Tonight's forum in Berlin

We hope lots and lots of people turn out to make themselves heard at tonight's forum. While the agenda does make one wonder if there will be enough listening time to make sure that the citizen's voices are heard, we hope that the messages will come across in any case loud enough for Laidlaw, North American Dismantling and the new City government to hear.

Since I'll be in Houston, I'll put my thoughts down here:

Given that I’ve been calling for a open conversation about the future of

Berlin

for some time, it seemed the ultimate irony that I was forced to choose between being part of that conversation in person, or be in

Texas

 on a sales call that will, I hope, lead to more work for our team in

Berlin

. I decided that the future of

Berlin

would be better served by my bringing in more business. It is my belief that

Berlin

has two prime assets that make it the most desirable place I know of to start or grow a business

 The first asset is its workforce. As you know, we’ve created some two dozen jobs here in the last year, and I’m pretty sure we’ll create at least that many if not more in 2008. It’s not hard to be enthusiastic about a community that provides us some of the hardest working, most dedicated employees I’ve ever encountered in my 30 years of business experience. Last week was a perfect example. I was on the West Coast and had a major client crisis that broke on Friday night, LA time. My staff was in first thing Saturday morning and worked until late Monday night to fix the problem. The client was thrilled with our response and will expand her contract with us as a result. That’s the sort of workers any employer would kill for. And that’s what all incoming employers will look for first – whether they’re bringing in jobs  in retail or manufacturing or service or software – the first question they will ask is: Can I find the people I need? My answer to them is a resounding yes. Whether they worked at the mill or at a bar – I don’t care, I’m going to have to train them anyway. What I look for is attitude and a willingness to learn. The people of

Berlin

have the best attitude I’ve ever seen anywhere.

 
The reason they’re here is the second major asset that

Berlin

offers. It’s amazing  environment.  My employee are  no dummies. Where else can you be on the ski slopes or catching a fish 30 minutes after leaving your desk? Where you can go out for a breath of fresh air and hear the

Androscoggin

roaring past. It’s a commute and a view that most of Americans would kill for.

 Yes, I know that I’m still a flatlander from “away” – but what I saw a year and a half ago, and what I still see today is an area full of natural beauty, with views that take your breath away, and waterfront that just screams for a camera, or a kayak.

Please, for a minute, put yourselves in the shoes of the new employers you’re trying to attract. First, make sure that  that view, that water and that environment are protected.

 Secondly, you need to do whatever you need to do to support your wonderful, dedicated,  flexible, hardworking work force. They want clean air and clean water and town that doesn’t smell. Get rid of that last smokestack and reward the great people of Berlin for their years of hard work with a town that lives up to their hopes and dreams. A town that boasts a mixture of retail shops, service companies and sustainable non-polluting industries.  A place that those that children who left will want to return to, and those that have stayed will want to raise their children in.

Thanks for listening.

 

Katie Paine

Comments

[The Boiler & Stack]

Cate St.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110926-BIZ-109260301

[warren,]

Greetings, Gyqqz!

What is the Name and Address of your Company? How would You Like to Collaborate?
Russia, Tartarstan, Turkmenistan and Belarus may be Far from Berlin, N.H. But
How can We Help, to help each other?

[offinkFaify]

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[Nikinsad]

Organizers of next month's Oscars have filed a
complaint against a firm they claim is trying to sell illegal tickets
to the star-studded awards for up to 175,000 dollars....
Full article read here: http://rcvoweu.tripod.com/

[Showlyfleesse]

Hi to All! My name is Branda. I want to buy small car. What I can do for it?

[Osteogypreosy]

Hi to All! Im introduce myself! My name is Ashly. Im 30. I have a parrot. His name is Ronnas. I want to buy fish. How I can do this in Internet? Thanks!

[Osteogypreosy]

Hi to All! My name is Alice. Im 24. Im from Berlin. Im very lonely. I have not friends. Please help me! What can I do?

[Eagelialledly]

Hi everyone!
Just wanted to introduce myself. I chose www.coosconversations.com because of all the forums I researched, it seems to be the friendliest and most attentive.
I look forward to getting to meet you all. Now I'm off to ask some questions in another section.

