Category: Berlin NH

A Little Respect, Please

I sat down with economic development director Norm Charest the other day and had a talk about marketing and Berlin’s future (a good recap of the conversation will be in next week’s Berlin Reporter). He pointed out that marketing will only go so far when the first thing people see in the city is burned out buildings and decrepit houses. He said he didn’t see that marketing would amount to much, which I don’t agree with, but he did make an interesting point. He brought a business owner to the veteran’s park along the Dead River to show how beautiful the area is. They walked along the river for a little bit and then popped out the other side, with a great view of Mount Forist. The first thing the guy noticed, though, was a burned out building on Second Avenue.
That inspired me to take a walk along that same path, to see what that park is really like. I ducked in the woods wherever I could, checked out the Dead River and sat under the railroad trestle. What astounded me wasn’t the burned out building on Second Avenue, or the one on York Street, but it was the condition of the park, from A to Z, and the crap sitting in the Dead River.
Mr. Charest said it had been a long time since Berlin residents had anything to rally around, anything to really bring people together. He and I don’t see eye to eye on all aspects of Berlin’s development, but I can understand his point there. I think the Notre Dame renovation has been a rallying point, but not enough to energize the city. There needs to be something to pick the city up; something people can believe in.
But then, I remember what Dana Willis said. He is one of the developers of the Notre Dame project. He said it was the community involvement and effort he saw from Project Rescue Notre Dame that convinced him to do something with the building. PJND painted the windows blue, the school color, and cleaned up around the property. So was is it the renovation of Notre Dame that rallied these people, or was it the rally that led to the renovation?
Walking along the Dead River, it wasn’t the burned out buildings that caught my eye. It was the truck tires sitting in the river and the trash along the bank. Wondering what the photo is at the top of this post? It’s the bicycle sitting in the Dead.
Berlin needs to rally. Yes, there are burnt out buildings, and they aren’t going away fast enough. But what about the bicycle in the Dead River? What about the tires there too? What about the properties not adequately maintained? What about trash on the side of the road.
I hear the arguments already, about people not doing their part with their property. So what? Did Project Rescue Notre Dame worry that there were other vacant buildings on their street? Is there any excuse for the amount of debris in the Dead River? Does anyone need permission to clean it up?
This evening I volunteered to go out and pick up trash around Cathedral Ledge, to keep a place I care about clean. There are people who throw beer bottles off the top of the cliff. It will be me and others like me that clean up their trash. Who will clean up Berlin’s trash? Who will invest their time to clean it up?
No one can clean up the fires though, right? Wrong. The city is doing what it can to obtain and demolish dilapidated properties. Having worked on a story about this I am convinced the city is doing everything it can. Every few weeks at the city council meeting I hear about another building going through the RSA 155B process. It is hard for the government — city, state or federal — to deprive people of their property, which everyone should be grateful of. It takes time to change the charred landscape. Be patient.
And if you feel like complaining, go out and fish some trash out of the Dead River. Ante up and do your part, instead of bitching the city isn’t doing theirs. Become part of the rally that turns Berlin around. Or shut up and let the people who care about Berlin put the city back together.

