byte&chew

Live and learn

I'm surprised that the regulars to this blog aren't giving me hell for not posting for the past couple weeks, thanks for giving me slack. ....I think that not hearing those half baked press releases from Laidlaw for a while is good news for those of us not too keen on the Laidlaw Energy project for downtown Berlin. Having followed the company since it made its debut in Berlin and knowing a little about their style, I will chance a guess that the deal with HH Capital to finance 100% of the Berlin project is in trouble. Recently and I believe also reported by Lea, I ran into a story in Power Finance & Risk that supports my theory. The story said "A New York biomass developer Laidlaw Energy Group is looking to raise about $100 million in expansion capital via a merger or initial public offering within the coming year".  The story goes on to say that Michael Bartoszek's strategy is to retool pulp and paper facilities to biomass power plants. It also claims that Laidlaw is looking to merge with a company listed on the London Stock Exchange. From all of this I conclude that the HH Capital deal has failed and Mr. Bartoszek is looking further away for money to capitalize his .....hair brain ideas. In these days of instant communication, I don't believe he can go far enough "out there" to get away from the negative reputation he's given to the name "Laidlaw Energy". Let's face it, suing a small town of 2,000 people for $30M because they won't give you a permit doesn't ring true in too many circles, not even with folks with money. Real smart people don't burn their bridges that close behind them. At this point I wonder what's going on in Rick Marcicki (NADC) head? Of all of us with an interest in the mill property, he keeps investing in Laidlaw each and every day by keeping that boiler mothballed and people on payroll in Berlin! In a public statement a couple years ago, Mr. Marcicki said that he'd be gone from Berlin in a year or so, .....but that was before he was seduced by Bartoszek with an offer that was too good to be true!  I bet he wishes that he would have followed his first plan of tearing everything down and moving on, so do we Mr. Marcicki! 

One more issue!

The lack of credible and significant news about several major issues in the North Country, has triggered a rash of rumors from street corners to Dunkin Donuts. First was the rumor that HH Capital had pulled its money from the Laidlaw deal. Then there was a rumor that Fraser had made the decision to close Cascade Mill. No sooner did that quiet down that the rumor was that the financing for the Cascade biomass boiler had fallen apart. I guess you could say that the region is on pins and needles and that there’s a thirst for news about these major issues and, when there’s no news we fabricate some. The other troubling subject that lacks clarity is the whole subject about the Township of Success and what’s going to happen to that piece of property.  Now that Dillon Logging has logged just about every stick worth a couple bucks, they’ve put it on the market. I would hope that this is the last time we witness this type of devastation from logging in our region. With the economic future of our region depending on our forests and on outdoor recreation, allowing someone to clear cut a whole township is near criminal. Success with its pond, brooks and forest  has provided us with years of enjoyment and lumber for our mills. My first experience brook fishing was in Success and so many of my friends and relatives have spent hundreds of hours fishing and hunting on that land. We never had to worry about being locked out of Success until recently, but a permanent threat is real and upon us. With the Dillon’s willing to sell the property the real threat of getting locked out can take several forms. First is the possibility that some well to do dude wishing to get away from it all, buys the whole town and builds his get-away castle right in the middle of his kingdom. (As the rich get richer and more paranoid, this is happening all over the country). Just a few miles from the Berlin Airport his royal highness can jet-in and be safe and hiding from his daily routine/threats in a few minutes. With electronic devices securing the borders of the kingdom and behind locked gates our access to the property would come to an end with the signature on a check, made to Mr. Dillon. Also gone is the fuel of our future economy, whether it’s for biomass, pellets or construction lumber. The same holds true if the National Guard or other non-traditional owner becomes the proprietor. I have a hard time accepting any use of that property that does not allow for the traditional use by local residents. I would hope that outdoor enthusiasts see the threat and become involved in saving Success from being locked-up. I would also hope to see the people involved with the Mahoosuc Project voice their objections to any use that won’t allow sustainable forestry and outdoor recreation. The value of where we live and our quality of life is totally dependent on places like Success being available to provide lumber/fiber/jobs and a place to recreate and enjoy. Places like Success are unique and  is our real wealth.

