Presenter in front of group- Economic Development — Will Stewart leads group discussion

Pints and Policy Event Series Kicks off at Big Day Brewing

Cheers to the future of Coös County! We were honored to join the discussion as Stay Work Play NH kicked off the first in a series of Pints and Policy events. This event was hosted at Big Day Brewing in Gorham and brought together young professionals for an evening of reflection and conversations on why we all live in the area. This casual and contemporary approach to public involvement definately hit the spot with a very engaged crowd and the topics brought light to the issues facing the new generation of professionals that may be drawn to the natural beauty and simplified and active lifestyles to be had here. The diverse group included life long locals as well as newly relocated working professionals from a variety of backgrounds. Commissioner Ray Gorman was also in attendance and expressed that he was happy to see so many young and engaged members of the community.

Stay Work Play NH is a nonprofit organization that aims to attract and retain young people in New Hampshire by promoting the state’s natural capital, outdoor recreation, diversity, equity and inclusion, child care, and fair/affordable housing.

With marker in hand, Will Stewart, Executive Director of Stay Work Play NH, led the group through several focus sessions to help identify the pros and cons from the eyes of young professionals here in the area. Also discussed were ways to address these issues and move toward improving the possibilities of attracting a younger population to the area.

Some of the Pros, and reasons youth stay in Coös that were identified:

The mountains

The small town vibe

Family and friends

Beautiful commutes

Low taxes (compared to many other states, cities)

Intentional Living

Variety of Recreation

Some of the Cons and reasons youth leave:

No well paid job opportunities

Housing needs

Lack of higher education

Lack of Community Centers

Lack of puplic investment and amenities

Family and friends

Hard to meet people

Political Climate

The group then identified the most significant issue:

Housing

Solutions identified and discussed:

Improved zoning, permit process

Uniform restrictions/permitting of Short Term Rentals

Incentives for long term rentals

Funding/incentives for renovations

Better rental database-marketing of availablity

More youth engagement on planning, local and state level

This event is the first in a series that will be hosted around the state. We are excited to see this part of the state being included in the conversation to identify and improve the issues facing the future of our businesses. Be sure to Follow @stayworkplayNH and keep informed on all the efforts being made. And we are excited to announce they are looking to host "Moving Mountains" in May right here in the North Country.