STRONG – Maine Rural Partners has selected Strong for its pilot program Harness the Wealth. One town and one county were selected for the program.

For the next 18 months, Maine Rural Partners will work with representatives from the town to come to a consensus on what direction they want to see Strong go and create strategies to obtain that goal, said Eileen Miazga, president of the Strong Area Business and Civic Alliance, a recently formed organization. People working on the project will look at ways to bring business into town and to keep high school and college graduates from leaving by teaching them leadership skills and encouraging entrepreneurs.

Anyone interested in Harness the Wealth is welcome to attend a meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Memorial Building. Strong residents will meet with people from Maine Rural Partners to discuss the program and select an administrative group to head up the project.

At 5 p.m., Kelcey and Edwards, an engineering firm, will give a public presentation on possible uses for three out-of-use mills. The firm was hired with grant money to look at the structural condition of the mills and possible redevelopment.

Using ideas from meetings with Strong residents, the engineers created renderings of what the mills could look like if they housed new businesses or enterprises.

“Four people are looking at the mill sites and are waiting for (Thursday’s) meeting to see what’s most appropriate for those sites,” Miazga said. “It’s really exciting.”