What They Don’t See

Berlin, New Hampshire is full of treasure, and no one there seems to notice.
I was in the federal building yesterday, mailing some letters at the post office and checking about a story at one of the offices, and I noticed something. The mail boxes are the same type I had as a kid growing up: golden bronze, with an eight pointed star and letters instead of numbers for the combination lock. The combination locks was gone, replaced by a key slot, but there was still a little window where you could see if you had mail or not.
Years ago (granted, I’m not that old) they took them out where I lived, and they replaced them with aluminum-doored boxed. The aren’t aesthetically pleasing, and they don’t have a little window, but they do the job well enough. They feel like modern cheap plastic children’s toys, as compared to the well build wooden ones of years past.
And Berlin still has them. I noticed them as I walked in, and I slowed my pace as I past them. I asked the clerk about them; she was amused at my question. I went outside to get my camera, and when I came back people stared at me as I shot.
The letter slot is worn, probably 50 years of mail having passed through them. The metal is discolored and has the classic look of something built to withstand the ages.
What amazed me was that no one thought anything of them. These are collectible, sold online then cherished for their nostalgic value,but people getting their mail were giving me the weird looks. Here in Berlin history is just a part of life.
Katie Payne said one of her favorite blogs features a woman posting photos of the cool things she notices around her town, like doorways and chimneys and mailboxes and such. If someone were to do that in Berlin they would have a lifetime of postings and photos. Whether it is the Dead River that runs under the city, the old fire-pole in the Berlin fire station, or the bronze boxes in the post office, there is so much history and quirky beauty in the city it would exhaust someone before they exhausted it.
Councilor Dick Lafluer has been adamant he does not want the city to lose its sense of history as it works to find its place in the 21st century. It wouldn’t make sense if it tried to. The buildings, the streets and the infrastructure of Berlin have been neglected, but they haven’t been destroyed. When I walk through the city it is these things that inspire me, these things that convince me the city has a chance. If the Morins, Bergerons, Poulins and Carons had bulldozed the Gill building to put up a new one, I think hope for the city would have been lost. But they didn’t. They repaired it, renovated it, improved it and made it beautiful. They interwove the past with the future, and in doing so maintained the character the city needs to survive.
What is unique about Berlin? That it was once the largest city in New Hampshire. That it still has its train station, even though it’s been turned into office space for Tri-County CAP. Or more because it has been turned into office space for Tri-County CAP. Berlin still has its downtown, the epicenter from which the city must grow. And it still has its bronze post office boxes.
I hope Berlin never sheds its history to on the path to economic success. The history is rich, though not sustaining, but it is worthy of pride. The history that is still there is valuable, particularly to those of us who return to the past through it. Residents don’t realize the value in this preservation, what a treasure it can be to those who think it has been lost forever. Berlin is in someways a living museum, and hopefully neither ATVs, prisons, nor biomass plants will ever change that. It needs a route to the future, but it is its roots in the past that make the city special. Hopefully those roots will never decay.

Berlin, the Brand

In the last week I’ve talked to the mayor, two councilors and and both local economic development directors about what Berlin needs to do in terms of marketing. And I’ve heard comments from other people, most whom see the same problem I do. I must admit I don’t spend much time with people who denigrate Berlin, though I know they’re out there, but still it seems much of the mood is decidedly upbeat.
Mayor David Bertrand said he recognizes the city needs to market itself better, but he isn’t sure where to start. The mayor really has no more power than any other councilor, except in terms of the bully pulpit. His ability to lead the conversation is not significant enough to carry the day. However it seems other councilors understand the need for change, but thus far there have been few ideas.
Council David Poulin suggested changing the city’s seal. A perfect start. What other ideas are out there? Some have suggested the city needs one marketing person instead of two economic development directors. The mayor said there is some merit to that idea; private industry will find its way to the city on its own, if people around the region know about what Berlin has to offer.
Where should the city goes next? What type of marketing should it be doing? The mayor said previous councils relied on the state to do the bulk of their marketing. Clearly that tactic didn’t work. The rest of the state doesn’t have positive words for Berlin, so the city can’t rely on those people to improve its image.
How then? What tools can the city use to improve itself? Would the $25,000 the city pays for a contract development director be better spent on a marketing person? Printed, online, YouTube or Twitter: do any of them offer real promise to the city? How can Berlin get the word out there and change some minds about the future of the city?

