News Briefs

Economic Development Visioning continues

New Gloucester--"To those who participated in New Gloucester's Economic Development Plan Vision Session at Pineland in December, your input helped the team establish a broad overall vision for the entire town," said RKG Consultant Darren Mochrie.

The next step in the process will be two additional visioning sessions, both of which will be held at the Pineland Conference Center. At the first session, which will be held on Thursday, February 2 at 7 p.m., the public will be asked to develop visions for specific locations in New Gloucester (Upper Village, Lower Village, Route 26, Route 100). At the second session on Thursday, February 16 at 7 p.m., topic-based visions will be discussed (Building on Pineland, Tourism/Agritourism/Arts, Housing, Rural Area/Issues). The input provided in each of these two sessions will provide a framework for the team to develop strategies to guide development in New Gloucester over the next ten years.

For those who are unable to attend the Visioning Sessions in person, they will be aired on cable Channel 3. Also, the public is welcome to provide input at any point throughout the process by contacting Town Planner James Isaacson at 926-4126, extension 4 or jisaacson@newgloucester.com.

Office of Community Development is Seventh Most Efficient in the Nation

(AUGUSTA, Maine) The Office of Community Development is seventh best in the country in administering the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, making it one of the most efficient programs in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
HUD's rankings are based on the amount of CDBG program funds expended in relation to allocation, meaning that most of the money the program has awarded to communities has been put to use in a timely manner, rather than waiting to be spent. At this time last year, the Maine program was ranked 24th in the country in the same category.

Office of Community Development (OCD) oversees the distribution of the federal HUD-funded CDBG program.

The program provides funding for community development projects. Orman Whitcomb, director of the Office of Community Development, fielded 156 applications over the past 12 months and expended $15.6 million to help fund 79 community projects throughout the state, with the exceptions of Portland, South Portland, Biddeford, Lewiston, Auburn and Bangor, which receive annual allocations directly from HUD.

The high-efficiency ranking comes at a critical time, following a federal budget proposal that would have eliminated the CDBG program, along with 16 other community programs, and replaced it with one community development program. Congress voted to keep the CDBG program, though at a lower funding level than last year. Program allocation funds for 2005 was just over $15.6 million, according to Whitcomb. The funds for 2006 are $14.1 million.

Whitcomb said there was concern on the federal level about the amount of CDBG funds being allocated, but not spent.

HUD allows 15 months to allocate funds, and 18 months to spend them; Maine's OCD is allocating and spending the CDBG funds within 12 months. The Maine OCD office also jumped five spots to 13th in the nation in terms of having the smallest gap between CDBG money spent and money outstanding.

Whitcomb said that the efficiency of the OCD office is benefiting communities and the program by expending funds in a timely manner. He said some of this year's CDBG funds were used towards revitalizing Caribou's downtown area, expanding the Jonesport library, building a community center in Bradford, improving the parking area at Harrington's town boat landing and several economic development projects resulting in new jobs for Maine residents.

Grants can be used towards public infrastructure, public facilities, community housing, economic development, downtown revitalization and planning projects. Whitcomb said grants can range from $10,000 to $400,000.

The CDBG program and the Office of Community Development are under the Department of Economic and Community Development. Since the state took over the administration of the CDBG program in 1982, more than $335,000,000 has been invested in Maine communities. For more information on the CDBG program, visit www.meocd.org.

Report From Salvation Army and Friends of New Gloucester For Thanksgiving and Christmas 2005

Twenty five dinners were delivered for Thanksgiving, at Christmas thirty three families received dinners and twenty seven families received gifts. 125 people total, 62 adults and 63 children.

Many families were adopted this year by businesses and individuals; we had volunteers who shopped and wrapped.

The following groups assisted in many different ways to make our work possible:

Eagles
Block House
New Gloucester Rescue
Cloutier's Market
Optimist Gray-New Gloucester
Curves - Gifts and Food
St. Gregory's
Shaker Society
American Legion Post 86
Wilsondale County Care Childcare Center
Gray-New Gloucester Lions Club
Amvets Post #6, Lucky Seven Fund and Auxiliary
First Congregational Church, Ladies Circle & Youth Group and Grade 6 and Men's Club
Pine Tree Seeds
Trinity Assembly of God Church
Sabbathday Lake Jr. Grange & Subordinate
The Salvation Army
Spurwink Institute
Six private individuals - Money
Total for the Holiday Fund $870.00

The Bruce Roberts Fund was very generous many families received toys from them.

We also have coats for kids so if you have a need please call 926-4351.
Thank you one and all
Carroll & Heidi Ray
Coky Wills
Amy Maheux
New Gloucester Salvation Army Service Unit