LIVERMORE – LakeShore was the site of the Jay-Livermore-Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce’s Oct. 7 breakfast meeting. The group reviewed the Oct. 1 Apple/Pumpkin Festival, which proved to be the most successful to date.

A special thank-you was given to 12 members of the Jay Future Business Leaders, who worked the full day supervising the children’s games. Ideas for improvements and expansion were discussed. A tentative date of Saturday, Sept. 30, was set for the 2006 festival. Initial planning for the January annual meeting was also discussed.

Twenty-one members and two guests heard Arthur Stoplestad, sub-center director of the Maine Procurement Technical Assistance Center, speak on this nationwide program providing marketing and procurement assistance to Maine businesses interested in selling their goods or services to the federal, state or local governments.

They partner with many organizations throughout the state in providing one-on-one counseling and training sessions to help small businesses work their way through the hurdles of doing business with the government.

Ed McLaughlin, Maine Economic Research Institute president, was joined by colleague Glen Foss in explaining the goals of their non-partisan organization. They discussed the senior management survey they conducted, and its identification of the issues that are critical to doing business in Maine.

They stressed that the cost of doing business in Maine is higher than the national average and is still rising. They said small companies are the backbone of the Maine economy and it is crucial they work together to educate the Legislature and hold it accountable.

The Nov. 4 Chamber breakfast meeting will be held at the Otis Federal Credit Union. Sherry Judd will speak on the Western Maine Paper and Heritage Museum – its status today and its future goals.