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Under a contract with Lincoln County, CEI hosts the Lincoln County Economic Development Office (LCEDO) and works with businesses and towns on business development, technical training and affordable housing. We also provide technical assistance on the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) to Lincoln County towns. A LCEDO website with demographic, economic and community information can be found at http:www.lincolncountymaine.org.
The office is a partnership in itself—with Lincoln County—and each project cultivates collaborative relationships within and between towns, organizations, the county, region and state. For more information, contact Mary Ellen Barnes, Director, Lincoln County Economic Development Office, at 207-882-7564.
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CEI IN THE NEWS! |
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U.S. Finance Expert Encourages Banking Investment in Maine Communities
At CEI's 32nd Annual Meeting, Ellen Seidman, Exec. VP of ShoreBank in Chicago, and Sr. Research Fellow with the New America Foundation in Washington, DC, urged Maine bankers and community activists to consider “greater community investment…meeting the actual needs of the community, not just counting dollars invested.” See full speech.
See annual meeting remarks by Ron Phillips, CEO, on triple bottom line investing and the next 5 years for CEI…
See the 12/14/09 article on CEI and the state of investing in communities. It’s where mission happens… CEI Receives $125 Million in NMTC Through its subsidiary, CEI Capital Management LLC, CEI will use the allocation to attract private capital investments for primarily rural economic development projects. See press release here.
CEI Receives Investment Funds
In partnership with Manufacturers Association of Maine, CEI will receive $765,000 over from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Services (OCS), to finance several job-generating small-to-medium enterprises. This funding will create 78 full-time, year-round jobs. Read press release here. Bangor Savings Bank and CEI offer low-interest loans to small and medium-sized enterprises in disadvantaged areas in Maine. Read more here. |
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Waldoboro and Osram Sylvania |
LCEDO has several active projects in Lincoln
County. The scope of these
activities demonstrates the wide spectrum of community involvement and
diversity of partnerships the office maintains. An important focus at present
is in Waldoboro, a rural community faced with the closure of Osram Sylvania, a
manufacturer of lighting filaments with more than 100 employees and one of the
County’s largest employers. LCEDO has been assisting the town by facilitating a
series of community economics education workshops about appropriate and
sustainable redevelopment options for the Osram plant.
To date, five sessions have been held bi-monthly with a group of committed town officials, business
people and concerned citizens. These planning meetings have been well attended
and have produced a tangible outcome. With LCEDO’s assistance, a private
non-profit organization with municipal representation is being formed for the
specific purpose of generating a plan for the plant’s reuse. In fact, the group
is contemplating reactivating the Waldoboro Industrial Realty Company, founded
in 1948 to finance construction of the facility, for this purpose. LCEDO will
continue to support this community process and help to generate new uses for
the Osram Sylvania property.
Osram Sylvania plant, Waldoboro,
ME. Contact LCEDO about lease or purchase
opportunities in this modern, light manufacturing facility. |
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Philosophy and Programs 
