Wiscasset selectmen April 1 unanimously accepted the economic development advisory committee's draft of goals and directed the committee to seek public input. Participants said meeting with local groups, perhaps when those groups meet anyway, such as American Legion Post 54 at its Wednesday morning coffee time, could yield the most input.

Selectmen's Chair Sarah Whitfield wants to know if the public agrees with the draft goals or feels any are missing or should be moved from short to long-term or vice versa. 

In the draft, short-term goals were, in no particular order after participants decided to pull the numbering: Address the affordable housing shortage, optimize the underused energy infrastructure, and support small businesses. The draft listed long-term goals, also in no particular order, leveraging tourism assets, enhancing waterfront and port assets, supporting small businesses, capitalizing on rail access and improving visitors' experience in the historic village and pedestrians' mobility throughout town.

Wiscasset Municipal Airport was also in the mix. Town Manager Dennis Simmons asked the committee why goals about the airport were being “pushed down” as long term.  “We should be working on them now, not three years from now.” For one, the town is trying to find a developer to build more hangars, he said.

Economic Development Director Aaron Chrostowsky said people involved with the airport have said offering some things other airports offer, such as staff to help pilots fuel their planes, could attract more users. 

Selectman Pam Dunning said, “That’s never going to pay for itself. And the town isn’t going to support spending more money to get less revenue.” She suggested promoting the airport now, in its “most attractive light (and as) a gateway to Down East.” Instead of focusing on what the airport lacks, focus first on what it has, and promote that, she said. Dunning called the airport a jewel that has a lot going for it.

That short-term goal of promotion fits with the goal of supporting small businesses, because the airport is one, said Selectman Alissa Eason, the board’s liaison to the economic development advisory committee.

The airport involves both short and longer term items that depend on farther out funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, Whitfield said.

Participants also reiterated a point from the two panels' joint discussion in March: The goals can be updated, and some of what ends up getting done for projects will depend on opportunities the town has.

Whitfield added, the public input gathered in connection with the goals can also help inform the town's next comprehensive plan.