Thanks for being here. Yeah, good luck. Yes. What are we gonna do about gems like NA? They'll have to email us. I'll send my charge for um we're doing really good on time. The one other thing I wanted to make sure to touch on, um, Georgian, you mentioned, um, how beneficial it might be, and this sort of ties into some of what we're talking about anyway, um, to have more visitor info, sort of a calendar, um, accessible from the town's website or more obviously linked. Yeah. So, I sent you, I'm Carrie, a few examples of other towns that when you Google the town and it comes up and you go to the page, there's like a calendar of events or a link to a calendar events. And when we get back to this notion of coordinating the oh the skating rink's open and you know all these things are library has all these things we have those if people submit them like the library all their things are on our calendar um and and I'm I have no horse in this race so it doesn't necessarily have to be our calendar but some like even a visit us link or a calendar link or

something that's kind of one repository as we look at trying to again make comprehensive events and things going on. It's really peacemeal on Instagram and 16 different calendars of nonprofits or whatever to figure out well and so there are quite a few towns and I had some examples I sent her I can share with the rest of the group that you know there's a button on the town with homepage that says like visit us or community calendar and that could link certainly could link to our calendar if we started putting more things on it or someone else could do I just Have you talked to Claire about that? When I talked to Derlin, he said I'd probably I'd have to go to the select board. And I personally don't think it's my place necessarily to go to the select board because I think this is more kind of a community economic development question. If you all think it's a good idea, somebody from this committee could come to the select board and we could discuss it. it it would the I think the I don't see why there would be an objection. I think the only objection would be if the office was tasked with compiling the information, they would need somebody feeding them or have a link that they could go to. That'd be easy. Well, and it could even link if you go on the town website now, there's a thing called resources and it has this list of all the different things and one of them is, you know, I think MD365 is on there, Kathy, aren't you? within the chamber. And so you can click through all that and you can get to our calendar. And again, I'd be happy for the town just to link to our calendar. I just some more visible thing that somebody coming into town can go see other than meetings. You know, there's a calendar of like things going on here that you can plan your weekend in the winter.

That makes a lot of sense. Is that the chamber? the chair. We We do have a calendar and again I'd be happy to link to it. I just don't want to seem self- serving. You have the calendar on your website. Yeah. Yeah. And our members can load information to it and we have non-members and if you looked at it today the everything at the library is on there. They always send their stuff. Um we would have to work more diligently to go try to find we'd have to make sure we had found everything. But um I guess I'm throwing out first is a question if people think it sounds useful. I think it's terrific. Business hours, restaurant hours, you know, I mean, what's open? It's terrific. So Carrie Jones is trying to do that. Does that comprehensive, but it's comprehensive? goes on forever. Fantastic. I'm thinking more of when people Google, okay, I'm gonna go to Mount Dert. What? And that's I mean, I totally do that. If we're if we want to go somewhere, I Google the town and then I look there for a place that sends me to that. So, it makes total sense for that link. Do we Is there a question about how that link has to get put on our on the town's website? She maintain the town website. Yeah, I bring it to the board of selectment and we can discuss it there. I think um because you're saying the chamber has a calendar of events. We do. And right now we're kind of buried. You could even because we have a visit page. So you could in theory you could have a visit button that linked to the page in the calendar or if the town and the select board wanted to have their own thing they could do that. Um

I would think they'd want to have a button that that links to you. Yeah. Yeah. And then nobody has to do any work. What they're not going to be crazy about is compiling the information. They'll be fine with that. I just didn't feel like it was necessarily appropriate for me to show up and say, "Well, I think you should do this because it does seem changed your thinking about that." Since one of the goals of the town's comprehensive plan is year round economic development, this is actually doing a service to the town about helping to fulfill that, but it's not self- serving. Can you compile the information by yourself? I mean, we already have on calendar a lot of things. Um, we would more, if we were going to do this, we would more go proactively hunt down things to put on it. Right now, we have a link on our website that people can just input. And as I said, the library guide send all this stuff and the hospital and there are a lot of places that do. There are things going on that they don't that we would if we went this road, we would commit to, you know, we'd have to be more going and looking to make sure we had it. I think you could do that. So, who wants to bell the cat? You don't know that story? The mice the mice had a meeting because the cat was was it's an Esso fable. I think the cat was terrorizing the mice. So the mice had a meeting what they could do about the cat and the one of the mice said, "I got a great idea. We'll put a bell on the cat. Then when the cat comes along, we'll all hear it. We'll run." So the old wise mouse said, "Who's going to bell the cat?" This doesn't sound so hard. This is really hard. Like me. Yeah,

