PERU – Diane Ray from the River Valley Growth Council reported on economic progress the council is making to benefit the 10 towns that make up the River Valley region.
Ray said the River Valley Technology Center building has rented the first floor with several offices, and a dental clinic will open soon. The council is pursuing grants for developing the top floors.
Ray noted the introduction of a farmers market that will have more participants next year as they continue to encourage agriculture. She is also searching for outside companies that might relocate to the area and she said she has six prospects.
Her last comment to the board was that the best way to promote growth and new jobs was for the towns to have a positive attitude toward accepting economic growth.
Selectman Jim Pulsifer said this was an area that needed addressing.
“If you want your town to grow, you have to compromise somewhere,” he said.
Another area of concern for the board Monday night was a Web site that has not been sanctioned by selectmen. Board members said that if it is a town Web page, it should be done with the approval of the board.
Former selectman Bill Hine, who developed the site perumaine.net, gave some history on the page when contacted by telephone.
He said that several years ago the mill, which was then owned by Mead Paper Co., contributed $30,000 to create an advisory panel for a River Valley connection. This was to be a way for the 10 towns to have information available on their own Web sites. He said that Canton and Peru are the only two that have sites up and running.
A concern voiced by selectmen was that Hine was posting minutes from the meetings, which is public information. They were under the impression that Hine was posting minutes before they were approved. Hine said he waited eight days and posted them only after they had been approved by the board.
Hine also said that building permits are available online so people don’t have to go into the office to pick them up.
The board will not meet on Christmas or New Years.
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