JAY – The Jay-Livermore-Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce’s March 3 breakfast meeting was held at LaFleur’s Restaurant.

Guest speaker was Bill Beckler, president and CEO of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, a research and educational organization. He spoke on several issues in the spotlight in the Maine Legislature, including TABOR, Dirigo, taxes and education.

Beckler also spoke on the Policy Center’s publication, Maine by the Numbers – A Quick Guide to How Maine Stacks Up Against the Other 49 States.

Businesses in the Spotlight were Turner Publishing Inc., represented by Dan Smiley, Sandi Grondin and Jess Small, and the One Voice Program of the Maine State Chamber, represented by Grassroots Coordinator Allen Ford.

Smiley told the group about Turner Publishing’s growth to 12 newspapers mailed directly to homes and the Business Focus mailed to the business community of Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Kennebec and Oxford counties, and the Western Maine Real Estate Guide.

Ford explained the One Voice Program for small businesses of 10 or less employees. The education and communication service offers members grassroots and major issue updates, as well as the opportunity to take part in regional surveys.

Anna McCormick of Visible Results invited members to sign up for a Saturday CPR course being offered at their site. Anyone interested in taking part should call McCormick at 897-5673.

Local historian Dennis Stires encouraged members to include a display ad in the brochure for the May 19 Main Street, USA – Livermore Falls and Jay, Maine, program.

Phil Poirier of Protean Graphics, who is redesigning the chamber’s Web site, updated the group on his work and the work of the Web Site Committee. Poirier displayed the chamber logo he is redesigning. The committee will meet at 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 15, at Otis Federal Credit Union.

The development of the Poland Spring facility in Kingfield was discussed by Jef Howell. The chamber then discussed not only their support of the effort but the need for the group to support efforts to develop businesses in all Western Maine communities.

Diane Jackson, regional representative for Sen. Olympia Snowe’s Office, introduced Rose Oleksiak, the Small Business Administration field representative for the area. She discussed the seminars offered by Maine Procurement Technical Assistance Center, as well as the training and workshops offered by the SBA.

At the next breakfast meeting on April 7, Jay Superintendent Robert Walls and SAD 36 Superintendent Terry Depres will discuss their budgets and long-range goals.


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