RESOLVE:
Supporting Economic Development Efforts of Piscataquis County

WHEREAS, recent closings of the Dexter Shoe Company plants in Milo and Dexter, the recent bankruptcy filing by Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, and the January, 2003 bankruptcy filing and plant closings by Great Northern Paper Company in Millinocket and East Millinocket have resulted in the loss of more than 1,600 jobs in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, many of which had been held by Piscataquis County residents; and

WHEREAS, the adverse economic impact of these plant closings on Piscataquis County as a whole has been abrupt and severe; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to expand and diversify the economy of Piscataquis County, to compensate for employment opportunities that have been lost due to these plant closings; and

WHEREAS, development of new employment opportunities in any one town of Piscataquis County provides economic benefits to the county as a whole; and

WHEREAS, the 17,235 residents of Piscataquis County live in seventeen organized towns and a number of unorganized townships, no one of which is individually large enough to fund the cost or undertake the financial risk of assisting the location or relocation of significant new employers to Piscataquis County; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to fund the cost of local and county-wide economic efforts in Piscataquis County at the county level, in order to pool resources, reduce overall risks, and avoid costly duplication of efforts; and

WHEREAS, under current statutes as now in force, Maine's county governments do not possess direct authority to fund local or county economic development efforts, or to borrow money for that purpose;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT:

The undersigned Commissioners of Piscataquis County, Maine, acting in said capacity, hereby strongly support development and passage of emergency legislation conferring on Piscataquis County the statutory authority to fund local and county-wide economic development efforts, to include bonding authority for that purpose.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:

The County Clerk is hereby directed to transmit attested copies of this Resolution to the Maine Legislature, the Governor's office, and to each member of the Piscataquis County legislative delegation, as an expression of the Commissioners' support for such efforts.

Adopted: February 4th, 2003

Eben G. DeWitt, Chair (District 3)
Ruel P. Cross, Commissioner (District 2)
Woodruffe L. Bartley, Jr., Commissioner (District 1)