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View of Berlin NH looking south-southeast from the top of Mt. Jasper
New England Cable News recently did a story on the recession, its impact on the Berlin NH region, and the economic opportunities that Berlin NH has in the pipeline. Its a little dated (June 11, 2009), but its a great little piece which touches on Laidlaw Biomass, Clean Power Biomass, the new Federal Bureau of Prisons project and the development of ATV trails, snowmobiling, and other development ideas.
Although the recession hits all aspects of the economy, some greater than other’s, Berlin has always had the ability considering it’s location and resources to diverse it’s base, but through it’s lack of vision and ignorance to the Mill mentality and it’s stubborness to see that the Union metality is obsolete and out of touch, the lesson’s of the single Horse communities has been learned all over this Country, I for one brought those lesson’s back in the 90’s to the Council to educate them on how to Diverse your economic base and insulate yourself from economic down turns. But the ignorance of the Mill mentality is a difficult skin to shed, Berlin’s economic future will be clouded and will stumble for many years to come unless as a Community it can do 2 things, remove the blinders, understand that the industry that built this community is systematically destroying it, and 2. The people who so dearly hold on to power and desicion making, open the doors to new ideas and new strategies, the Union’s , what’s left of them, must be de-classified, A City manager can’t direct his staff if his Dept. managers are also union, one of the single deterants for the Mills survival was the Unions, they single handedly broke the backs of the Companies that were feeding them, remove the political belief that the State and federal Government are the bearers of the future, learn to create your on Path and Pay for it. The Communities Surrounding berlin, have been surviving with what they have for resources, some will say that it doesn’t do enough, but it’s still diverse enough to stave off economic disaster, Berlin can lead this region, if it wants to, it has the infrastucture, but not the leadership, until it sheds it’s closed door reputation this community is doomed to be the home of a low to moderate income economy and high crime, you need to ask your self one question, how long can I wait. an interesting comment comes to mind, on the night we secured the building of the State prison, my Collegue from Ward 3 Jim Wiswell, leaned back in chair and said, “well, we just created 300 jobs, now we don’t have to do a thing”"
Tme to wake up Berlin!
Cate St. Capital has been an Economic Savior for Berlin/Gorham. Cascade is Back in Business and Berlin can look forward to the Impressive Economic Benefits of the Biomass Plant and Future Green Technology Co-Locators. All Thanks to some VERY Able Leadership lately. Some will continue to moan, but Tellingly they offer NO concrete solutions, just Blame and Finger Pointing. They’re Pathetic, Really …