The City of Eastport's population has declined by 300 people in 10 years, and its existing population has an average age of 54, slightly higher than the state's average. The city is not unique in its loss, as most municipalities in Washington County have been experiencing the same trend. The island city may be small and accused of being off the beaten path, but a number of volunteer‑led efforts are under way to tackle the need for recruitment of businesses and residents of all types.
     To an AARP representative attending the April city council meeting, Eastport has a lively story going on. Describing how the city could become an AARP age‑friendly community, Peter Morelli looked at the 30 or more people attending the meeting while handing out a thin stack of materials and said, "I didn't realize you had a such a lively civic culture." He added that he attends many such meetings and they usually have robust numbers only when a tax increase is looming.
      Eastporters do tend to be an engaged and lively bunch whether they were born on the island or not. City Manager Elaine Abbott says, "Eastport runs on volunteer work. I'm continually and truly amazed at the number of people of all ages and backgrounds who step forward to serve our community."
     A few of the efforts new to the table include the AARP age‑friendly community project, one of the Eastport Downtown Committee's ideas to attract visitors who might just decide to stay or return, including the large boomer population hitting retirement age; a business‑friendly designation that puts the city on the state's economic development map in conjunction with a city website and brochure designed for business recruitment; a telecommuter or remote worker recruitment strategies work group acting under the auspices of the city; and a group of people with wide‑ranging skills working on a highly competitive XQ Superschool application that would create a bi‑coastal school‑within‑a‑school at the Shead High School campus and a Silicon Valley campus in California.
     Quickly seeing the benefits of the city being a part of the AARP program, the city council unanimously approved joining the effort that "helps communities prepare for an aging demographic," said Morelli. "The process figures out the gaps and solutions," he explained, pointing out that many of the nine formal and 15 informal age‑friendly communities in the state find ways to use a combination of volunteers, civic groups and agencies to create solutions. The project will include $8,000 in grant funds that will cover the cost of updating the comprehensive plan sections that affect the aging population. Upon attaining the status, Eastport will be a "presence" on the websites of AARP and the World Health Organization. Abbott adds, "Nearly 40% of Eastport's residents are 60 and older. It's my hope that the AARP age‑friendly community initiative will bring together all the groups and individuals who assist older residents, whether in an organized or less formal fashion, to plan and implement policies, programs and services."
     Downtown Committee Co-chair Michael Morse is quick to give credit to Eastport resident and telecommuter Bob O'Hayer for his interest in attracting retirees to the city and the subsequent AARP discussion. "He came up with the idea," Morse says, noting O'Hayer's persuasive argument that 10,000 people retire per day in the country. "Some will retire to the traditional community with golf courses and special housing. But there are others who will want a place like Eastport," Morse adds. "So instead of ending up here by mistake," and he notes that many people who end up living in Eastport did not plan on it, "we need to find out how to let them know about us."
Remote workers recruitment
      The Eastport Remote Recruitment Strategies work group has much the same task, but with a slightly different demographic in its sights. Coleman Brice and his family moved to Eastport and brought their jobs with them. Along with about 15 others who utilize information technology (IT) to shape remote careers and employment in Eastport, the Brices have thrived and were willingly drawn into community activities including the recruitment strategies work group and the XQ Superschool application, with which their son is also involved.
     Brice says of the remote recruitment work, "I am grateful to have been 'Eastported' and feel that the community will be bolstered economically by attracting kindred spirits who have a strong appreciation and respect for the unique blend of Eastport's traditional charm and it's world class creative community."
     Telecommuters are a growing field of interest in other parts of the country. When IT infrastructure reaches a certain level of sophistication, former residents of once isolated communities think about coming back to their hometown, bringing their work with them. The State of Montana has been using the recruitment effort with some success. In a Billings Gazette article of July 2015, the technology innovator and business owner of RightNow Technologies, Greg Gianforte, explains his crusade to build the population through the recruitment of remote workers. A decade ago he reached out to former Montana residents with mailers to Montana State University graduates and billboard advertisements along the highways to Yellowstone National Park touting the benefits of those working in the high‑tech world coming home. He is quoted as saying, "The most fertile field was people who grew up here and moved away," He added, "Most of them want to come back and raise their families here, but they need a job."
     Eastport's remote worker recruitment effort is under way with a focus group of telecommuters meeting in March to gather information from those living the life first‑hand. A survey of the focus group has been conducted to collect basic demographic information. Now a small work group has begun the task of creating strategies to recommend to the council for implementation. Colleen Morton is one of those working on the effort. She says, "I believe Eastport can become a hub of economic development activity for eastern Washington County. It will require collaboration from city officials, community members, business people and educators, but it can and has been done in other rural cities across the country. We need to start thinking bigger about how to use technology, training, grant funding and other resources to help train, retain and attract a qualified workforce for the new economy." Morton also worked with the city on the business recruitment web page and brochure.
     A good hard look at the existing IT infrastructure needs to take place in order to meet the needs of those being recruited. The city has applied for a ConnectME broadband planning grant to help understand what exists in actuality rather than in theory, where holes exist in download and upload speeds and solutions. Axiom Technologies CEO Susan Corbett explained at a recent meeting to gather information for the grant that collaborative solutions between existing IT providers may be the best strategy for a community like Eastport. While all of the telecommuters surveyed are able to conduct their work with existing infrastructure, some purchase redundant services in case one fails. Just about all of them noted frustration with upload and download speed variability.

Downtown revitalization
     The downtown is and could be a bigger presence for those who repopulate the city. The National Main Street Center notes that when a downtown is fully occupied it is often one of the largest employers and generators of income in a community. The downtown committee recognizes that potential and has embarked on a series of projects based on the results of a community input survey. It is all part of the work to continue the revitalization of the downtown and its relevance to residents and visitors.
     Morse points to himself and to his wife as good examples of the kind of retiree they're looking for. The Morses own a downtown building, run a gallery on the ground floor and live on the second floor. Their neighbors, Ken and Denise Brown of Eastport Pets, do the same. Morse says, "People ask, 'Why do you want more old people?' Well, that's true, but look at us, we're younger, we like a challenge, we are involved."
      Downtown projects include: better signage; the addition of picnic tables and more benches; and improved waterfront access for divers, which Morse notes have significant potential as a high‑end tourism draw. He points to the success of having met existing goals through collaborations with others such as the public restrooms, the weekend summer‑season flea market, the farmers' market and increased public parking for cars, boat trailers and RVs. "We as a community have accomplished a lot."
     Abbott sums up the number of projects under way, stating, "Various groups have always been working toward goals of development efforts, but what I'm beginning to see is a reduction in solo thinking and an increase in collaboration between the groups. There's also been a concerted effort to reach out to residents or cross‑sections of our community whose voices aren't always heard."
     (Editor's note: Lora Whelan is a member of the remote worker recruitment strategies work group.)