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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 7 M AY 1 , 2 0 2 3 Nonprofit looks to buy Press Herald, Masthead Media A nonprofit formed to buy the Masthead Maine news organization has received $20,000 to date towards its goal of rais- ing $15 million to help preserve Maine's independent local news outlet. "e next coming weeks are critical for us, but we are feeling encouraged," Bill Nemitz, president of the Maine Journalism Foundation, told Mainebiz. Nemitz, who is also a retired local news veteran, told Mainebiz that the campaign had received 200 donors in just three days. He and his colleagues hope to have enough donors, both big and small, to convince Reade Brower, owner of Masthead Maine, "that we can do this." Brower, who lives in Camden, bought the Press Herald and other news prop- erties from S. Donald Sussman in 2015. Limerick to build $4.75 million fire station Great Falls Construction of Gorham was awarded the contract for a new $4.75 million fire station at 23 School St. in Limerick. e project is partially funded by $1.8 million secured by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, as part of a total of $36 million for public safety facilities and equipment in 27 Maine communities in fiscal year 2023 appropriations bills. e Limerick fire station will serve Limerick and sev- eral smaller communities, including Cornish and Limington. Jetport adds service to Long Island, N.Y. Breeze Airways, a domestic low- fare airline, will add a fifth nonstop route with flights from Portland to Long Island, N.Y. Breeze previ- ously announced nonstop flights and year-round service to Charleston, S.C., Tampa, starting on May 17, and nonstop flights to Orlando, Fla., in September. Breeze is also offering seasonal summer service to Pittsburgh and Norfolk, Va. Service to Long Island also starts May 17. Sea Bags to add five stores Sea Bags, the Portland-based designer and maker of totes and accessories crafted from recycled sails, is adding shops to its multi- state retail footprint this spring. After opening two stores in North Carolina on March 31, further openings are planned in Saint Michaels, Md., on April 28; Kittery, at the southern tip of Maine, on May 12; and Vineyard Haven, Mass., on May 26. Founded in 1999, the company still operates a small factory store at 25 Custom House Wharf in Portland. e new locations will bring the grand total to 50 Sea Bags stores and a presence in 15 states. e company, incorporated in 2006, employs nearly 200 staff members today. S O U T H E R N We offer discounted group subscriptions starting at 5 users. Ensure your team has all access to Mainebiz REACH OUT TO US AT CIRCULATION@MAINEBIZ.BIZ FOR A QUOTE A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y A n g e l a H a n s e n o f R a n g e C u l t u r e C o . The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a nonprofit association of independent consultants who value "Success through Collaboration." The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com. Q: My employees are engaging in unproductive behaviors. It's not just one person. How do I figure out what the broader issue is and what needs to be fixed? ACE advises: It is likely that every one of your staff mem- bers wants to do a good job and enjoy their work. Yet they sometimes exhibit unhelpful, unprofessional and even unhealthy behavior. In these circumstances we often see three issues at play. 1. Roles are unclear. Job descriptions have a purpose beyond making lawyers happy. When job roles and respon- sibilities are clear, we know our lanes. When they are not clear, we will naturally test the environment to see what is acceptable and what is not. 2. Systems or policies are not in place. A written set of policies clarifies operational systems and procedures. When systems are unclear, employees test the environment; this testing can look like unhealthy or unprofessional behavior. 3. Lack of Accountability. Holding people accountable keeps them in their lanes, provides them with objective measures of performance, and informs them on how their work advances your business's goals. They don't need to test the system because they know what it is, and how they fit in. With clear roles, sys- tems, and policies, lead- ers have the tools needed to manage accountability. As a leader the first thing you need to do is to meet with each employee to ask some open-ended questions. Be a detective. Go into each conversation intending to learn, not to respond. These listening sessions provide insight into specific issues with clear roles, systems and policies, or lack of accountability. You can call in a consultant to help you see some of these things objectively; however, doing this yourself builds relationships and trust with your group — and helps you retain a capable team. Angela Hansen, an ACE member, is the co-founder and chief business officer of Range Culture Co., which provides practical tools for employers to retain valuable employees. Range Culture Co. provides workshops offering essential skills like communication and collaboration, conflict management, employee coaching, relationship building, change management, and hybrid workforce management. Angela can be reached at angela@rangecultureco.com

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