Business and Economy

The closure also raises questions about the town's ability to serve its residents, as the mill accounted for 22% of Jay's tax base, said town manager Shiloh LaFreniere.

The Council's executive director, Jess Maurer, says older people in Maine should be seen as valued community members — and a solution to the state's workforce challenges. But she says many employers are biased against older workers.

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CEO Timothy Hess attributed the closure to "economic forces beyond our control." In 2020, one of the pulp digesters at the mill exploded, leading to layoffs of more than 170 employees.

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Potatoes are far and away Maine's most lucrative crop, with a harvest valued at more than $200 million last year. But Aroostook County farmers are dealing with a new challenge: climate change, which has brought warmer and drier temperatures to northern Maine in recent years.

According to a memo from Interim City Manager Danielle West, the passage of eight recommendations from a city charter commission would cost around $1 million annually, while five ballot questions would cost the city $5.5 million.

USDA Rural Housing Service Administrator Joaquin Altoro, who visited Maine this week, acknowledged federal and state officials must develop better ways for businesses to cope with housing and workforce challenges.

The agreement follows more than a year of negotiations and comes nearly one month after nurses voted to recertify their union.

Mark Pearce, speaking in front of the House Education and Labor Committee on Wednesday, said that the company’s actions must be “looked at very carefully,” after Chipotle was accused of blacklisting its Augusta workers who had supported unionization efforts.