Mr. Anonymous

To Anyone and Everyone:

I left the comment moderation on this blog open to anonymous comments because I am an advocate of free speech. It’s hard to work for a newspaper and not be. Anyone can add any viewpoint they want here without concern of censorship (clean language and pertinence to the conversation please). But I’m also in favor of learning to the Truth, as much as there is a truth with a capital “T.”
I urge anyone with a criticism about Berlin, its government, businesses, public servants or otherwise, to speak their mind here. It is valueable criticism, and I want to hear it. I use that background to generate stories for the Berlin Reporter. But please, if you are willing to leave a comment, be willing to leave enough information for people to make up their minds. If you aren’t, contact me. I will investigate your allegations and find out the merit of the story. That’s what I’m here for. That’s what I’m paid to do. Is the fire chief too strict, or the code enforcement officer making up rules? If so, contact me. But simply saying they do, with out offering any names, instances, or evidence, doesn’t add to the conversation, and I can’t follow such vague allegations up.

Berlin Reporter telephone – 603 752 1200
Or Email – berlinreporter (at) salmonpress.com

I’m not uncomfortable delving into challenging issues. If they are true, I’d like to expose them. But I can’t do anything with the anonymous comment left after Long Conversations. Who should I talk to? What evidence can I find? How am I supposed to use this information? There is nothing here I can use to make the system change. Please, if you’re serious, tell me more. Help me out. I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS.
The community newspaper is supposed to be the community advocate. It’s not for city government, or the police, or the fire department. I work for the best interest of the residents. Journalism is society’s watchdog, and I take that role seriously.
It is in the best interest of the residents that Berlin get back on its feet. If there is something standing in its way I would LOVE to get the tip that would help me expose it. But random bitching doesn’t help. Email me. Tell me who to talk to. Address the issues in your community and make it a better place.

I am in Berlin because I feel strongly that reporting can change communities, expose corruption, celebrate success and challenge injustice. I am here to be the people’s advocate. Help me. I can’t do it alone.

Thank you.

Vs. Africa

I heard a report on Morning Edition today, an interview with a Senegalese rapper. He said Africa is too well known for famine, war and disease, which belies how much hope there is for the continent. The African people need to take pride in their lives and their heritage, he said, not see it as a yoke. It rings true with the city of Berlin as well, and it clarifies the point I was trying to make yesterday. How much of the US economy is built on hope and feelings? The credit crisis taught us confidence is as valuable as actual goods and services. Berlin has goods. It has services. It is only lacking confidence. Instead of Asia, it is Africa. Instead of China, it is the DRC. It was a great story on Africa, and I think the rapper’s words could apply to any down region. Particularly one with a wealth it doesn’t know how to tap.

