A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. tonight at the fire hall on the town's plan to seek a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant to help the company's efforts. Action on the grant and another matter are expected at a special town meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 11.

Among a handful of businesses, Maine Wood Turnings Inc. has expressed the most interest in Pride's wood-turning business, according to local and state officials who are optimistic that negotiations between the two parties will conclude soon.

"One of the things that makes this work is the grant," Guilford Town Manager Tom Goulette said Monday. "This is an attempt to prevent job loss." To be considered in this grant cycle, the application must be submitted to the state Office of Community Development by Aug. 12, he said.

"If we didn't get it [the grant], it would definitely be a deal breaker," Jody Fletcher, vice president of Maine Wood Turnings Inc. said Monday. "It is very important."

Pride officials announced earlier this summer that the local wood-turning plant would either be sold or closed by Sept. 15 to allow the company to focus more on its core products like golf tees. The wood-turning business, which produced wooden pieces used in the hardwood furniture industry, craft and hobby, and advertising specialties, represented a small percentage of the company's products, according to a company official.

Fletcher said he and his brother Doug, the company president, first heard about the Guilford plant's closing from Bob Burr, Pride's president. After that phone call, "we decided to kick the tires," he said.

Maine Wood Turnings Inc. is a family business and is a competitor on about 20 percent of Pride's product line, Fletcher said. He stressed that the company had no plans to leave New Vineyard, but are eyeing an expansion. The $400,000 grant would help toward the purchase price, he said. Fletcher said he hoped negotiations would conclude soon for a takeover by the end of September. The intent is to preserve as many jobs as possible, he said, noting that the New Vineyard plant employs 50.

Goulette is optimistic that residents will support the grant application. "This will go a long way to preserve the jobs in Guilford and in other towns," he said
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Tuesday, August 02, 2005 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."