BELFAST — To complete her sixty-stop 'Waldo County Works' business tour held over the last two months across Waldo County, Maine House Majority Leader Erin Herbig, D-Belfast, hosted a business roundtable last Tuesday at the Hutchinson Center to foster countywide business collaboration with the goal of rural economic development.

"Over the last two months I've visited sixty Waldo County businesses who, despite coming from diverse industries, share many of the same challenges and opportunities in starting out in rural Maine," said Rep. Herbig, in a news release. "This was a great opportunity for business owners to meet one another and have those critical conversations about the different challenges rural Maine faces and identify how we can work together to create more good-paying jobs for families for generations to come."

Approximately 40 businesses participated in the forum despite a snowstorm and discussed challenges ranging from finding and keeping qualified workers to strengthening student education pathways to fill existing jobs. Representatives from the Waldo County Technical Center, Adult Education and Hutchinson Center also participated in the roundtable discussions.

"I wish anyone who talks about how terrible things are in rural Maine could have come with me on this tour," Herbig added.

"Waldo County has incredibly successful growing businesses. I am more energized than ever to use the conversations I had on this tour and during this roundtable to showcase our local businesses and ensure the rest of the state and country know that Waldo County is a great place to do business and work at a good-paying job."