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In this month's issue: Meet the Sanford Micro-Enterprise Assistance grant winners; Business friendly changes in store for small business applicants; Sanford voters give emphatic "Yes" to new high school and technical center

News & Events

It's Official! Sanford Will Be Constructing a New High School and Technical Center



On January 13th, Sanford residents voted overwhelmingly to support the construction of a new high school and technical center.  Voters approved referendum Question 1 on the base package with a 77% approval rating. On Question 2, the supplemental package, voters approved the referendum with a 69% approval rating. There were 3002 votes cast. 

Sanford School Superintendent David Theoharides outlined the next steps in the construction process this week in his weekly update:

"Last week, the Building Committee held their first meeting since the passage of the referendum on January 13th. The committee reflected on the many people who made a difference in the successful vote, noting in particular the efforts of the Build Our Future community group. The meeting agenda included a presentation by Project Manager Lance Whitehead of Lavallee-Brensinger Architects outlining the next steps in the construction project.



Three critical phases will occur over the the next twelve months: Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Document.

In the Schematic Design Phase, the concept of building will be set including the exterior look and skin of the building, structural frame, rooms in right location and size. A mechanical narrative regarding heating and cooling will be established. There will be opportunities to meet with departments to review room layout and design. This phase will be completed by March 2015.

In the Design Development Phase, the details of each room will be determined: what will be in each room, how many whiteboards, desks, sinks, outlets, etc. This should be complete by July 2015.

In the Construction Documentation Phase the final engineering will be completed based on the work done in schematic design and design development. It is anticipated that by this fall all drawings of the building will be refined, with all design work completed by December 2015 in preparation to go to bid in January 2016.

Bid Opening is likely to happen in March 2016, with an anticipated construction start date of April 2016. The construction should take 30 months."

For more information and updates on the new school project, visit the School Construction Update page on the School District's website.
 
Company Profile: Elecnor Hawkeye

After recently touring the new company headquarters of Elecnor Hawkeye, the most recent new business to move into the Sanford Industrial Parks in South Sanford, the Growth Council had the opportunity for a follow-up conversation with David Ranta, Director of Overhead Transmission Services. The company moved its New England headquarters to 90 Community Drive in Sanford in December 2014. The Growth Council worked closely with property owner Patco Construction and the Industrial Development Corporation to ensure that IDC covenant provisions within the park were appropriately considered and addressed. The IDC review was prompt and satisfactory to all parties. The following is an edited transcript of our discussion with Mr. Ranta.



GC: Can you describe Elecnor Hawkeye and tell us about the work that you do?

DR: Elecnor Hawkeye is construction contractor involved in Electrical Transmission, Electrical Distribution, Substation and Underground Gas construction for utility and power generation companies. Our parent company, Elecnor, is based in Madrid, Spain.  The company’s headquarters in the United States is in Hauppauge, NY, on Long Island. Our Sanford location focuses primarily in Overhead Electrical Transmission construction. 90 Community Drive supports administrative, engineering and project management as well as maintenance of our fleet, equipment and tooling.

GC: You recently moved Hawkeye’s New England headquarters from Portsmouth, NH to Sanford, Maine, which we learned allowed for some operating cost savings and consolidation of people and functions. How many employees do you now have based here in Sanford?

DR: We employ an office and maintenance staff of 11 in Sanford. Field operations vary depending on project needs, but averaged around 50 workers in 2014.



GC: Can you share with us some of the factors that influenced the decision to move here and tell us how the new leased space at 90 Community Drive has been working for you? 
 
DR: The facility at 90 Community Drive is working out very well for us. Elecnor wanted us to have both office and maintenance under one roof, where we used to have 2 separate locations.  The space is larger than where we moved from and the facility supports our plans for growth.  In Sanford, we are close to the 95 highway corridor and that allows efficient access to our Northern and Central New England customer base.   We have found this area to have good vendor support for the kind of work that we do.  Last but not least, this location aligns well with where our operations staff and mechanics live.



GC: When you spoke with Jim recently, you discussed your desire to use local vendors where possible.  Can you explain the motivation behind that?

DR: It just makes sense.  Local means prompt delivery and simple access to services. Costs for services are competitive in the Sanford area. There’s a skill level and tradition of workmanship and service from our vendors in the area that is hard to beat.  Jim has furnished us some new local vendor names for specialty items that we've selected not only for their ability to provide the service that we needed, but also for the best price.   
 
"Local means prompt delivery and simple access to services. Costs for services are competitive in the Sanford area. There’s a skill level and tradition of workmanship and service from our vendors in the area that is hard to beat." - David Ranta, Elecnor Hawkeye

GC: Can you describe your experience getting through the permitting process here in Sanford?

DR: Sanford has been very accommodating. Our permit needs were limited, but they provided good feedback and direction from both City Hall and the Fire Marshal’s office. We have felt that the City has been supportive and encouraging.     

