Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor selectmen got together Tuesday, Aug. 26 for the first in a series of workshops to determine where there is common ground for the two towns to work together in economic development.

When the Boothbay Harbor selectmen went over their yearly goals at the beginning of the fiscal year, economic development was one of the big issues discussed. At that time, there was talk about getting together with Boothbay in a joint effort. Board Chairman Denise Griffin contacted Boothbay recently and asked if they would be interested in such a meeting.

At this first workshop, both boards discussed what economic development is, and what it entails. According to the United States Economic Development Administration, “Economic Development creates the conditions for economic growth and improved quality of life the expanding the capacity of individuals, firms, and communities to maximize the use of their talents and skills to support innovation, lower transaction costs, and responsibly produce and trade valuable goods and services.”

Boothbay Town Manager Jim Chaousis suggested this definition for their work.

Boothbay Harbor selectman Wendy Wolf stressed the importance of “quality of life” in the description.

“It means people here shouldn't have to drive an hour to get what they want,” Wolf said. “It should be available right here.”

Boothbay selectman Chuck Cunningham agreed, and also stressed the need for an improved housing situation.

“We need to find a way to make it economically viable for people to live here,” Cunningham said.

“School enrollment is down 20 percent,” board chairman of Boothbay, Steven Lewis, said. “That is a serious drop.”

The group also discussed creating more cohesion between the towns, both in zoning rules and in the comprehensive plan.

“People shouldn't 'trip over the town line',” Chaousis said. “They don't have to be the same, but they should work together.”

The group discussed what their goals should be moving forward. These were: to pass the comprehensive plans for both towns, attract new businesses to the region, put infrastructure in place (including water, sewer, high-speed Internet and transportation), align zoning laws, maintaining what businesses are already here while attracting new ones, collaborate of parks and recreational facilities, create more sidewalks, greenery, and bike paths and improve access to services.

Boothbay Harbor selectman Bill Hamblen pointed out the Brunswick bike path as a strong success story they could look to.

“It's right next to a highway, but people are all over it,” he said.

Chaousis suggested also looking toward Biddeford and Saco, who worked together successfully to attract youth to their communities.

Near the end of the meeting, Griffin said they had “just scratched the surface” of this project, but were on the right track.

Boothbay vice chairman Dale Harmon suggested the group take advantage of resources available through Lincoln County to help with the project. Boothbay Harbor Town Manager Tom Woodin suggested they should get local business owners and members of the chambers involved.

“They will bring good input, and members of the chamber are the ones that drive business in the region already,” Woodin said.

“We got a lot accomplished, but there is still a lot to do,” Boothbay Harbor vice chairman Jay Warren said after the meeting. “But I think we are on the right track.”

“I'm very excited to see what comes from this,” Lewis said. “When people say they are ‘from the Boothbay area,’ they can mean Boothbay or Boothbay Harbor, they don’t always realize the towns are different. I hope this partnership can continue, and we can move forward even beyond economic development.”

The next workshop is currently being scheduled and will take place within four to six weeks. The public is invited to attend.