The Boothbay/Boothbay Harbor joint Economic Development Committee has been meeting for the past two months. The committee has been discussing the best way for the two towns to work together and pave the way for a bright economic future for both towns.

At the group’s Monday, Nov. 17 meeting, the members decided that they are ready to begin the next phase of their plan: opening up the group to members of the public and private sectors.

“The group should have four members from each town,” Boothbay Harbor selectmen Bill Hamblen said. “We also need to get as diverse a group as possible.”

“We need people with a broad view,” Boothbay Harbor selectmen Wendy Wolf said. “People with a view beyond their own experiences.”

The committee would be made up of four volunteer community members from each town, a selectman from each town, and possibly the two town managers.

“Maybe one person from retail, a fisherman, a business owner, a construction works, a boat builder, a bed and breakfast owner, etc.,” said Boothbay Harbor vice-chairman Jay Warren. “We should try to draw from all sectors in both towns.”

Town Managers Tom Woodin (Boothbay Harbor) and Jim Chaousis (Boothbay) are coming up with a joint job description for committee members. They are hoping to have a selection of applicants to bring to the group at their next meeting in mid-December.

“These will be the people that will shape the future of these towns,” Boothbay Chairman Steve Lewis said. “We need interested individuals with varied backgrounds who will have a positive influence.”

Anyone interested in being a part of the Economic Development Committee should contact either Boothbay Town Manager Jim Chaousis at 207-633-2051 or Boothbay Harbor Town Manager Tom Woodin at 207-633-3671.

The two boards also discussed a possible budget for the group. Without any discussion between the boards prior to the meeting, they both came up with a proposed budget of $50,000.

“It's fortuitous that in our separate discussion that we came up with the same number,” Hamblen said.

Chaousis presented a proposed budget (still in the early draft stage) that would allocate $25,000 for a planning consultant, $5,000 for an economist, $5,000 for guest speakers, $5,000 for specialized consultants, and a $10,000 contingency fund. Each town would contribute half the budget costs.

The budget would not come into effect until July 1, 2015, as any money spent by either town would have to be approved by voters of both towns at the next town meetings.

As the meeting wound down, Wolf joked that the two boards should go to the bars to find volunteers for the committee.

Lewis agreed, and suggested with a laugh that Boothbay Harbor could pick up the bar tab and Boothbay pay for the committee.

“I think we'd be getting the short end of the stick on that one,” Wolf replied.