Long Conversations

One of the advantages of working for a weekly paper is that I can have long conversations. Like on Monday, when I arrived at a house on Western Avenue that had a fire over the weekend. The owner showed up, then the tenants, and I spent probably an hour talking to them about what had happened.
Or the car dealership general manager, who I showed me the clunkers stored in the back lot.
Or the police detective, who explained the difference between a class A felony and a class B felony.
I enjoy my job, and I’m grateful I found it.
The only hard part is where many of these conversations go.
Berlin residents have a dim view of the city. There is a pessimism in many of the people I talk to, which spills out whenever they discuss the city.
I’ve talked a lot about “interesting conversations,” and they are probably the best part of my day. But they are also the hardest part. I used to work on an ambulance, picking up ill and injured people and trying to diagnose their problem on the way to the hospital. I would sit and ask questions and try to whittle away the extraneous information to discover the cause of the problem. It was challenging but engaging work.
I do the same thing in Berlin. “What is wrong with this city?” I ask, trying to diagnose the issue. And I get a range of answers, from “It’s the out-of-towners,” to “It’s the mill mentality,” to “It’s the city council,” to “It’s the city manager.”
It’s no secret, the patient is ill. Some people would prefer no one said the word “depressed,” but most cancer patients would rather they never heard the word “cancer.” Denial doesn’t solve the problem; acknowledging the situation and finding a solution solves it.
So what is it? Poor marketing? Poor infrastructure? A lack of community investment? What? Why do so many of the conversations go so sour?
Berlin simply hasn’t tipped, and it’s a matter of when.
Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book about the tipping point, where a fad reaches a critical mass and goes global. Once that happens, it becomes an overwhelming force, a tidal wave people can’t resist. It is only a matter of time until Berlin is that wave.
Why? Because the federal prison. Because the ATV park. Because the rafting company. Because Clean Power. Because the Gill Building. Because the Main Street Program. Because Tex Mex, IRS Sports, Morin’s Shoes, Rumorz Boutique, Wang’s Restaurant, the blue line and 1,000 other reasons.
When it comes, I’ll be out of a job, but there will plenty more of them in Berlin.
Why am I so confident? Because I’m not from Berlin. Because I don’t live in Berlin. Berlin residents have been living in Berlin so long they’ve forgotten how to recognize a good thing. The city is beautiful, with a perfect location and an infrastructure that maintains the aesthetic cities nationwide are working to recreate. It is a community, not a city, and that is a valuable asset.
I wasn’t in Portsmouth when it was transformed from a blue collar shipbuilding town into an upscale commercial center, but I imagine it was a rough time. Most people there probably felt similar to how Berlin residents feel. Maybe there were a few who still had hope, like a few do in Berlin, but most probably rode their city, hard.
My perspective is that of an outsider. I’m 27, married, and familiar with what upper class people want in a destination. Berlin has it, and it will get out. True, the city may not be as effective at marketing those traits as well as it should, and there may be more press about fires than there is about tourists, but the fact remains: Berlin will draw.
Go to Conway and see what it has to offer. To many, not much. It’s overdeveloped, and on weekends its overwhelmed with out of state plates. Berlin isn’t, which is exactly why it will be.
Out-of-staters are buying properties further and further up the Maine coast. Why? To leave the other out-of-staters behind. They do the same thing in New Hampshire. What was Conway like 20 years ago? And what happened?
When will it tip? I don’t know. As Max Makaitis said, Berlin has the product people want, people just don’t know about it yet. All it takes, in the language of Gladwell, are some connectors. Berlin needs people out there spreading the word.
And the residents of Berlin need to take part in this. They need to change the tone of their conversations and their view of the city to recognize the reality around them. The city isn’t a dump, so get over calling it one. No matter your poor experiences there, the world is going to recognise it for what it is: a beautiful place with a low cost of living. People will see it after taking another look, and then they’ll tell their friends. All of the sudden, before anyone knows it, everything is going to change. Right about then, the world, as far as Berlin is concerned, will tip.

Twitty Hall

Another new project I’m considering — live Twittering from city council meetings. It could serve as my notes for the story due the next day, and if anyone wanted to see what goes on in at a council meeting, with little more range than makes it into the paper, real time, they’ll have that option. It would also be a way for tech savvy people interested in Berlin to stay in the loop. Playing with the idea.
It may be that I find these meetings way more exciting than most people, being a political science fan. I follow their every word, which some might find boring, but it would open up access to Berlin for its residents both home and away. Worth considering.

Craigslist? An Enemy?

Posting on New Hampshire Craigslist Rants & Raves section, July 5 (unedited):

  • I am thinking about buying a multiunit property in berlin and wondered about the town and the people there? Would this be a mistake?

Responses, same day:

  • Berlin NH is the Black Hole of NH…………..it consumes money, lives, and souls…..it’s appetite is insatiable, Great deals on multi multis, usually means evil surrounds them.
  • You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. You must be cautious.”
  • Was a nice town long ago.Now the prison is being built every scumb,welfare,loser is moving in here to live off the state.Unless you are already loaded w/ $$ it’s a bad idea there is NO jobs here no $$ .Every day we see more & more freaks ,scumb,etc here this is why we are moving out .This town turned into a hang out for low income people w/ 10 kids no job losers & once the prison is in all the Rif Raf from the prisoners will be moving in to be closer to them losers in jail.DON’T DO IT.Drive around every other house is for sale NO ONE wants to live here any more !!!!
  • Berlin WAS a nice place once, but with the paper mill that failed, it was the was the begining of the end for that one companey town, now its looking more like west hollis st in nashua, sad.

