Letters to the editor:

To the editor:
The Caribou Children’s Discovery Museum (CCDM)) is sponsoring its second annual Scrumptious Chocolate Festival Saturday, Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Described as a chocolate lover’s dream, the Scrumptious Chocolate Festival is among the area’s most popular community events, this year celebrating Caribou’s 150’s birthday. Visitors have the opportunity to sample a delicious array of chocolate treats provided by participating local bakers and volunteers. Books of 12 tickets will be sold for $10 during the event in the lobby of the Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center, located on Bennett Drive. Guests will be able to get a chocolate treat with each coupon.
Also featured will be over 50 items in a silent auction. Everyone can get involved by participating in the Chocolate Pudding Eating Contest, the Chocolate Moose Drawing Contest, the Chocolate Milk Mustache Contest, Fish for Chocolate, Chocolate Bar Identification Game, Guess How Many M&Ms in the Jar, and the Wonka Bingo Games. Unique chocolate treats and prizes will be awarded to all the winners.
Papi the Klown will delight everyone with his balloon sculpturing and magic. The children will also be able to present their museum design ideas at the “Help Us Build It” and sketching booths, and Fireman Fred will delight everyone with Karaoke from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information on the event contact Nancy Chandler at (207) 764-9241 or visit www.cariboudiscovery.org.

To the editor:
The request of an $25,000 or a 16 percent increase from Caribou Chamber of Commerce & Industry to continue at the same level of services during this recessionary period is absolutely not necessary. The Caribou taxpayers should just say no to this poorly-timed request for more money for this year.

To the editor:
I do not have a pet column now as Caribou contracted with Presque Isle for shelter services. There is not enough room for two pet columns. I am, however, able to update you once monthly with a letter to the editor. It’ll work!
I am delighted Sage and Ginger (once a feral) have found wonderful, loving homes. Blaze, Becky and Trudy (of the feral group) are now in intermediate foster homes, homes trained to work with feral kittens ready to be rehabilitated. Billie Boy of the five feral young is still holding back, but his eyes are saying it might be doable. Blackjack is now living in my bedroom. He is a very shy, gentle sweetheart. I want to see Callie (photo this week) get a wonderful home. Callie is one of the cleanest and best natured cats I have ever met.
The next pet food delivery for Caribou is planned for Thursday, Feb. 12 after 1 p.m.
I received a lovely gift for spay and neutering the animals I work with as well as for a few low-income, elderly or disabled families. In the month of February, I can do 10 vouchers to pay $60 toward the vet bill for a spay/neutering visit for a family pet, whether a dog or cat. If the vet surgery is less than $60 (usually for male cats) than the balance can go toward other medical needs, shots, etc.
The guidelines: No telephone calls. I will be at Beaulieu’s Garage on South Main St., Caribou on Mon, Feb. 2 from 2 p.m. until 3 pm. Proof of income status may be a Mainecare Card, food stamps eligibility, and/or 2008 tax return, etc.. You may use your own vet, but that vet must be willing to accept my payment voucher to bill me direct for the $60 payment, and the vet must also include for me a copy of the spay/neuter certificate that is acceptable by the state animal welfare office.
Caribou Pet Rescue was not a bad venture. It was hope, life, love and compassion for close to 1,600 animals. Our money and time was well spent for them.

To the editor:
The Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the only “department” in the city of Caribou which has absorbed all increased expenses the last six years by being flat funded! Flat funding is in fact reducing our income. Inflation is real; the cost of doing business goes up every year: the lights, the property taxes, health insurance, on and on …
We have gone around and around with the Caribou City Council the last year about what services we provide them/you/our members for the investment to our organization each year. We are told to make quarterly presentations (but be brief). We are told indirectly, through many sources, what we aren’t doing right. We are told the average Mrs. Doe doesn’t want to have her tax dollars going to support the businesses (ie us: the CCC&I). We are told we shouldn’t talk about “chamber things” and we shouldn’t talk about providing business loans. We’ve been told our numbers can’t be trusted because we’d make up anything to keep ourselves in existence.
We ask for input. The last three years we ask for input from all the businesses in town (regardless of membership). We ask every month from our Ex Officio board members. We ask the entire City Council every year when we present our budget and Scope of Work (since 2003). We asked for input all day long in person, passing out over 2,000 surveys at the polls on Election Day this past November. We ran an entire page ad in the Aroostook Republican that same week. We placed flyers in grocery stores all over town during the last two months of the year. We made countless presentations to the council, and other organizations, always asking for input.
It sounds like arguments of convenience … When we have a justification for what we’re Never Told Directly (or an argument why we are a valuable tool to this community): the target moves, and suddenly the debate is about something else we didn’t know we were supposed to be doing. Never once, have there been questions, suggestions, or items placed on a “to do” list. Where is the reasoning, what is the real agenda?
Sometimes we’re told we should be providing the definition of economic development, just as if we don’t have a mission statement, a scope of work, or a budget absolutely geared toward being responsible stewards of the tax money we receive. Come visit us, we are doing “economic development” every day (for better or worse) for Caribou. When the city won’t tell us what they want us to do, how are we supposed to do that undefined “it?”
They complain about not having information, but they seem to be perfectly willing to make decisions without it. How is that good business? Shouldn’t we expect sound business decisions as a matter of practice and reasonability? Especially from those people elected to represent us?
We absolutely believe in public service. We believe in accountability and responsibility. We know our public servants chose willingly to run for office and represent us. We know we are all trying to do our part to work together to make Caribou a better community. This is the overriding factor which unites us. We encourage anyone with concerns, questions, or comments to stop in the chamber anytime.

