FARMINGTON — An effort to entice businesses and people to Farmington recently received a boost with state recognition of the town as a certified business-friendly community.

The town joins 30 other Maine communities designated by Gov. Paul LePage and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development through the Certified Business-Friendly Community Program since 2012.

“It’s nice to have the recognition,” Town Manager Richard Davis said after the announcement Monday. “It proves what we have said all along — we are business friendly and are willing to work with businesses.”

Some business-friendly characteristics that helped the town earn the title include the establishment of a Revolving Loan Fund, use of local, state and federal programs to support infrastructure, business and downtown development, collaboration with local education partners — the Mt. Blue Learning Campus and the University of Maine at Farmington — and expedited licensing and permitting processes, according to a release from the governor’s office.

“The Certified Business-Friendly Community Program, administered by DECD, encourages Maine municipalities to take a critical look at all areas of their business attraction strategy and examine ways the community interacts with businesses to promote new private investment,” the release said.

The program under LePage’s initiative is “an important part of showing that Maine is open for business is recognizing communities that provide exceptional service and streamlined regulatory processes for business owners,” according to a fact sheet at www.maine.gov/decd/cbfc.

Over the past few years, the Board of Selectmen thought it needed to work with businesses to help keep the tax rate stable and grow the town, board Chairman Ryan Morgan said.

This designation shows that the town wants to help its businesses as much as possible, he said.

Along with stability and growth, a town that is business friendly can help keep businesses within its borders and provide more job opportunities, Morgan added.

“We want to be a thriving town, not stagnant,” he said.

The town will be listed along with other communities on the state website. It will help get people and businesses to consider Farmington, he added.

The town applied for the designation in 2013, but the application was turned down.

“We gave some concrete examples of how we work with businesses,” Davis said of the second application, submitted about a month ago. 

The town joined the chamber of commerce and Farmington Downtown Association prior to reapplying for the designation.

The present board has been proactive with business support, Morgan said. Lower sewer rates and hookup fees are some of the things the board is willing to work on with new and present businesses, he said.

Morgan credits the town manager and town staff for making changes for the second application.

The town will receive signage and the ability to use the program logo on the town website and correspondence, Davis said.

[email protected]