GC: Is there anything else about Elecnor Hawkeye or its future plans that you would like to share with us?

DR: We completed an 11 mile transmission line from Lebanon to Sanford this past fall and we have a substation project awarded in the area coming up for next year. We have other projects in the pipeline coming up for Maine and the Northeast Region. Our work is undertaken with a focus on Safety and good Environmental Stewardship. The work we do supports the infrastructure needs for residents and businesses in the area and we’re glad to be based in Sanford to make this happen.
 

To learn more about Elecnor Hawkeye, visit the company's website.

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Letter from Executive Director Jim Nimon


As a life-long Patriots fan (both Boston and New England) I am on Cloud 9 today! Yes, their victory is helping me cope with another round of snow - whiteout conditions as I glance out the window. To those of you out there who also consider yourselves fans I say congratulations!

What the Patriots accomplished - winning their fourth Super Bowl - was not easy. If you have also played team sports you understand how a football game becomes a microcosm for life or for business. Difficulties arise, even with the best made plans. Almost without a doubt our families and our work environments demand the talent of individuals to be expressed and enhanced as part of a team. It becomes the ability to accomplish something greater as a group that one person can not do alone. So it was Sunday night. The Patriots made some mistakes. Things were not going well for them. A miraculous catch by their formidable opponent could have ended their dream of finishing on top. They could have hung their heads and quit. But instead they got back up, dusted themselves off and, relying on an individual who was arguably the least-seasoned player on the Patriots defense, made a play for the ages to defeat the league's defending champions! How, you might ask.

First, they had a coach who believed in them. He did not intervene by calling time-outs and trying last-ditch maneuvers. As I watched I understood the coach's message: I've prepared you for this moment. Second, the rookie safety said later that he recognized the formation and knew from watching film and practice sessions what their opponent would do in this situation. Backed by a confident leader and with the right preparation, all he had to do was execute a response using his individual skill set. And respond he did, confidently and aggressively intercepting a pass with precious few seconds remaining in the game. He preserved the Patriots victory on the greatest football stage!

These are rarefied moments and not often available to each of us. However if we're paying attention, there are many valuable lessons for us as individuals, teams, companies and organizations. Be positive. Be prepared. Believe in your abilities and those of your leaders and colleagues. Execute with confidence. Don't let anyone else categorize or define you. Be resilient.

Some of these qualities come to mind as we conclude our first round of micro-enterprise grants to a few of the smallest businesses in Sanford and Springvale. Please see our profiles on the first four award winners elsewhere in the newsletter. The City of Sanford took the lead in securing funds from the State of Maine to assist income-eligible companies with five or fewer employees. There is not much public sector money around these days to support private for-profit companies.

The growth council took the lead and organized the grant review committee. We thank the four people who, with me, made up the committee - Ann Lapierre, Becky Brink, Paula Simpson and Will Armitage - and provided a rigorous review process for all applicants. The four companies selected have plans to upgrade and expand their operations. They are committing a 25% cash match to their projects and will meet quarterly during 2015 with SBDC business counselor Steve Lovejoy to review their business plans (see our profile on Steve here). We will be watching closely and doing all we can to ensure their ongoing success. Again, congratulations!            
 

Sanford Micro-Enterprise Assistance Program: Meet the Grant Award Winners


Last November, the City of Sanford launched its Micro-Enterprise Assistance (MEA) Program, designed to offer grant funding to help very small local enterprises to sustain or grow their business. This program was made possible through a grant to the City from the DECD's Community Development Block Grant Program. It is unusual for a program to be able to offer grant money to for-profit enterprises, so this is a unique opportunity for the City to support its business community!

The Growth Council has been working with the City to promote and organize the MEA Program, and we were pleased with the quality of the businesses who applied to the program. After reviewing the applications, the MEA Grant Committee made grant offers in January to four companies. On Tuesday, February 3rd, the businesses were introduced to the Sanford City Council and we are pleased to have this opportunity to introduce them to our readers as well:


Ricky Dunton of Rugged Sound setting up sound equipment at a venue.

Rugged Sound began in the beginning of March 2014 after Ricky Dunton decided to stop working as a freelance audio engineer and form his own company. The company provides services ranging from live sound for concerts and installations for venues, to mobile recordings. Rugged Sound’s main office is located right here in Sanford Maine and is hoping to upgrade to a larger facility within the city by the end of 2015. With the grant proceeds, the company’s equipment is being fully overhauled, allowing it to gain a competitive advantage and enabling it to offer Sanford and the surrounding region superior audio services from a local company, while helping grow the area’s art scene.