And the response, again, the same day:

  • thank you for the info, i will not invest in berlin

This is Berlin’s biggest challenge. In one day the possibility of investment in the city evaporates because of a few online posts. If the only word about the city of Berlin comes from the people denigrating it, the city’s future is lost. Councilor Tim Cayer said today he isn’t sure who is concentrating on change Berlin’s image down south. Shouldn’t someone be? Beautify Main Street, complete the ATV park, develop hiking and rafting; all of it is pointless if people aren’t willing to come up here.
How beautiful is Berlin? Yet it is the mill that dominates the city’s self-image. Councilor David Poulin suggested the city seal should lose the smoking stacks, two years after they came down. The city needs a makeover, bad. Not in substance, because what the city has is valuable. As Councilor Dick Lafleur said, the city should be proud of its history. But the pride, at this time, doesn’t extend to the web, and the city has no voice out there to counter detractors.
Who’s job is it to convince the world Berlin doesn’t stink? Who’s going to blog, and tweet, and post on Craigslist constantly, to change the perception of Berlin, New Hampshire?
A federal prison is moving into town. It will bring 300 jobs, starting pay around $37,000. The city’s fortune will improve, there is no doubt. Real estate investment right now would probably be brilliant, a year before the prison opens and people start coming. A five minute conversation should be able to point this out. But what does the investor hear?
“NO ONE wants to live here anymore!”
And what’s the argument from the city?
Silence.

I’m trying to contact the original poster to see what other interactions they had besides the posts listed above. Hopefully they’ll talk to me and I’ll be able to make a story out of it. But the story is already clear: Berlin lost the battle because it didn’t show up. What’s the plan for the rest of the war?

Update: The woman who posted the original question on Craigslist got back to me and her story will be in next week’s Berlin Reporter.

I Take It Back!

Ok, it’s time for me to backpedal.
I thought, less than a week ago, that capitalizing on ATVing and snowmobiling was pointless, because it was focusing on something citizens of the city were more interested in than people from around the state and further abroad. After several days discussion, however, my perspective has changed.
I don’t think ATVs are the silver bullet for Berlin, but I don’t see another industry that will allow the city to build needed infrastructure faster.
Maybe a casino would have, but New Hampshire doesn’t allow gambling. What the state does allow is off-roading, and people are flocking to Berlin to do it.
I spoke to a man from Deerfield who was up with his son to take advantage of Jericho Mountain State Park. He spent $500 for a two day trip, all of it in Gorham. That is the market Berlin has to tap into.
Berlin got $60 of his money because he broke his clutch lever twice, but otherwise he didn’t spend a penny in the city. But he brought his money up, and so do other people.
I was at Jericho Motorsports, across U.S. Route 110 from the park, and I met a couple from Massachusetts who came up for the day to ride. They rented ATVs and spent the day in the park. That was another $150.
With this money is coming to town, how can Berlin get its cut? The ATV businesses are actually doing a good job of it, but there is so little other infrastructure in town it doesn’t spread to Main Street.
But it will. The park has been there for three years, and Councilor Tim Cayer said the Blue Line, that will provide access between the park and Success, is almost complete. This will significantly increase the number of trails available without reloading the trailer. When all this is complete even more riders will come.
And then the hotels will come, and more restaurants, and more stores. Right about the same time as the new prison. Everything, in fact, is looking up.
I don’t ride ATVs or snowmobiles, but I can’t argue with the transformative potential of motorsports. Don’t believe me? Go to Jericho Mountain and ask where people are from; they are from Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut. People come to Berlin for this, and it’s time to capitalize.
Again, I’d like to see rock climbing and paddling take over as the draw, but there isn’t the traffic yet to build a hotel for those people. The ATVs, however, are there in enough numbers to do it. Someone with an entrepreneurial spirit would be smart to do it now. And Berlin would be smart to embrace it.