It's about identity

It appears that the new political leadership in Berlin will tackle the very difficult task of improving the efforts of the City at influencing and improving the economic conditions which in turn defines our quality of life. Communities attempting to  influence their social issues are always facing a challenge, but here in Berlin as is the case in most communities where a large industry dominated the economy and the politics for years, the effort can be near impossible. Appropriating money or passing new laws are all part of strategies, but how to change attitudes and priorities, the "human element", is where the rubber hits the road.Let's face it, for almost 100 years, the pulp and paper industry set our agenda and our way of thinking. The taxes the mills paid brought stability to our municipal budgets and had an overall positive impact on the tax burden of every home owner. In reality the loss of the mills is a double wham-mer, it's an economic loss, but more importantly,  it's a loss of identity. The debates and arguments you'll hear from City Hall over the next year or so will have as much to do with who we are or who we wish to bethan about the dollar and cent value of the issue.  Look at the Laidlaw Energy debate, it's not about biomass or the energy issue, it's about us and who we wish to become and how we wish to be perceived. When you hear or read about the arguments for or against almost any issue from Laidlaw Energy to the school budget, keep in mind that there's something else going on and that, we need to pay attention to the "human component"of the issue. For example,  Mr. Bartoszek of Laidlaw Energy should realize that "the opposition" to his project is not based on solving the energy crisis or being green, it's about us as a people, wishing for a new identity.  Mr. Bartoszek, you're wasting your investors money on your weekly ads in the local paper telling us you're saving the planet, it's critical that we first discover who we are and what we wish to become. Your project is but a "distraction" to a very important process going on in our community. 

A Crisis in the making?

Now that we have the 4th of July under our belts and are ready to enjoy our short summer, let me burst your bubble and leap frog right over summer and fall and go right into winter 08/09.  With heating oil hovering in the $4.50 to $5.00 range what is next winter going bring to some of our residents and businesses?  Where does a person on a fixed income raise the $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 it will take to heat their homes? What's a business struggling to survive to do?  I've read where both the City of Berlin and the Town of Gorham already know that they will exceed their budgets since they had anticipated prices for heating municipal buildings at somewhere between $3 to $4 per gallon.  The next budget buster for our communities will come when people start showing up at the town offices asking for help from our welfare departments whose budget numbers are usually based on last years numbers. I hope that I'm dead wrong with my prediction that we're in for a financial crisis!  It's my understanding that the Governor will be calling a special meeting of all department heads sometime in July to explore the issue and see what steps can be taken to prevent a full blown catastrophe to develop. On the more local level, I would believe that a similar meeting should be called by the County. In communities like Berlin/Gorham and Groveton where hundreds have lost their jobs within the past couple years, I can't see how these people will manage to eat and keep warm. Many of these displaced workers have taken jobs paying a fraction of their former wages, enough to get by, but not not enough to meet this challenge. If the County government doesn't see fit to address this issue, then it's up to the local communities to start developing plans on how to deal with this threat and there's no time to lose!   If some of you have ideas on how to deal with this situation I believe it's time to share them here and with your elected officials.

HAPPY 4TH !

Here it is the day before July 4th and I believe that, we need to take a break from the arguments going-on around town and honor those who have devoted much of their lives in making sure that we can argue publicly about any subject without the fear that we'll be silenced by our government. We have monumental challenges facing us, as a community, a region and as a country. Although I'm the first to scream "foul" and complain about "things", I feel most confident that as a people and as a country, we're best prepared to face those issues since our diversity of opinions and talent is allowed to be expressed in solving our challenges. I wish to recognize those of you who for the past year have shared your thoughts and opinions on a wide range of subjects and, in the process have raised our awareness of many technical issues. How many of us knew anything about being in the Queue and ISO New England a year ago?  To those who believe that the Laidlaw project is necessary for Berlin to re-invent itself and prosper, I disagree, but I welcome your thoughts and I recognize your good intentions.  Let's all take a deep breath, wish each other a "HAPPY FOURTH" and let's save the verbal fireworks for another day!