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Case Study: Bringing New Business to the Waterfront

 

To provide better shore access for its fishermen, the Town of Jonesboro purchased in 2002 an old granite company pier along the Chandler River estuary. That wharf, and a newly added boat ramp, provide half-tide access for local lobstermen, seasonal commercial fishermen and recreational boaters. "Now there's hope that the pier will lead to new business," says town selectman Michael Schoppee. The town hopes to fix and upgrade the facility to better serve commercial fishing interests, and attract charter boats, nature tour cruises, and the public.

"State funds are available to support this sort of upgrade," explains Chris Spruce of the Sunrise County Economic Council, "but it can be hard for a small community to muster the resources needed to submit a strong application." To help the Town of Jonesboro conduct an engineering assessment, and prepare the planned upgrades, the Maine Coastal Program awarded the Town funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Local officials are optimistic now about the prospects for their new pier: "We're real happy to get some work going," Schoppee says.

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