Tag: small maine town living

Maine Towns With Airports, Houlton Is One Of Them.

Last I-95 Exit. Houlton Maine’s Airport Is On The US – Canadian Border. Come To Fly In.

Maine has 108 small towns.

And all are anxious to prosper, to at least keep their current population or better yet grow. Maine towns compete for business. Having a local airport like the one in Houlton Maine located right on the US – Canadian border is one attractive asset to hold in your marketing cards. Transportation is everything when a town has a rural location which most do in a state as large, expansive and sparsely populated like Maine.

(Left to Right) Me In Maine Author Andrew Mooers, Ben Torres, Rotary President Club Ryan Bushey

The new Houlton International Airport Supervisor, Ben Torres was the speaker at the weekly Rotary Club meeting recently when it was my week to line up one.

The Houlton Maine service group learned much about the workings at the airport today. The club members contributed about the history of the facility too during the end question and answer period. Torres who has a background in airport management from his education at Bridgewater State in Massachusetts is excited about his new job.

Updating neglected, national airport websites that pilots use when selecting a place to set planes down is one task Torres is busy updating. And due to jet fuel offered at fifty cents cheaper per gallon, the quick clearing of customs, immigration that Houlton International Airport offers with its close proximity border station, the local landing field is a big attraction. But not if it kept a secret. Local chain saw operators also buy high trade 100 octane aviation fuel as well as some local snow sledders or hot rod enthusiasts. Torres says the income from fuel sales all adds up.

Income from hangar rental and daily or up to yearly storage fees all help support the local Maine airport.

Increasing the income from larger fuel sales, rental income of the space formerly used by the local FAA flight weather station are all in the works.
As the airport is cleaned up, polished and an inventory of income generating revenues are one by one explored. Torres is excited, passionate about making the local facility thrive, to shine. To become a well known habit as a regular Maine airport stop for private pilots. He says one five thousand foot runway repaved in 2008 could handle up to a sixty thousand pound turbo prop plane. One holding seventy to eighty passengers.

The reputation of Terry Beals who is a certified avionics and plane power plant mechanic is well known too. His presence at the airport is a draw for owners as far as Florida, up to thirteen hours away who fly north to have him work on their planes. There are 19 FBO’s (fixed based operators) in the state. Houlton International Airport’s vacant buildings in addition to the hangar built during World War Two would make excellent incubator space for new businesses to locate and create new jobs.

Torres is promoting the July 27th Cruise In, Fly In at Houlton International Airport. Displays for local attractions, Chamber of Commerce things to do brochures are also being built.

So pilots and passengers stopping at the flight center can learn more about where they are refueling. Or hanging around waiting for executives that fly in for Louisiana Pacific, Smith and Wesson, and local banks. That all appreciate the ability to fly directly into Houlton Maine, Southern Aroostook with private jets, airplanes, helicopters.

Learn more about the Wings & Wheels Fly-In/Cruise-In – Houlton International Airport.

This first annual Wings & Wheels Fly-In/Cruise-In at the Houlton International Airport is generating a lot of buzz here in “The County.” Planes, antique and hot rod cars, vendors, food, music by Mellow Endeavor, kids games, static aircraft displays and a special apearance by Smokey the Bear.

19 Industrial Drive
Houlton, Maine 04730
Phone: (207) 532-4216

Maine, we work hard to make our small towns grow, prosper, and to shine uniquely. We all have a job, role in a small town. Are the small Maine town where it is always home made creative, not store bought expensive.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

July 16, 2013
A Case For Living In A Small Maine Town.

Find Yourself Involved, Enjoying, Contributing To A Small Maine Town.

You live in a city, large sprawling urban area and wonder where does all the money go.

Your car insurance if you dare to drive is higher cost. Because vehicles get stolen. Joy rides happen. Chop shops dissect cars, trucks, SUV’s buzzard quick like they were road kill. The chances of being bumped or plowing into a multi car super highway cloverleaf pile up are higher because you don’t live in a small Maine town. Maine is mostly small town with 108 total muncipalities to call home.

