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V O L . X X V I I N O. X X V I N OV E M B E R 2 9 , 2 0 2 1 6 million to prevent and control emerg- ing diseases, including COVID-19. The funding was awarded through the center's Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases pro- gram, which provides financial support and technical assistance to the na- tion's health departments to support efforts to detect, prevent and respond to emerging infectious diseases. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $15 million for Foxcroft Road Reconstruction and Improvements in Houlton and $1.65 million for Broadway Roadway and Intersection Improvements in Bangor. The fund- ing was provided through the depart- ment's RAISE grant program. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced that four Maine communities received a total of $750,000 to hire law enforcement officers from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program. The Aroostook County Sheriff's Office received $375,000 and the town of Ashland, town of North Berwick and city of Sanford each received $125,000. With wharf sale, a commitment to working waterfront After nearly nine months on the market, ownership of Portland water- front's oldest wharf will transfer to a neighbor just down the street. e Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the Proprietors of Union Wharf said they have signed an agreement to transfer ownership of Union Wharf to the institute. e institute is a nonprofit marine science center and research institute located nearby on Commercial Street. With the wharf acquisition, its goal is to protect working waterfront access in Portland Harbor. e deal is expected to close in December. e sale price was not disclosed. e institute will finance the purchase with a combination of a mortgage and cash, the nonprofit's president and CEO, Don Perkins, told Mainebiz via email. Terms of the sale included honoring the leases with current tenants, as part of the Maine's open enrollment tallies 8,000 signups More than 8,200 Mainers have signed up for health insurance through CoverMe.gov, Maine's new insurance marketplace, during the first two weeks of open enrollment. During the open enrollment period from Nov. 1-13, 862 new and 7,416 returning Maine con- sumers selected plans for health cover- age in 2022. At CoverME.gov, Maine people can compare plans, apply for financial assistance, and enroll in a 2022 health plan. Maine recently launched its own health insurance marketplace that replaced the federal government web- site used to purchase insurance under the Affordable Care Act. N O T E W O R T H Y S T A T E W I D E The Centers for Disease Control awarded the Maine Department of Health and Human Services $6.6 B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state S T A T E W I D E S O U T H E R N In the tight job market, employees gaining a stronger voice B y P e t e r V a n A l l e n T he labor shortage, remote work and shifting priorities for employees have given job seekers the upper hand in the labor market. But the leaders at the recent Mainebiz Bangor Forum said finding ways to adapt to those changes have become top pri- orities for them. The theme was "60 ideas in 60 minutes," with each panelist presenting 10 leadership tips. The forum, held Nov. 18 at the Black Bear Inn & Conference Center in Orono, attracted about 75 people and was moder- ated by Deb Neuman, president and CEO of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce. Panelists cited the growing need to develop mentorship programs, offer flexible work arrangements and provide addi- tional help with personal challenges, ranging from child care to allowing outside interests to be a greater part of the workday. Denise McDonough, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine, said "two years ago, when a job can- didate asked for remote work or flexibility, that translated as 'not a hard worker.'" Today, those benefits are the norm, she said. There's also an urgency to show even new staffers what's possible in the way of career growth — to "map out a path for an employee," as panelist Andy Shepard, CEO and general manager of Saddleback Mountain, said. He urged leaders to "empower" employees to brainstorm ideas and not be afraid to take business risks. Regardless of the jobs being offered — whether senior positions or entry level — employees want more flexibility and more of a voice in how the company is managed. Michael Bourque, president and CEO of MEMIC Group, said he has an open-door policy. The workers' comp firm's 500 employees — even the newest ones — routinely exer- cise that privilege. "We try to make them feel part of something, so they understand the mission," said Bourque. Jessica Masse, a partner at DesignLab, a Millinocket small business, said getting out into nature is a major part of the creative process at the firm: "Half of our ideas are seeded on Katahdin or on the lakes." Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of the University of Maine, cited the need for leaders to "listen for good ideas and suggestions — they can come from anyone and anywhere," which was her first tip. She said Zoom meetings in the past two years have created a "flatter organization," with people having more direct access to leaders, which allowed employ- ees to "bypass the traditional routes. We're now trying to figure out how to hold onto that." Herb Sargent, president and CEO of Stillwater-based Sargent Co., an employee-owned construction firm, said lead- ers need to treat the job market like the NFL draft, scouting out and developing talent. Listen for good ideas and suggestions — they can come from anyone ... — Joan Ferrini-Mundy University of Maine B R I E F Participants in the Mainebiz Bangor Forum were, from left, Deb Neuman, Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Denise McDonough, Andy Shepard, Jessica Masse, Michael Bourque and Herb Sargent. P H O T O / P E T E R VA N A L L E N

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