RUMFORD – With a new person heading up economic development, the River Valley Growth Council wants to improve communication with its member towns, as well as between the economic developer and the board.
It also wants greater emphasis on short-term development for member towns.
“We need to refocus on results within a year to a year-and-a-half,” said acting council President Dick Lovejoy.
These and other goals are among the tasks assigned to Joseph Derouche who was council president for 12 years before being hired last month as executive director. He replaces Scott Christiansen.
“It’s exciting, all the things I wanted to do. I had done the same out of the Mexico town office,” he said. Derouche left his post as Mexico’s town manager at the end of December.
The job of economic developer/executive director has changed since Christiansen left for the directorship of the Fractionation Development Center, which aims to develop a laboratory to research uses for chemicals derived from wood products. His position is funded by a federal Department of Energy grant.
Christiansen had spent most of his time the past couple of years pursuing grants and creating partnerships for a bio-products long-term project. The council board wants someone to pursue short-term economic growth and to keep the board informed each step of the way.
“The board wants to be more constructively involved,” said Bill Hine, council treasurer and Personnel Committee member. A couple of members from that committee meet with Derouche weekly for an update on economic development activities.
Derouche is using the contacts he gained during the past dozen years, and is beginning to develop new ones. His goal is to bring new business, expand current business, and help maintain those businesses already established.
He also is charged with maintaining communication with River Valley towns, and re-establishing contact with MeadWestvaco. The paper company has helped finance the growth council for nearly four years. Its funding expires in June 2006.
Derouche is also developing a centralized database of wants, needs and offerings for each member town, and establishing a working relationship with each town’s leadership.
“The towns must be looped in very early (with development plans) and there can’t be competition,” Lovejoy said.
Derouche, Lovejoy and Hine aren’t divulging any specific new business possibilities yet, but they said there are some coming.
Deoruche said at least 15 inquiries have been made in the two weeks since he began his new job that could lead to new retail or manufacturing businesses for the area.
He said he’s sure some will be announced by mid-June.
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