When you have a patch of dirt, more land around your lower cost Maine home, you can grow your own food. Sell the excess or use it to barter services back and forth with the neighbor down the country lane. You also save gas in a small town because everything is close, handy. Living in a smaller community in Maine means you can walk to things. The movies, out to eat, to a corner grocery for a quart of milk, loaf of bread. The essentials.

You enjoy little things like a dairy bar ice cream. Socializing at a bean supper.

Fund raising meal spread for a school trip. To help a local burned out family that lost their home to a fire. Or to give, show support to one with a sickness. Struggling with an expensive medical operation. Everyone pitches in. Digs deep. With a silent auction after the tasty meal. Of small local business and home made crafts, donated items. Your comforts are smaller but larger at the same time. Your appreciation for life increases because you can think, breathe easier with clean air, water, the unspoiled environment.

In small Maine towns you are way more involved with activities, part of the local landscape.

Festivities at civic, church, school groups are worked, not just attended. There is more of each individual written all over the home grown, small Maine town events. The expensive monetary option of just hiring it done gone. So greater commitment happens from the individuals. Year after year. That group that is only so large when in Northern Maine there are only eleven people per square mile. In a wide open area in Aroostook County the size of the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. If you don’t come forward, who is going to behind you when the population numbers are smaller.

And due to the big helping of expansive wildlife filled woods and our clean lakes, rivers, streams and ponds to explore, the fun is outdoors. Low or no cost. You live in Vacationland, the desire of many but who only sample just one teenie weenie precious week, long weekend to last the rest of the year. Until the next trip north to the state in the right hand corner of the country. Almost in Canada which offers a whole new nation under a waving red maple leaf to sample. For an entirely International spin to your recreation, leisure time too. When you already live here, not having to schedule that short window of opportunity when you check out of work for a vacation from the concrete jungle. Crossing the big green bridge at the southern tip of Maine.

When you live in a small Maine town, you know, care, pray for your neighbors.

You are more connected to others because crime is nil. You can let your guard down, not wear a taser and wear a smile. Make eye contact. Communicate to and not ignore folks around you. To feel the pride because you contribute, are needed, would be missed if not in a small town. The people, individuals are the local community flavor, spirit, spark. Local waitresses miss the regulars that view the diner as family. When they have none.

And Maine small town people care about shut ins, elderly, knowing they themselves will be in the same position some day. Calls to Martha that does not drive anymore. To see if she needs anything at the grocery store. Or inviting her to come along for the ride. To get out of the house, apartment. Or snow blowing her driveway, shoveling a walk. Including her in a holiday celebration. You kids treat her like family which is gladly becomes despite not matching DNA pumping in her veins.

You watch the community grow up. Kids are raised by the village. One by one you follow their lives. You coach youth teams, sponsor competitions, teach Sunday school, hire area youth for jobs. Know the brothers, sisters, moms and dads. Related to many. It is a given that “if it is to be it is up to me” thinking experience a small Maine town.

More confident, self assured, with a larger do it yourself, jack of all trades skill set. Lazy becomes a cuss word. Hitting below the belt sniping remark that stings. Wired into everyone growing up, being shaped, guided in a small Maine town to pitch in, have respect for other’s feelings, their possessions. The favor returned. And not much happens that is lost from scrutiny, like in the bright lights, big city fast paced shuffle.

Maine homes that cost less get paid off faster.

Mortgages disappear and free up resources for other endeavors. Like savings, a second home or camp on the Maine waterfront. Travel, college funds, household expenses all benefit from the cheaper day to day overhead. Your worry emotions run lower, the stress is less financial. You count your blessings. You enjoy life more when you have space, room to roam, can find a place to think without noise, people, the hustle bustle of better pay attention heavy traffic. A faster paced hurry scurry all the time. That’s no way to live… in a blur of worry, crime, high cost of living right?

In a small town, lots of talent from other areas of the country comes together in a blend, melting pot of creativity. Retired folks get involved, share what they have learned in other parts of the World. Young families can stretch their dollar because of lower cost of everything. Especially Maine real estate. You can own more property with extra features because supply is always bigger than demand. Which keeps the price down where it is manageable, affordable.

You get more creative in a small Maine town.

