Madison, Southwest Harbor, and Van Buren Join Growing List of "Certified Business-Friendly" Communities

AUGUSTA, Maine - Governor Paul R. LePage and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) announce that three more communities have been designated "Certified Business-Friendly." With the addition of Madison, Southwest Harbor and Van Buren, a total of 30 Maine communities have been "Certified Business-Friendly."

"The addition of these three communities to an already impressive list strengthens Maine ability to grow our economy and make our state even more prosperous," said Governor Paul R. LePage. "Each of these cities and towns are helping Maine become more competitive and open for business. These communities are leading by example with terrific customer service, strong collaboration with the private sector and by demonstrating a can-do attitude when it comes to licensing and permitting."

"It is exciting to be recognized for the hard work and commitment put forth by the Town of Van
Buren in promoting new economic development and helping our existing businesses grow and prosper," said Dan McClung, Van Buren Town Manager. "We have an aggressive growth strategy for economic development and this certification is a key piece of the puzzle. Van Buren is Open for Business'."

The "Certified Business-Friendly Community" program, administered by DECD, encourages Maine municipalities to take a critical look at all areas of their business attraction strategy and examine ways the community interacts with businesses to promote new private investment.

"The Town of Southwest Harbor is a vibrant and flourishing community, showcasing the best of what Maine small towns have to offer," said Don LaGrange, Town Manager. "It is our hope, through this certification, to make it even more inviting and user-friendly for those that choose to live and/or do business here."

"We're very happy to be one of the select communities in Maine to be certified business-friendly and hope that this designation coupled with our low utility costs and local labor pool will spur more economic growth in Madison," said Rhonda Emerson , President of the Madison Business Alliance.

A team of public and private economic development experts reviews each application to determine eligibility in the program. Some of the business-friendly characteristics of the three newly certified communities include:

Madison

The success of the Madison Business Gateway Diverse companies providing informative letters of support Good collaboration and involvement with local, regional and state entities Annual festivals show good community support and are highly popular

Southwest Harbor

Updated comprehensive plan and ordinances Creativity of community events that highlight businesses Island Connections providing free transportation and services for elderly and disabled Significant investment in infrastructure

Van Buren

Utilization of limited tools and resources to efficiently promote economic development Establishment of economic development director providing businesses with point of contact Effective use of local, state and federal funds to support town's business climate Collaboration with regional and statewide entities

The "Certified Business-Friendly Community" program began in 2012. Since then, Maine's list of "Certified Business-Friendly" communities has grown to include: Auburn, Augusta, Bath, Belfast, Biddeford, Brewer, Bucksport, Caribou, Cumberland, Ellsworth, Fairfield, Fort Kent, Guilford, Hermon, Kennebunk, Lewiston, Lincoln, Madison, Pittsfield, Poland, Presque Isle, Richmond, Saco, Sanford, South Portland, Southwest Harbor, Topsham, Van Buren, Wells and Westbrook.

Each community is awarded a certificate of achievement, two MaineDOT road signs and becomes a key part of Maine's business attraction strategy.