Staff Writer
Although hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean port, Caribou is interested in joining an elite list of communities designated as an official Coast Guard City.
Only eight other cities across the country, including Rockland, carry that distinction. If granted, Caribou would be the only landlocked community to receive that recognition.
In Caribou since 1973, the U.S. Coast Guard has operated a 300-acre Loran C station that emits signals for aircraft and maritime navigation purposes. The facility, identified by four tall towers on the Greenridge Road between Caribou and Fort Fairfield, also is the master station for the Canadian Loran system. A total of four Coast Guard personnel run the station.
City Manager Steve Buck introduced the idea to the City Council during the July 14 meeting.
“Just for Caribou to have a Coast Guard station is unique,” Buck said Tuesday.
The manager pointed to the importance of raising awareness of the Coast Guard’s presense, which adds to the government presence of the Maine Military Authority and the National Weather Service within the city.
The application process, which is lengthy, must be initiated by the interested community, according to Chief Skip Ripley of the Caribou station.
Through the years, the city and the Coast Guard has had a good working relationship, according to the city manager. For example, Buck mentioned to the council that local public works officials have helped the installation personnel with snow removal during the winter.
Buck also said that Ripley has expressed an interest in opening up the military base for tours to outside organizations.
Installation officials have developed a good relationship with the Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with the local agency helping military personnel find housing and shopping opportunities, Ripley said.
Ripley, who has a degree in history, plans to join the planning effort for the city’s 150-birthday celebration.
Rockland became a “Coast Guard City” earlier this year after a three-year process. Maine Sens. Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins, a Caribou native supported the application.
According to the Coast Guard, the intent of the program is to provide for the recognition of those cities that in return have made special efforts to acknowledge the professional work of the Coast Guard men and women assigned to their area by regularly reaching out to them and their families and making them feel “at home away from home.”
A municipality must initiate the application to become a Coast Guard City. According to the requirements, an application should include a letter from the mayor or city manager, a narrative of no more than two pages describing the relationship between the city and the military. A separate document also should be included that lists specific examples of how the community has reached out to Coast Guard personnel.
Letters of support from other agencies or organizations, such as the chamber, civic groups or businesses can be included in the application.
The application is forwarded to Washington D.C. to be reviewed by a committee, which makes a recommendation to the Coast Guard commandant. Congress also reviews the application. If approved, the designation becomes official for a five-year renewable term.
Other “Coast Guard Cities” are Grand Haven, Mich., Eureka, Calif., Morgan City, La., Mobile, Ala., Wilmington, N.C., Newport, Ore., and Alameda, Calif.