Lana and Sara Cannon are sisters starting Cannons at Noon Family Sheep Farm. This season, they are producing vegetables, cut flowers, herbs, and sheep’s milk cheese in Springvale, ME, and working on their MOFGA organic certification.  Their aunt, Jean Noon, owner of The Noon Family Sheep Farm, raises organic sheep for meat and wool and has been generous in sharing a large portion of her pasture with Lana and Sara in hopes of diversifying and carrying on the family business.  Jean has been in business for almost 40 years, and sells her delicious lamb at the Old Port Festival in Portland, and the MOFGA Common Ground Fair in Unity. Cannons at Noon will be joining her this year with their vegetables and herbs.  The sisters also plan on attending two or more local farmers’ markets this summer and selling wholesale to restaurants and schools.   They will be hosting their first Summer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) for the 2015 season, with vegetable shares available for pick-up at the farm.



Emily’s Wood Fired Pizza began in 2014 as a food truck on lower Main Street in Sanford, serving pizza made in a wood fired oven carried on a trailer.  Due to the overwhelmingly positive customer response, the owners decided to create a location-based restaurant.  The restaurant, now based in Springvale, is Sanford’s first wood-fired pizzeria, serving unique East coast pizza recipes and calzones featuring a variety of farm-raised meats and vegetables as well as soups, salads and wraps. Emily’s plans to use its grant funds to help establish a delivery service for its pizza, starting initially with business customers and expanding from there.


Andrew Bard of Neo Phoenix Studios on set in the Sanford Millyard

Neo Phoenix Studios aims to bring a clean, professional look and quality to the city of Sanford and its local businesses by filming videos and commercials for them. With the grant funds, the company will be able to expand its business and improve the overall quality of its work. The company was established in 2012 and along with its commercial work, produces its own original films, including one which was featured at last year’s inaugural Sanford International Film Festival.  In addition to their involvement with the film festival, Neo Phoenix promotes the arts by teaching filmmaking and acting courses at Sanford Community Adult Education. Neo Phoenix’s goal is to revitalize Sanford by using the arts in video production as their medium.

All four of these companies are now working on their projects, with the support of the Growth Council and the City.  "The City of Sanford is to be commended for securing funds to directly assist small businesses in the community," said Growth Council director Jim Nimon. "The grant review committee is pleased with the micro-enterprises that applied and put themselves through a rigorous process. We will be monitoring their progress in 2015 and doing all we can to ensure their long-term success."
 

City Envisions Business Friendly Changes for Small Business Applicants


The following material is excerpted from a December 12, 2014, memo from City Manager Steve Buck to the City Council regarding the Council Directive for an action plan to “increase a business friendly customer service driven delivery of services.” A primary goal is to “address the small business applicant’s needs as it pertains to major or minor site plans and the construction permit process.”



Corrective Action Plan. In response to the Council Directive, and in order to increase the City’s business friendly environment, the City Manager proposed to develop and implement a Corrective Action Plan for Business Applications and the Coordination of the Departments of Planning, Code Enforcement, Fire Marshal, and to a limited extent, the Assistant City Engineer.

Background. A number of concerns have been expressed that Sanford’s recently-developed and expedited Business Application Process for major or minor site plans, or construction permits, is not working as well for small business owners or start-ups. The challenge moving forward was to balance any identified process modifications that simplify matters and provide greater support to small business applicants with the City’s responsibilities for maintaining land use regulations and life safety codes.

Review. A review of “business friendly” and comparisons between current and past processes was undertaken by the Sanford Mayor, City Manager and Growth Council Director with attention paid to the perceptions of both large and small business customers. A recent site design case was examined since it necessitated the completion of an expedited site design review, plans review, pre-construction meeting and building permit, all in the same day. It was noted that the City Manager led the reviews in that instance and was able to coordinate the staff from multiple departments through an accelerated approval process. This only seemed possible given the authority vested in the City Manager position to direct the work and time commitment of city staff.

Results. There was consensus reached that the current process meets the needs of larger business applicants with professional staff capacities, but falls short for smaller businesses who make up the lion’s share of applicants; they still find the application process complex or disjointed. In response to this, it was proposed to reorganize the key “Third Floor” departments – planning, codes, fire marshal and engineering – and include the delegated authority for a position to: 1) direct all city staff involved in the land use permitting process to increase the business friendly flow of applications, and 2) serve as a liaison and advocate for the applicant. The “coordinating” role for this position is to assemble all necessary city staff for the applicant in a streamlined and efficient way that eliminates the need for multiple steps across various city departments.

Structure. Following extensive review of four different models, including roles, responsibilities and fiscal impact (and conversations with other comparable municipalities), a solution was recommended: create a new Director of Planning of Planning and Development to both handle past duties of Planning Director and even more importantly, assume the new delegated authority to direct all staff necessary for the review and implementation of land use applications and permits.

Next Steps. The City Council has approved this recommendation and the City Manager is advertising for the new Director of Planning and Development position later this month. Position and protocol updates will be forthcoming in future newsletters. Please check back for additional information and visit the Growth Council website for news as developments occur.
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