Executive Director’s Message
After the devastating events of the Robbins Lumber Mill explosion, the end of the legislative session and our gubernatorial forum feel like a lifetime ago. Our thoughts and prayers have been occupied with the Robbins family, their employees, the heroic first responders who answered the call and all those impacted – many with a long road to recovery ahead. In the days since the tragedy it has become clear how much our industry really embodies the “help your neighbor” spirit of Maine as many have jumped into action to help in any way that they can.
We have seen incredibly generous donations made to the Maine Strong Memorial Foundation with Hammond Lumber and Irving Woodlands each contributing $100,000 and Farm Credit East contributing $25,000 – and they are far from alone. Contributions of all sizes have flown into the fund with many other donations already made, many of which have come from the forest products industry. We appreciate that Maine Strong came forward to provide a vetted fund that will support confirmed individuals and families impacted by the explosion. MFPC will use our July 9 golf tournament as an opportunity to raise funds for this foundation with a separate raffle and donation collection with pledges from our Executive Committee.
As Irving Woodlands so eloquently stated, it takes strength to recover and rebuild, yet in the face of unimaginable circumstances, the Robbins family have demonstrated that strength in spades with a steadfast commitment to their employees, suppliers and customers as they plan to restart the mill that is so clearly the heart of the Searsmont community and integral to the regional economy (and MFPC).
Though RLC has been top of mind for us all, I am also reminded that our industry is deeply interconnected. When one company is in need, you all show up in an admirable way. This year has also seen two manufacturing facilities, Pride Manufacturing and Lumbra Hardwood, make the tough choice to close their doors. These closings highlight how important it is that we strongly advocate to restore lost markets and that we never stop working as a Council to advance good policies that keep costs manageable for our members.
In the coming weeks we will see the second MBRC-coordinated treatment for spruce budworm utilizing the Early Intervention Strategy. Last year proved to be a great success with the number of L2 larvae in the treatment areas reduced by 94 percent in the treatment areas and 81 percent in the adjacent areas with a 108 percent increase outside of the treatment areas. We hope that this year we can continue to build off of this success, and I would be remiss not to thank Senator Susan Collins for delivering significant federal resources to again match state and private funds. Without her support, this the dynamics of this outbreak would be very different.
Please note that the deadline for nominations for our annual awards is coming right up on June 5. Our annual awards banquet provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate those in our community and we welcome a variety of nominees. If you have nominated someone not selected in the past, please feel free to let us know if you wish to renew the nomination. Our summer golf tournament is also coming up. We are still looking for sponsors, raffle items and players and would love to see all of you in Bangor.
Finally, as I approach a year in as Executive Director, I thank all of you for your support with the transition. It is a tremendous honor to represent you and I remain humbled that you have allowed me to serve as your voice in Augusta. Thank you all, and I hope to see you soon.
Krysta West
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