To the editor:
After reading the Jan. 7 article about Caldwell’s Auto “donating” a wrecked 2006 Ford Explorer to the Limestone Police Department, I thought things might need a little clarification. I found the article to be slightly misleading.
First off, the vehicle was not given free and clear. Money exchanged hands in the form of a $3,600 insurance check. Also, the 2003 Chevrolet Blazer was turned over to Caldwell’s, with an approximate value of $1,500. By my calculations, that’s approximately $5,100 that was paid for this vehicle.
As a former selectman, I am surprised to see a vehicle purchased for $5,100 without being put out for bid, seeing that any purchase over $500 is supposed to go out for bid.
There were also strings attached to the deal. One stipulation was that Caldwell’s be given a three-year maintenance contract on the Explorer. In order to comply with this condition of the “donation”, the Limestone board of selectman had to break the maintenance contract that they have with another local business.
Another perk of the deal is our police vehicle being turned into a rolling billboard advertising Caldwell’s Auto, with a large sticker on the back of the vehicle and an illegally attached Caldwell’s Auto plate on the front.
While a vehicle like this was needed for the town, I feel it came at a price of the town’s integrity. That’s not exactly free. A donation is a donation, no strings attached.

To the editor:
I write this as a parent of four wonderful children now in their fifties, forties and thirties.
In the 1940’s the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) stated a scholarship program for all high school boys and girls at the national level called, “The Voice of Democracy.”
After World War II the Veterans of Foreign War partnered in 1946 with the NBA in support of the VOD until 1961, when the National Headquarters of the VFW took over the Voice of Democracy program and continues to this day, providing a scholarship to the winner in every state of no less than $1,000 and up to $30,000 for the winner at the national level.
All parents of high school students should encourage their young adult boys and girls to participate in the Voice of Democracy program sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign War. Students may win this scholarship every year they are in school. Wouldn’t the parents be proud?
Be advised, parents that for many years now, between 500 and 600 students of the Caribou High School system, “Not one”, has applied or tried out for this program. “Not one” in years.
Personally I see something wrong here, very wrong.

