The following individuals are candidates whose names voters will see on their ballots on election day. Each candidate was encourage to provide information about themselves pertaining to personal background and reason why they are seeking election.
Mary Kate Barbosa, is a candidate for a seat on the Caribou City Council. She states,” I have had the privilege of living in Caribou for most of my life, leaving only to go to school and returning with my husband, David, to raise our three children in The County, where my mother still resides.”
Barbosa is a 1986 graduate of Caribou High School, received a bachelors of arts degree from Middlebury College in 1990 and her masters in education from the University of New England in 2005. “My first ‘real’ job,” the candidate noted, “was working at the Caribou Theater when it was located on Bennett Drive. More recently, I worked as the director of the Caribou Alternative High School for six years immediately preceding my current position as director of student support services at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.”
“I am running for the Caribou City Council because I care about the well being of this community and all of its citizens. I am committed to studying each issue carefully and making informed decisions that affect our kids, our seniors and our businesses. I support an open-minded and balanced approach to solving problems facing our community. Caribou has an enviable small-town atmosphere and committed citizens and working together, we can keep Caribou a great place to live and work.
Christopher A.R. Bell is a candidate for the Caribou City Council. “I was born and raised in Caribou, the son of Josephine and Ronald Bell,” the candidate stated,” I am married to Katy Bell, formally of Winthrop, and together we have raised two children; Molly and Jonathan.”
Bell has served six years as a member of the Caribou City Council, four of those years as deputy mayor. His committee assignments included the Personnel and Airport committees, as well as the city’s representative to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Bell was also active in Caribou’s Focus of the Future, served as a member of various committees and is currently a member of the Capital Improvements committee.
“After graduating from Caribou High School in 1976, I attended the University of Maine at Farmington, graduating in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in history. Upon returning to Aroostook County, I began my career working for Fitzgerald’s Office Supply, later moving to the Aroostook County Action program, employment and training division.” “In 1984, I accepted an opportunity to direct the student employment programs for the University of Maine at Presque Isle, where I currently serve as the director of financial aid.” Bell is also a member of the board of directors of the Maine Educational Loan Authority, currently serving as chairperson.
Bell stated, “In 2005, after serving six years on the city council, I made a decision not to run for re-election due to a multi-year travel commitment required by my job. It has always been my intention to continue public service when those travel commitments subsided and I believe now is the time.” “The current economic situation will cause significant challenges for the city and I believe a thoughtful approach to fiscal management has to be taken. Being fiscally conservative and maintaining a sound tax and spending policy is necessary. However, arbitrarily cutting spending without careful consideration is not only unwise, it is short-sighted,” added Bell. “Community spending decisions need to be centered on the well-being of the community as a whole,” he added.
“Caribou is a wonderful place to live, the quality of life here is unsurpassed,” said Bell, “I believe there is a direct connection between quality of life and economic development. The things that make our community an exceptional place to live, are the very things prospective residents consider when determining their community of choice.” The city council candidate also noted, “ By maintaining quality education; recreational activities and the city infrastructure, we are providing reasons for families to continue to choose Caribou as the place to call home. In doing this, we insure that the city will remain the community of choice for families in Aroostook County and help pave the way for a brighter economic future.”
Image Mark R. Goughan, is a candidate for a Caribou City Council seat. Goughan, the son of Dow and Jane Goughan is married to Gloria, who is also his business partner. Together they have raised three children, Kelli, Kristi and Kati and now have three grandchildren; Reagan, Evan and Isiah Michaud.
Goughan attended Fort Fairfield High School and spent two years at the Maine Maritime Academy. He has also been a student of a wide variety of trade courses including: electrical, refrigeration, accounting, welding and intergraded pest management. Also tilling the soil and business management planning.
The City Council candidate has served as a board member and as president of the Caribou Chamber of Commerce, as a member of the Agricultural Bargaining Council and on the Cooperative Extension Advisory committee.
With a career background in agriculture with his business partner, ‘Farmer Gloria,’ Goughan stated,” We have owned and operated a small family business in Caribou for the last 32 years. By offering my name to the Caribou City Council, I hope to bring diversity in the decision making process and hopefully achieve a more efficient form of local government.”
Goughan said his primary goal, if elected, would be, “To try and achieve a more simple and understandable form of local government; to try to keep local government at a more sustainable rate of growth and to attempt to make local government more transparent in the decision making process.”
Phillip J. McDonough, II, former Caribou City Council member from 2005 -2007, currently serves on the planning board and is also a board member at Nylander Museum.
The Caribou City Council candidate served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, has worked as an appliance service technician, a fleet manager and is currently employed as an accounting technician at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service and holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a major in management, which he completed in 1998.
McDonough stated his primary goals were to, “Try and continue to provide the needed services that the community needs without increasing the burden on the taxpayers. This is especially important given our current world national state and even our local economy.”
Doug C. Morrell another candidate seeking election to the Caribou City Council. Morrell is a member of the board of directors for LEAD and MEP and is also president of Stainless Food Service Equipment, , Aroostook Steel and Broadway Supply and Electrical. His career background focuses on stainless steel metal fabrication.
Morrell stated he decided to run for this office because, “I believe we can do better as a city for our taxpayers.” I believe we need to make some changes, starting from the top-down. I also believe we should be redirecting the monies that we currently spend on feel good amenities and top-heavy city departments to infrastructure projects.” “I believe we need to down size our local government cautiously, with well though out plans and directives without jeopardizing our growth,” added the candidate.
“After all,” he continued, “we as taxpayers need to remember that the City Council only needs to collect in taxes, what it takes to run City government. I think that Caribou needs a direction and priority change soon, very soon, times are hard and getting harder and we need to concentrate our recourses on developing the private sector, not the municipal government, the private sector and only the private sector will be what can change the outcome of the future of the City of Caribou and its taxpayers to a positive one.”
Morrell is a graduate of Caribou High School, is married to his wife Jennia and has three children, Erik, Jessica and Craig.
Dr. Reginald R. Reed, a candidate for the Caribou City Council. Is a graduate of Caribou High School, attended the University of Maine at Presque Isle as an undergraduate and graduated from the University of Maine at Orono completing the masters and post masters programs and received his doctorate from the George Peabody College at Vanderbilt.
Dr. Reed served five plus years on the Caribou City Council from 2002-2006 (two years as Mayor). He has worked in public education as a classroom teacher, principal, curriculum supervisor and as superintendent totaling 27 years of experience. His private education includes, Adhoc college instructor: business college undergraduate and graduate over 20 years. He also worked in the Civil Service and Federal Department of Labor for 16 years. The candidate also served in the U.S. Army for two years.
“In my mind I feel the completion of the Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center is a priority because this will work to enhance the interest of families contemplating moving to Caribou working to broaden the tax base. I am very proactive for the development of our city,” he added.
Dr, Reed also serves as a director for the Caribou Children’s Discovery Museum. He is a lifetime resident of Caribou, where he and his wife, Lorraine, a former teacher raised their two daughters. The couple have four grandchildren.
