Greenville selectmen hear MLREDC ‘branding’ proposal

Staff Report

    GREENVILLE — Luke Muzzy, president of the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation, updated the Greenville Board of Selectmen on the organization’s recent activities last week.
    Muzzy told the board that plans are underway for a region-wide “community branding exercise” and that there would be a kick-off meeting in Greenville on Friday, Oct. 3. The time and location will be announced in the near future.

    Muzzy also said that anyone who is interested in becoming part of a team which will devise a brand for the region should email him at info@mooseheadlakeedc.com by the end of this week.
    The corporation was instrumental in bringing GlacierWear, a manufacturer of high-end fur and leather apparel, to the Greenville Business Center; and is also working with Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Plum Creek and the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) to administer a $1.1 million grant to help build recreational trails in the region.
    In other business taken up at the Aug. 20 board meeting, Suzannah Sinclair was appointed to the Airport Advisory Committee to succeed Selectman Josh Brown, who stepped down. Sinclair, who lives next to the Greenville Municipal Airport, has served on the Public Advisory Committee for the airport’s master plan update.
    The board tabled the purchase of a new public works truck until the Sept. 3 meeting; authorized Town Manager John Simko to amend the existing memorandum of lease between the town of Greenville and the Shaw Public Library to properly include the proposed connector addition to the two buildings and to authorize construction on town property; and appointed James Carr of Harfords Point to fill the open lieutenant’s position on the Greenville Police Department. Lt. Matt St. Laurent has resigned “to pursue a non-law enforcement venture,” Simko said.
    At the request of the Greenville School Committee, a special town meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. to see if voters will authorize the use of $52,000 from the school department’s undesignated fund balance to pay for the demolition of the Nickerson Elementary School building.
    School Committee Chair Ann-Marie Murray explained the demolition project and the options for funding it in detail, and the board approved the warrant on a 4-0 vote with Selectman Geno Murray abstaining.
    Simko also announced that Wendi O’Connor of Greenville has been hired as a part-time deputy town clerk and will be trained in all counter transactions to help during busy periods and to fill in when the regular staff is on vacation.
    O’Connor has experience processing hunting and fishing licenses during her previous employment at Indian Hill Trading Post, Simko said. “Wendi is a fast learner and is very pleasant to work with,” he added. “She will be working nearly 40 hours over the next week or so for training purposes. The next regularly-scheduled board meeting is Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m.