March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Business, environmental leaders to form advisory support group

BAR HARBOR — Challenged to find an immediate solution to some specific problems on Mount Desert Island, business and environmental leaders agreed on Friday to work together to form an island-wide advisory support group for new and expanding businesses.

Like other participants at the all-day conference called Island Network: Solving Our Problems Locally, business and environmental leaders identified mutual concerns which they said gave some promise of cooperative solutions.

Having listed in the morning the many problems facing communities on Mount Desert Island, participants worked through the day to identify one solution which could produce a result within one year.

Health and science leaders at Friday’s conference vowed to solve the homeless problem for a number of teenagers at the high school by setting up a group home or finding home-sharing opportunities for others.

Hoping to bridge what was identified as a communication gap between the school and community, educators decided to forge some partnerships with students and the community and government through job-shadowing and mentor programs.

Elected officials in town government pledged the formation of town summit meetings to elicit greater participation by residents in local government. And those concerned with environmental issues decided to coordinate information which encourages tourists to “tread lightly” while visiting the resources of Mount Desert Island.

Conley Salyer, a Somesville resident and attorney, said that the proposed Islandwide Enterprise Council could provide a broad base of information and support for businesses on the island.

“It would serve as a network that is islandwide to review and help support viable business ideas,” he said.

Such a group, Salyer said, could collect and coordinate information about local zoning, schools, town infrastructure and services. “This would be like putting together a broader based business plan…one that would consider soliciting certain types of businesses to the area.”

Material gathered by environmental groups in the area could also be part of the information available to potential businesses on the island. “We need to coordinate data and information…to encourage people to tread lightly,” David MacDonald of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust said.

The Islandwide Enterprise Council, Salyer added, would encourage environmentally sound policies and provide information about how businesses could work with the towns.

“The council could provide support for business ideas identified as good for the community, to help them find resources.”

The first organizational meeting of the Enterprise Council is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at College of the Atlantic.

Those working to find solutions for homeless teenagers will meet at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at Mount Desert Island Hospital.


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