To the editor:
I recognize that I am not privy to all of the information regarding the situation that I am addressing in this commentary, however, I am greatly concerned from what I have learned and am sincerely hoping that reasonable people will gather all of the facts and make the correct decision based upon those facts.
I have been associated, in various capacities, with the Caribou Chamber of Commerce & Industry since 1996. I have been a volunteer working on computer projects. I had a close working relationship representing SCORE (Service Corp Of Retired Executives) and as an interested citizen and taxpayer in the city of Caribou.
My professional career has included serving many years as an administrator at various levels in the world of education. This included a number of years delivering the Workforce Education & Development program. This involved the development of Business Plans and trouble shooting and problem solving of organizational functions.
I have always been impressed by the mission of the Chamber and its central role of service to the community. This is the first place people contact when moving into a community as well as the first place of contact when locals go when seeking information regarding the services offered by a community.
I have always been impressed by the energy and the enthusiasm exhibited by members of the Chamber when carrying out their mission. The Chamber is not just parades and Arts & Crafts Fairs. There is much more to the Chamber. The majority of their time is devoted to the support of small businesses in the community. They offer free advice and counseling pertaining to problems related to the operation of a small business. In addition, they are a conduit to accessing financial assistance to those just starting a business and to others who are attempting to grow their business. Through daily contacts with representatives of the business community they do their very best to meet the needs of business and industry to keep abreast of our changing times.
The merger of the Chamber and Industry in 2000 was at first seen by some as an experiment. That may have been true for the first one or two years; however, it is no longer true as many have worked diligently to cause this merger to work over these nine years. At first the merger was seen as a means of saving taxpayer dollars. This was as it should have been or why would you do it? Some are now claiming that the “experiment” has failed and it is time to abandon the so-called “experiment” and that the “Industry” should be separated from the Chamber. What justification for this course of action?
If you are wondering what the Chamber has accomplished regarding their “Industry” responsibility’s just look at the reports that have published in considerable detail in the Aroostook Republican, the Chamber Newsletter or stop into the Chamber and ask for copies of these reports. These reports clearly illustrate that the “Industry” component of the Chamber has been utilizing all of the resources available to them resulting in benefits to Caribou, the business community of Caribou and the Caribou taxpayer. A win, win, win situation.
Why then has the City been flat funding the Chamber for the last six years? Why does the City claim to not know what the Chamber is getting for its $155,000? It has also been said that the City will not increase the budget until it finds out what this money is buying and because of the current “hard times” the additional $30,000 cannot even be considered. This also implies that the city is suggesting that even the $155,000 is too much. Why is the City contemplating removing the “Industry” from the Chamber? Why is the City refusing to consider a three-year contract with the Chamber and insisting on adding a six-month trepidation clause? I wonder how many departments in the city have been flat funded for six or more years? I don’t know the answers to any of these questions. None of this makes any sense to me.
The role of the Chamber is clear to me. The role and expectations of the City in this matter are not at all clear to me. What does the City want? What are its expectations? Why does the City want more from the Chamber, but has not communicated what it is that they want?
Could it be because the city’s expectations are unwritten and have not been shared with the Chamber? Is the Chamber being treated differently and unfairly, because it is not a department of the City? If the City feels that the Chamber should be doing something different, what is it that the City wants? Is it that the City appears to not want to support the Chamber, because it is not a department? It has been said that the City cannot talk to the chamber because it is not a department. If this true, why?
The City complains that the Chamber should be doing more, but will not tell the Chamber what it is they want but insists in flat funding year after year thereby signaling disapproval. I wonder what would happen if the City were to prepare a list of expectations and presented them to the Chamber if this would clear up some of the “lack of understanding?” I wonder what would happen if the City were to treat the Chamber as a partner rather than a “step child”; if this would make a difference in the working relationship?
I can tell you this, because I have spent considerable time associating with the Chamber over the past 12 years, I believe that the Chamber has provided and/or made available to the City all of the information that the City has required. I also know that the Chamber is open to dialog and is receptive to suggestions and recommendations from the City and anyone else who has something to offer.
I also know that if the city claims to not have the information that it wants from the Chamber all that it needs to do is to ask. Information could be gleaned in person-to-person contact, by email, by snail mail, in formal meetings or informal meetings. The information is there and is readily available.
I do not understand why it appears that the City intends to make a decision regarding the future operations of the Chamber when it claims to not have all the information that it needs to make a decision. This just does not make sense!
What will happen in the event that the city decides not to fund the Chamber and to abort the so-called “experiment?” Who will take over all of the work that the Chamber is currently doing with regards to processing loans/financials, etc., that the chamber spends approximately 60 percent of its time doing? Does this mean obtaining new quarters and furnishing and equipping this space? Does it mean hiring and training these new people? Will this result in savings? If so, how much?
The Chamber as it is currently constituted has the space, the equipment and experienced staff who have been doing an outstanding job in spite of a significant and continued lack of support from the City. In addition the Chamber is ideally located, is easily accessible and is visible to visitors and citizens. The Chamber has also gone to extraordinary lengths to discover ways of economizing their operations year, after year, after year. There is nothing remaining to cut. Now the City wants the Chamber to what; disappear?
It makes absolutely no sense to dismantle and/or to under-fund the Chamber as this organization supports the heart of our community, the small business community. It is a worthwhile organization making a significant difference in our community. For the Chamber to continue to make up for years of neglect by the City and to keep up with the increased need for their unique services to the business community, in these difficult times, the Chamber must have appropriate support from the City. This support must come publicly from the Council and from the City Manager and this support must be demonstrated by providing appropriate financial support.
What is appropriate support? As they have been flat-funded for years and their workload has increased. I believe that to make up for the shortages of the past that they should get what they have asked for; $155,000 plus $30,000, as well as a thee-year contract without the six-month termination clause. This is only fair.
Whereas, much of what appears to be happening does not make sense especially making decisions based upon incomplete information. If one were a suspicious person, and I am not, it could appear that the decision has already been made. Do you suppose that there could be a “hidden agenda?”
I have complete confidence in the Chamber of Commerce & Industry as it is currently structured. It should be noted that the Chamber’s Board of Directors has recently reorganized to better meet the challenges of the times. They have an important function to perform, I wish them the very best for 2009.
Support your local small businesses by supporting your Caribou Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

