News: Area has big plans for mobile application

Kennebunk and the chamber of commerce in May requested proposals from mobile application developers. Their goal was to create an application that would support local businesses and the tourist industry.

They awarded the project in June to Portland-based company iBec Creative.

The application, a catalog of Kennebunk and chamber of commerce businesses, will be available for iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices and desktop computers.

Kennebunk Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jim Fitzgerald called the application an "instant shop-local campaign" that will help tourists and residents find Arundel, Kennebunkport and Kennebunk stores.

Fitzgerald said the application also would help hundreds of small businesses that do not have an Internet presence.

"Not everyone can afford creating a website," he said. "Not everyone can afford much of anything to run a business these days but this application will give all Kennebunk and chamber businesses a worldwide presence. That business is going to be found."

Kennebunk selectmen last week continued to discuss funding for the application.

At a June meeting they agreed to fund the application through the tax increment financing district fund. The cost will be no greater than $20,000 and in exchange all Kennebunk businesses – not solely chamber members – will be included in the application.

The chamber will be responsible for ongoing maintenance fees.

Kennebunkport selectmen at a July meeting discussed sharing the creation cost for the application.

Fitzgerald urged the town to participate in the project to include the hundreds of non-chamber Kennebunkport businesses.

"It's worth the cost," he said.

At last week's meeting, Kennebunk  Town Manager Barry Tibbetts recommended Kennebunk split the application's cost with Kennebunkport. He said both communities would benefit from splitting costs because the application serves both year-round and seasonal businesses.

He said if Arundel decides to join, the three towns would share costs of just over $6,666 each.

Kennebunk selectmen approved sending the proposal to Kennebunkport officials, but Kennebunkport selectmen last week refused to consider the equal split and agreed to pay only $5,000.

Kennebunkport selectmen said they would be interested in revisiting the offer if Arundel decides to join.

Tibbetts said in an e-mail Kennebunk will approach Arundel after it creates and produces the application.

Arundel Town Manager Todd Shea said he intends to discuss the possibility with Tibbetts in coming weeks.

Fitzgerald said this week he would contact Kennebunk and chamber businesses to gather 400-word descriptions and business information for the application.

Fitzgerald said he hopes all three towns will decide to join.

"We have the unique ability to have every one of our towns' businesses on this application, which would really outweigh the cost of doing it," he said. "The more we can solidify our economic engine the more we will all win over time."

He said the Kennebunk and chamber of commerce business community is only the third community in the state to create an application.

Freeport Merchants Association released its application last summer and Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce released its application last weekend.

"We've had a lot of feedback on our application – people really seem to like it," said Myra Hopkins, Freeport Merchants Association executive director.

Hopkins said the application has increased traffic to the town's website. Businesses also reported many customers have been directed to stores, lodgings and restaurants through the application.

Tony Cameron, Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce director of marketing and membership sales, said the chamber already has received positive feedback from business members.

Fitzgerald said the Kennebunk application is more "robust" than the Freeport and Bar Harbor applications because of its accessibility on multiple platforms and more in-depth directory listing.

Tibbetts agreed and said the application can be used by both tourists and residents.

"We can put all kinds of stuff on there," he said. "Anything you could think of when you're looking at what you'd like to do and what you'd need to do in a community."

The application will be released on Sept. 5 in preparation for the fall tourist season.

Staff Writer Rachel H. Goldman can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.

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