[Vefsapase]

Hello! Recently has read in news that re-testing
of Large Hadron Collider will be conducted :(
Me it is terrible :(

[Ebenezer Screwed]

Just too many humans. When the planet (environment) is over stressed there were will be a die off. We will kill each other over stressed resources. We will die of famines. Climates will change, they are changing, it is a challenging time to be a citizen of the planet. America is a third world country. Overnight. We are more and more insignificint, as other, poorer countries, grow and grow more wealthy. I have an estate now in Virgnia. The property I have always wanted, I can work in the garden in February, but we are at five years of drought, perhaps it is permanent, perhaps I am not in the climate I thought I was in... Getting too dry to raise as many cattle per acre....

[Wexteneft]

I am getting more and more worried about the economy and global meltdown.

The more things change the more they remain the same. The fundamental challenges we face today have changed little since Chaucer penned his observations on life and distilled them in a set of tales. In the modern city of Canterbury University Students analyse and dissect the meanings conveyed in texts set in that very locale in the 1300’s.

Youngsters face today’s Jekyll and Hyde society not knowing that the Constants remain; love, betrayal, desire, fear. Each story conveys a lesson as we study for our degree in the University of Life, the big diploma mill of which we are all Alumni. We sit grinning like Cheshire cats, thinking we have all the answers.

We call it a success when we pollute our atmosphere shooting down our own Satellite USA 193, Market Street Credibility is our preferred accreditation and recognition from our peers and fellow consumers, we Poison our Planet for Profit. Banks have crashed before and remember – you can’t eat money.

Globalization has consequences. Everything we do has consequences, even something simple like buying firewood. The Oregon ODA advises not to obtain anything from out-of-state because of all the insects and diseases it might carry. That is just a relatively local issue. Imagine all the things that are carried around the world each day – each hour. We must protect our future, just as we should remember our past. All over the world, From the UK to the USA and the Seychelles to Egypt, still, yes, STILL, there is no REAL alternative to fossil fuels.

Are we all going to purgatory in a wheelbarrow telling each other stories to pass the time? Sometimes I wonder!

Sorry guys, I had a long day and feel sick of the world. Rant Over!

[JMattforeverrr]

Hi:

I am wirting a news article about online shopping sites that are not well known but have excellent value.
What are some of your favorite places to shop online and how would you rate them over:
Amazon
eBay
Overstock

Thanks

Jason

[Allen. Walters]

Yes, of course, its just that noone knows how it will end....

[EvigreeLeli]

Is this gonna end someday??

[oppopried]

Goodmorning all to users of a forum www.coosconversations.com!
Sorry for offtopic
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[jonathan edwards]

recent excerpt from the "byte&chew"blog;

Got $0.0003 ?

The front page headline " Laidlaw pledges to work with city on mill site" in The Berlin Daily Sun on Friday (11/16/07) kind-of sucks you into believing that Laidlaw Energy is going out of its way to be "nice folks" to Berlin. The CEO of Laidlaw continues with predictions of success for his project while ignoring facts that contradicts what his faulty crystal ball tells him. His statement that the election results were not a referendum on his project comes from the same delusional corner of his brain that his denial that he won't be able to connect his plant to the grid for lack of capacity. I wonder if the stockholders in Laidlaw Energy are waking up to some of the claims being made by the CEO? Last Friday Laidlaw stock prices fell by roughly 25% to an amazing $0.0003 per share! That value gives new meaning to the word "JUNK"! When the rest of the renewable energy sector is sizzling hot with investment capital, the Laidlaw Energy talk is even cheaper than their stock value. Remember last spring when the same Mr. Bartoszek was saying that there was a possibility that the Berlin facility might be up and running by the end of the year or early 2008? Then the story changed to closing on the property by the end of October,...Well, now he tells us that he might own the facility by the end of the year. Who in their right mind would invest hard cash, a number around $50 to $60 million in a project while Mr. Bartoszek says "Were willing to take that risk" when asked about being able to connect to the grid. I guess I might gamble $0.0003 on that assurance! (Does anybody have change for a penny?) To date the best Laidlaw Energy has been able to do has been to receive $1 million in tax credits from the state of New York. Some folks claim that some fancy political arm twisting was used in that deal and that some of those who supported Laidlaw are now looking the other way and saying "Who me"? The people of Berlin have a lot to worry about, but probably not as much as North American Dismantling who has refused offers from other parties to go for the big Laidlaw fish. The residents of Berlin have gone down this road in the past. I wish I had time to go and dig-up some of the famous American Tissue claims. The last words of this drama have not yet been written, stay tuned and pass the word.

Posted at 11:11 AM | Permalink

Posted by: jonathan edwards | November 20, 2007 at 04:50 AM