BERLIN, N.H. (WCAX) – New Hampshire’s newest Congresswoman is hitting the road to tour all nine countries in her district to hear from constituents over the next week and a half.
Like many rural communities, Coos County faces several issues that are hampering economic growth. During her first official visit to the North Country region Monday, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander gathered community members to hear their concerns.
Driving down Main Street in Berlin, the empty storefronts are hard to miss. “It pains me to go down Main Street in Berlin. It’s not what I grew up with,” said Coos County Administrator Mark Brady.
That perspective was shared with Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander and other business leaders. Berlin is known as “The City That Trees Built” because of its deep ties to the timber industry. However, Coos County has lost 3,000 jobs, mostly in manufacturing over the past 15 years.
Across from the one remaining biomass plant is a view of Mount Washington. “Coos Is the identity of the state, every which way. When you think about it — Mount Washington — it’s the most visited place in New Hampshire,” Brady said. He says while forestry needs to continue to be a priority, the area also needs to reinvent itself.
That’s where companies like North Country Growers come into the picture. “I mean, we are at the forefront of sustainable jobs and sustainable agriculture, too,” said the company’s Julia Umiker. The lettuce producer recently opened eight acres of greenhouses in Berlin and she says plans are in the works for two more facilities across 30 more acres. “There are certainly a lot of hard-working people here so I’m not super worried about it. But we do need to expand and there does need to be a workforce.”
“This is the comeback county of New Hampshire,” said Rep. Goodlander. It’s also the oldest county in the state, with little new housing. Goodlander says it’s an issue the entire region faces and that local state and federal partnerships need to address. “We’ve got natural resources here, we’ve got human capital here, and I think we’ve got a real commitment and a shared vision.”
Goodlander also had a scheduled stop in Gorham on Monday where a new child care center is being built. Officials say, after all, you can’t go to work if you have no one to take care of the kids.