FARMINGTON — The name tags are done. Rooms are booked. Speakers are scheduled. Advertisers, sponsors and donations have been gathered. The activities and entertainment are planned.

After nearly a year of planning, Franklin County will host the 2013 Convention of Maine Counties on Sept. 13, 14 and 15 at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley.

The theme is “Forging a Path to the Future.”

Between those who have signed up to attend and vendors, there are 212 people registered, Franklin County Treasurer Mary Frank said. She and Franklin County Deputy Clerk and Deputy Treasurer Vickie Braley are co-chairing the convention planning team, which includes people from other counties. There is also a Franklin County team involved.

The two women, along with Franklin County Register of Deeds Sue Black and Register of Probate Joyce Moore, were working on putting the first of 30 centerpieces together for the tables Wednesday afternoon.

The glue guns were ready, but there was some debate over whether they should glue the centerpieces’ decorations — consisting of three different-sized pieces birch wood, battery-operated LED tea lights and pine cones — to the plastic chargers at the courthouse or wait to do it later at Sugarloaf. They were also still discussing the possibility of adding sprigs of pine.

Black Acres Farm and Rocky Hill Landscaping of Wilton, both in Black’s family, donated the birch wood and some pine cones. Frank and Braley also did their part in coming up with the materials. County custodian Greg Roux routered the tops of the 6-, 7- and 8-inch birch wood pieces for the tea lights. Frank also dyed the raffia with food coloring that will be wrapped around the pieces and tied in a bow.

They are trying to be economical and use natural materials, she said.

They planned activities to highlight the Franklin County area, including an art walk in Kingfield, zip line, yoga, golf, karaoke and leaf peeping from the SuperQuad.

A variety of workshops will be held, ranging from emergency response plans to health reform to employment law to inmate strip-search liability.

Gov. Paul LePage is scheduled to stop by for a round-table discussion during the Maine County Commissioners meeting on Friday.

Maine Attorney General Janet Mills is one of the guest speakers during the convention.

Comedian Juston McKinney will provide entertainment Friday.

The convention will take over the base lodge at Sugarloaf, Frank said.

The ocean blue-colored polo shirts for the Franklin County team will arrive Friday. Frank will pick up 288 bottles of water that Poland Spring in Kingfield is donating next week.

Then, it is convention time. By then, the Franklin County team will have those centerpieces created — glued or not.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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