I'll do it. Yeah, get on the agenda. Sorry for us to go together. Yeah. And I'm ashamed I didn't know I have to self-populate my events on so scary. She she's she she is very not everyone understands what we do. So I do think it would be helpful if someone else came along from an economic. Yes, I think so too. Yeah, I can make the h and then you can talk about what you already have and then discuss how it would work and examples of other towns doing it. Yeah. The big the big seller is going to be it's not going to be a lot of extra cost money. It doesn't cost money, George. From a political perspective, you know, the chamber comes up in the war committee meeting here. So, this would be a very services. Yeah. Well, I haven't always had somebody as anxious to do it as you have as you were. I think that's a great I mean, if this is about we'll turn these businesses. Yeah. Yeah. And if Jen is going to be able to start having classes or do anything like that, think of links. Just as an FYI, uh I think this is wonderful. The NDI Starkland Society is literally testing a app, a mobile app and you can just put it on your cell phone and right now I think in the test there are 20 different spots and you can you can click on it and let's say you click on Bar Harbor. Well, there'll be several. One will say Gilded Age and then there'll be a whole series of information about the Gilded Age or you could click on Southwest Harbor and there'd be things about the Canaries. It would be all historical. But the the whole point is uh as people

go to various spots on the island and they just stop, they look and say, "Well, what do I have here? I'm here." And you can open it up and you can learn something very historic. It's very cool. Yeah, they did a great job with it. It exists. It It exists in testing, but I think it's literally they're going through the final beta tests. When are you moving into town? Oh, that's Don't don't go there. We got a long ways to go. But is it does it does it do you have to tell it where you are or does it know where you are? Uh, that's a good question. simple because you look at there's the map, there's the island and their little pinpoint and you just decide which pinpoint you're closest to. Well, because I not that not that many years ago I went out to um let's say Yellowstone and there's an app that literally you play it through your car and it tells you what you're seeing as you're driving. Knows where you are based on your um has your location. Right. Right. which virtually every phone at this point this this point does and you actually I mean you so you literally it's like a guided tour and it says if you got time take a left here and here's this waterfall if you don't have time you might want to skip this one and it's was amazing and I it I we used it that's all we did for 4 days we used this thing to throw us around and it sounds like that's something you know that that kind of technology is readily available and and you so you should be if you when you drive into Southwest it should pop up yeah right on your phone instead instead of you shouldn't have to click something on there. Is Aadia looking? Well, there there is something I I I keep getting pinged by somebody on something I read that that says that there's a there is an Aadia National Park version of that. So, it's based on the national parks. So, it wasn't like the town of Jackson Hole. It was it was it was you know the the the Teton or or Yellowstone. Um but but I you know I haven't I haven't done it just because I kind of know the park but um but but it

would be interesting. I I should I should you know download it because something like that is really you know we got addicted to it like that and that's all we did for four days in Jackson Hole was we were like okay where does it was called Gypsy and it's like where does Gypsy say we should go and that's what we did and it was great we had a blast. Yes. So this could be on the this could be on the website. This could be you could you could you could download the app history app. Yeah, we have I just a small plug the Barber Historical Society still has grant money this season for our live and analog threeinut historian who if you have an event or want them to show up will show up across the island and parang people with three minute bits of history from wherever they are on the island. So, if you haven't been to the book through the historians pop up, please let me know. Oh, wow. That's funding through the um uh May Foundation with some great energy. We got to be to bring history out into the streets of where people are waiting or hanging out or at a market or a fair. And so, we have a great new person this year who is out there doing that. And how long is that going to be available? Till I run out. Till we make it through August. So, it's going to be fun. We do. We do some gatherings. Oh, there's Yeah. I mean, if we have continue funding her salary, she we can keep her going. Now, she's just become a gigantic learning bank, right? She has all these tits. So, yeah, there is a lot going on. It's very exciting. Um, okay. I think we're we've reached the end of the agenda anyway. Um, as a reminder folks who are still on committee, the next meeting will be Wednesday, October 8th. Um, but I will follow up um, probably tomorrow, sort of a highle summary of some of the to-dos and whatnot. And Ann, if you have

any issues with your paperwork or anything, and if at any point you want to just chat with me and Carrie, happy to do that. Um, and if anyone knows of anyone who can come on to the committee to fill some convenient spots or maybe let Jamie right off into the sun. Um, let us two short announcements. Um, one is, um, Derland, as you know, is retiring. We're going to do a retirement party for him. Friday, Octo August 22nd from 4 to 6 at the neighbor desk. So, And um what time? Uh 4 to 6 neighborhood house August 2nd. August 22nd Friday. And on July 22nd at 5:30 I'm launching a new novel at the Northeast Harbor Library. It's on the community calendar on our website. Thank you. See another example. Okay. Awesome. What time? 5:30. 5:30. Our library does things at a very hard meeting. I was gonna say you could join the committee. Bring some as a parting gift. something I just uncovered which you know but these are some of the rendering when we were talking about a photon park look at those stars now it's called archival I' so much about this park and the possibility of

If anybody cannot get this, they want to know Zack at the library. Um, I could probably point him out, but I don't know him. OA person for this great, he's terrific. Yeah, he lives in Northeast Harbor. I know northeast Harbor looks so young. Really smart. The library, like I said, the library is doing so many perspective. Hope he has the time, but we might talk. Well, yeah, I'll reach out. That was a great suggestion. Awesome. Father food hovering over you. Yeah. And like I said, I'll copy it. I know. It'll go to the select board and they'll get an email and you did it online because I actually brought the stuff today.

Brother.