To the editor:
Traditionally, January is the month of fresh starts, resolutions and politicians grabbing airtime to speak about the state of our union and the state of our states. This year, the theme for all of these is consistent — money. As in we must get our financial house in order … and do so quickly.
Fortunately for most Americans, developing a plan for managing our finances is easier than it is for the government. Unfortunately, the actions of our government and the mismanagement of some of our country’s most important institutions has destabilized critical markets, which has created a fear that has hit our bank accounts with a resounding and defeating thud.
However, the future outlook is not so bleak. Downturns have their bottom, and many prognosticators are forecasting that 2009 will move us away from the current one. In fact, the Wall Street Journal recently published an article by Alan Murray titled, “2009 Could Be Better than You Think,” stressing that great financial opportunities will be available in 2009 for those who are well positioned and not afraid to go after them.
Protect your assets
and keep them close at hand
Among the positive moves the government has made to bring stability to the financial market is to increase FDIC Deposit Insurance Coverage from $100,000 to $250,000 per account owner. With so much concern over the health of many banks, this ensures that your money is fully protected and safe. As the FDIC says on its Web site, “Since the FDIC was established, no depositor has ever lost a single penny of FDIC-insured funds.”
If you are still concerned about your bank being at risk of insolvency, Moody’s, a globally well-respected debt-rating agency, provides financial reports and analysis of commercial and government entities, including banks, as well as their credit worthiness. You can register for free access to Moody’s reports at http://v2.moodys.com. It’s better to do a little research than to make uninformed snap judgments.
On a personal note, stay liquid. That is, make sure you have access to cash. While doing so may be difficult, having six months worth of expenses available in either your savings or checking account can help you get through a difficult time and keep your credit score intact. Money market accounts are good options also. They are similar to a traditional savings account with the exception that they offer higher interest rates and require a minimum balance. They also have a limitation on the number of monthly withdrawals you can make from the account.
Another good option for your money, if you can afford to not touch it for a short period of time, is a certificate of deposit (CD). CDs, also known as time deposits, are federally insured investments in banks. They are deposit accounts, not unlike savings accounts, that provide a fixed rate of return for a fixed period of time — as short as 30, 60 or 90 days. The primary difference between the accounts is that a savings account is a liquid account and a CD is not, meaning that you cannot make additional deposits on CDs and you cannot make withdrawals without penalty. CDs offer higher rates of return, and they are good investments because they are safe and short-term enough for you to catch the market on the upswing.
Look for rays of light
The financial markets will not stay down forever. After the financial hit many of us took during the latter half of 2008, that may not be particularly uplifting. However, the worst investment decision you can make in a down economy is to get out of the game.
As Murray states in his Wall Street Journal article, “a smart strategy will be to put some money in the market today, and keep doing it over the course of the year.”
Eventually, the market is going to be a good investment again. It probably already is. It’s just in your best interest to tread carefully and be conservative. That means diversify the investments you do make and continue to save money. Reassess your goals, and work with your financial advisor to ensure that your current and future needs are being addressed.
Being smart today will make
you stronger tomorrow
There is good debt and there is bad debt. Good debt nets a return. Examples are student loans, real estate loans and business loans. Bad debt declines in value. Clothes and electronics charged to your high-interest rate credit card fall into this category. The key is to avoid the bad debt. Do not borrow more than you can afford to repay. If you are currently carrying bad debt, pay it off-as quickly as possible. No other investment will give you a higher yield than avoiding future interest payments on high-interest-rate lines of credit.
Also, if you are carrying debt, one option is refinancing your mortgage to consolidate it. For many homeowners, the downturn in the real estate market makes this difficult. The value of your house may be lower than what you owe on it. However, if you’ve not borrowed against the full value of your house and have equity available, or even if you have a fixed rate, rates are historically low and seem poised to drop more, so now is a good time to see if you can save yourself money by locking in at a long-term low rate. It could make a big difference monthly, and it will surely make a huge difference over the life of your loan.
The important thing to remember is that the future is only a moment away — or a decision away. By beginning to make smart choices today, you’ll be able to say to yourself tomorrow: “The state of my bank account is strong.”