I will start out by saying that I support the citizens that have tiressly turned out to battle what they perceive as an affront to the quality of their community.

Over the past few years, with the economy shrinking, business interests have dominated the political thought and with the blessings of the Camden leadership, there have been many adjustments made to make what some have called, an inhospitable business climate more friendly.

We have created TIFS and tax incentives to lure new business investments. We hired an economic development director with a significant budget. We created a committee, Community Economic Development Advisory Committee, for the promotion of more business and we have advertised free land and billed ourselves as "Rolling out the Red Carpet not the Red tape." We have commissioned a Downtown Plan and created faux walkways. We have passed a bond and are developing a plan to enhance our community ski area for the betterment of business and residential interests. We have built more affordable housing than any community in the Midcoast. We have changed and continue to change zoning, allowing uses that haven't existed in residential and restricted business zones and the Planning Board has a doozy in their lair of allowing an overlay zone that could potentially create a 20,000+ square-foot retail building 46 feet in height, providing it is "residential in character." A 46-foot residence?

There have not been many businesses that have taken advantage of these new incentives and in spite of that the business community has had the most successful year that they have ever had.

Camden is unique. 90 percent of the tax base is residential and will only get larger as more assessments gets kicked into the TIF fund. Yet most of the Select Board and town government is focused on business. It is time for more residential representation and it is the residential character of our community that makes it unique and desirable. While communities surrounding us fight to reinvent themselves, It is the lack of change that has kept us desirable.

Camden has a unique geography with the bay on the east, a state park and mountains to the north, a lake to the west and a narrow corridor to the next community to the south. We have no road going to the west and certainly no airport or potential for commercial activity in our harbor. Our neighbors both north and south, however, do have these amenities. What they don't have is a state park, a ski area, a large clean fresh water lake, and a unique and picturesque harbor.

These are our assets and this is what makes Camden a prosperous place to live and do business in. Not TIFS, not convoluted zoning, not the lack of jobs. I applaud our citizens who continue to work to enhance this wonderful environment to live in.

In retrospect, I feel that the motion that I made to forward a purchase agreement was in haste. Certainly there was no way for the public to respond since the action came out of an executive decision (closed and private). I will encourage that the purchase by North East Mobile Health Services is put before the voters, either by a special or a general election. Remember, as citizens it is up to our political involvement to get the government to act in a manor that we desire. We are our own lobby group.

Leonard Lookner
Camden Select Board