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V O L . X X I V N O. V I I I A P R I L 1 6 , 2 0 1 8 12 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E wastewater treatment system, helping support the continued operations of a local tannery. It will aid in the retention of its 175 employees and help attract new businesses to the region. New life for Old Town development parcel New federal legislation removes deed restrictions on land at the Old Town Airport, allowing it to be used for busi- ness development. e bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine District 2, to help spur economic growth and job creation in Old Town, was signed into law by President Donald Trump. According to a press release on Poliquin's website, the new law removes an obsolete deed restriction on a parcel of land next to the Old Town Airport. e law will allow the airport to move forward with the project of developing the land to attract new businesses and jobs to the area. Development of the law stems from work performed by Old Town offi cials, local business leaders, offi cials from the Old Town Municipal Airport and leadership in the House and Senate. e town has invested more than $1 million in infrastruc- ture improvements to help bring job creators to the site. Businesses have already expressed interest in the site. N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor said it recently became the fi rst hospital in New England to use a test that assists physicians with diagnosing patients suffering from a heart attack more quickly. The high-sensitivity car- diac troponin test detects the presence of a biomarker, known as troponin, a heart-specifi c protein released into the bloodstream very rapidly during a cardi- ac event. The higher the levels of tropo- nin found in a patient's blood stream, the more likely it is that the patient has experienced a heart attack. Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems in Brewer announced it will be renamed Northern Light Health in October. Connect With Your Raving Fans to Build Your Business A Marshall Communications Workshop Series All workshops are from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Square — Refreshments will be served — Details & registration at marshallpr.com/workshops Cost: $50 per workshop Connect With Your Raving Fans to Build Your Business A Marshall Communications Workshop Series Tuesday, April 24 — Maximizing Instagram Tuesday, May 15 — Building your brand on Facebook Tuesday, June 19 — Learning content creation & SEO A u g u s ta | Po r t l a n d ( 2 0 7 ) 6 2 3 - 4 1 7 7 m a r s h a l l p r. co m Q: Why are meetings not resulting in decisions and follow-through actions despite having clear agendas? ACE Advises: There are several important keys to effective meetings. 1. Each agenda item should include the objective or intended outcome and clarity as to whether the intent is to reach consensus or just seek input. An agenda that is just a list of topics and time allotment is in the category of 'necessary but not suffi cient.' Completing agenda discussions in the allot- ted time should not be the defi nition of an effective meeting. Discussing the right things and achieving intended outcomes is more useful. 2. Provide meeting participants with information ahead of time so they are prepared to discuss agenda topics. 3. Meeting leaders and those leading topic discussions should have well-devel- oped facilitation skills so they can plan the best process for discussions. There are numerous training options in this area, if needed. 4. Before concluding every meeting there should be a review of what has been decided and individual follow-through responsibilities. This is best done by asking open-ended questions of participants, like "What have we decided?" or "What are each of you taking away as a follow-through action?" Never end a meeting by asking, "Is everyone clear about what we've just decided?" Nodding heads as people look at their watches and run for the door should not be taken as an indication of understanding or commitment. 5. Groups that meet regularly — such as natural work teams or project teams — should occasionally stand back and self-critique their meeting processes: What's working, what's not working, what should be changed. , • • • . The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a non-profit 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. John Shorb of The Delphi Group Inc. can be contacted at jshorb@thedelphigroup.com A S K AC E

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