Establish Committee:

  • To choose a committee of volunteers with interests in Raymond's future with basic goal of townspeople choosing its future, rather than evolution doing so.
  • Analyze member strengths, interests, ideas to accomplish goal.
  • Immediate goals of broadening tax base, creating new jobs, to capture residents and current business operators ideas and dreams and pursue action on those we can influence, build community pride.
  • Study and encourage current business operators to expand, and study benefit of choosing Town and business identity.

Original Project Divisions:

  • Inventory existing businesses.
  • Capacity inventory of local skills, talents, and interests of residents.
  • Associational inventory of existing nonprofits and volunteer groups existing within community, their function, capacity, needs and how they can be blended, expanded and work together, benefiting the greater community.
  • Idea inventory of local economic opportunities, needs and dreams.
  • Inventory of situations which could benefit from grant activity.
  • Develop survey material.

Recognition of Current Community Assets:

  • On one of Maine's busiest highways.
  • Evidence of community pride shown by street lighting project, floral decorated business area highway, Veterans' Park, community website, Town and community support of Library, museum, local volunteer activity.
  • A general cooperative spirit.
  • A realistic awareness of competitive position in regional area.
  • Considerable knowledge of physical environment resulting from CIPIC work.
  • Strong current presence of nonprofit and volunteer support.
  • Traditional communities careful use of fiscal resources.
  • A conviction the community benefits from directing its long term plan from within the community, rather than leave it to outside sources.

Recognize the Three Fundamental Parts to Any Business:

  1. Is to provide a product or service
  2. To market idea, product or service.
  3. To obtain financing for same.

Quick Rule for Pursuing Development Ideas:

  • Do you like product or service?
  • Can it make a profit?
  • Is it a current market?
  • Are startup costs low or affordable?
  • Is idea manageable by you, or who?