There are no gangs, worries about safety. Utilizing the options from public libraries, cross country ski trails, bike paths, hiking options happen. The fun is outdoors, all four seasons. Sporting events, from fishing, hunting, snow sledding, skiing, four wheeling are possible. Photography of nature, art, sharpening writing skills all get tapped into instead of just reaching for your wallet. And tying your fun to store bought or something man made. Not natural and home grown. And your awareness, clarity increases of all the little things that matter most in life happens in your less populated, more natural surroundings happens. Make it not buy it.

Money is not so important in a small Maine town and you get out of the habit of spending, the norm in a city where everything costs dearly. Things like paying for expensive parking, theatre tickets, nose bleed high swanky places are saved for a trip. Not practiced, pricey expenditures found round the clock, day in and out in a small Maine town. Family values, work ethic and responsibility happen with kids raised in a small Maine town.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

May 29, 2013
In A Maine Town Of 136 People, Don’t Worry About Too Much Red Tape.

Proud Of That Maine Town Little League Championship Trophy.

Regulations, ordinances, restrictions, protective covenants and moratoriums on building don’t happen in small Maine towns.

Development is not throttled, controlled and is encouraged. Sprawl is not a worry unless in more populated townships near the New Hampshire state line. Folks step up, pitch in when you live in a small Maine town. Have to, only so many players to keep it from deorganizing, surrending to total county or state control.

And the tidy little Maine township usually six long by six wide miles in Northern counties in Vacationland don’t have other things too. You don’t find stop lights. Controlling traffic. What traffic? The town office is not open every day because the 136 people don’t need nor can afford to have the municipal facilities that accessible.

And the small burg, village, plantation, town now shares a postal zip code. Merged with another five digits after the local postmaster who had the mail boxes in his home dies. And the town manager in this tiny Maine town, plantation may have another job. Because his title of town manager in a muncipality does not provide a 401K retirement or health care plan.

No keys to a town owned and registered car or pickup sitting in his driveway either.

The small Maine town or plantation’s property taxes from a handful of structures, vacant woodland and a few open farms. Or maybe some waterfront property tax payers paying a little more of a premium on a river, pond or Maine lake if they are lucky enough to have them in this little township.

And other “departments” like the animal control officer to help me get rid of these beavers who keep creating industriously constructed dams that are flooding my back field road and causing wash outs. Well he also serves on the volunteer fire department.

On the planning board too in case a land subdivision happens to come knocking on the town office door.

Only so many solidiers, cooks in the kitchens so to speak to fill the muncipal voting ballot, to run for office positions.

In Maine making a property, acreage in to more than two parcels in a five year period means wait for the chop clock to stop to create another parcel. Or ring up a Maine land surveyor to lay out the mylar subdivision plan for the signatures of town officials. But in accordance to Maine state subdivision laws at the time. And with consideration to Maine shoreland zoning regulations to protect natural resources.

The phone rings and the town manager, usually a one man or woman operation has taken the time to call. To remind you the car and pickup registration and on the snowsled trailer are running out next week. To let you know the new registrations are all typed out, ready when you are. And the amount.

Often, on the way home from work, a visit to the town manager’s home along the way happens.

For after hours sign here, need a check for blah blah amount. Or to pick up a Saturday morning hunting, fishing license.

The town manager and other elected officials in a small town are close knit, with a fierce love of the area. But rallying against forces in Augusta threatening to close the doors with not local but state regulation layers piled on life threatening high. They take care of their own Maine neighbors on a local level.

The Maine small town office, an old school house left vacant after merger with six other townships sometimes is full of food smells too.

Trips to a central USDA distribution center of surplus food means boxes are now being filled. Readied just in time for Thanksgiving for local Mainers on a low fixed income. Distributed to the elderly after this Sunday’s church service in the one and only house of worship.

Local town block grants for a septic system replacement with a small contribution from the low income home owner are carefully administered by the town manager and selectmen in a small Maine town. Where many hats are worn and like musical chairs, local taxpayers take their turn to contribute, serve. To make the small Maine town have the special community flavor that it does.

Spotlight on Maine towns Island Falls, ME, Aroostook County and Patten ME, Penobscot County.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

October 18, 2011