Staff Writer
Caribou residents will be voting for two of five candidates seeking to fill seats on the Caribou City Council. The two seats, both three-year terms stem from the expiration of current councilor Karla Bell’s three-year term; the other spot, currently filled by councilor Miles, ’Rick’ Williams. Williams was appointed to this seat last winter following the death of Councilman Robert Albert. Williams is not seeking election.
The five candidates seeking election to the two 3-year terms on the Caribou City Council include: Current Councilwoman Karla Bell, John Boone, James Cerrato, Dave Genthner and Justin Pinette.
Karla Bell
“For the past three years, I have had the privilege of serving as a Caribou City Councilor, which has proven to be very challenging and rewarding. My decision to run for a second term arises from my desire to continue to use my skills to preserve the quality of life and enhance opportunities for all of Caribou’s citizens.”
Bell continued, “My goals are to foster prosperity, encourage economic growth and participate fully in the process of managing the city. Participating in committee work on the personnel committee, the building committee, the airport and highway safety committee and the Caribou Housing Agency’s board of commissioners has allowed me to acquire a wealth of knowledge on which to base decisions.”
“I was appointed to the executive board of the Northern Maine Development Commission as a representative of the city and now serve as treasurer. I also represented the city on the Caribou School Reorganization Planning Committee for school consolidation,” added Bell.
Bell grew up in Caribou and following her graduation from Caribou High School in 1970 she attended the University of Maine at Farmington, earning a bachelor of science degree with honors. The Caribou native taught school in Brunswick, where she served as department chair, coached and held leadership positions in the local education association.
Presented with an opportunity, Bell said she became an account executive at an insurance firm in Portland, handling all aspects of group health, life and disability insurance. Her responsibilities included benefit design, management, employee communications, sales and marketing.
“Returning to education, I taught at Scarborough Middle School and pursued my master of science in education degree, which helped me to return to my home town, as the assistant principal at Caribou Middle School and the next year at Caribou High School.”
Bell worked at CHS until her retirement in 2003, after 25 years in education. She currently serves as an advisory board member for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and performs volunteer work with the Red Cross and for numerous individuals within the community.
“The job of city councilor is a serious responsibility and I am committed to dedicating the time and energy needed to be an effective councilor. I welcome the opportunity to continue to serve the citizens of Caribou.”
John Boone
John Boone, 46, who has not previously held a publicly elected office, was born and raised in Caribou. He and his wife, Beth, have three children; Michael, Meg and Jack.
Boone attended the University of Maine at Orono, graduating in 1986 with a bachelors degree and earned a master of science degree in business from Husson College.
Boone has worked in the private business sector for the past 23 years and from 1986 through 1999, he lived and worked in the Portland area. In 1999 the candidate accepted a position with MMG Insurance Company. “My educational and business experiences have provided me the opportunities to work with a variety of businesses,” stated Boone.
“Although southern Maine offers many opportunities, Beth and I feel that Aroostook County offers a quality of life, particularly for our children, that cannot be matched anywhere else,” said Boone. “However, with this quality of life come the challenges of living in a rural area. Current economic conditions present challenges to everyone. We all have the arduous task of living within our means. Now, as much as ever, is a time for us to be more fiscally responsible. This warrants a common sense approach to budgeting our personal and collective houses. With regard to local governmental issues, I would suggest that a spirit of thoughtful negotiation and compromise be more productive than that of confrontation and division,” he continued.
Boone added, “Over the coming months, the city will continue to face the challenges of keeping expenses in line with limited revenues. This could be compounded dramatically if one or more of the current statewide and local referenda are passed. Maintaining necessary services, including a quality education system, will require a firm, responsible approach. My wife and I are active in our children’s educations and feel that providing quality schools is a key component to attract families to live and participate in our community. Promoting Caribou as a desirable place to live and to conduct business is my primary goal in running for city council.”
Jim Cerrato
Caribou City Council candidate Jim Cerrato, 70, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. He and his wife Margo, a nurse manager at County Dialysis are the parents of four children, Christopher, Dawn, Jason and Stephen; the couple also have 10 grandchildren.
“I am interested in running for the position of City Councilor because I believe I can make a contribution to the council and represent the citizens of Caribou to assure both a transparent city government and a bit more accountability in how our tax dollars are being spent,” said Cerrato.
Cerrato received his high school GED through the U.S.Air Force.; holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology/sociology from LaVerne College; an MA equivalent in counseling psychology from Ball State University/Chapman College; completed the one-hundred hour law enforcement academy at UMPI and is a certified master level criminal justice specialist and master addictions counselor with the National Board of Addictions Examiners. Cerrato is also a licensed pilot and a HAM radio operator.
The New York native served in the Air Force from 1957—78, as a missile electronics technician and his work history from 1978 through 2007 includes: hospital administrator with Raleigh Hills Psychiatric Hospital, Newport Beach, Calif; administrator Non Medical Dextox Units in Omaha, Neb., and Las Vegas, ; family counselor at the ARK in Green Mountain Falls, Colo.; administrator out-patient counseling program in Gallup, N.M.; drug prevention counselor for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fort Wingate Boarding School, Fort Wingate, N.M., and special education teacher at Fort Fairfield High School.
Cerrato has been involved with a wide array of volunteer and community service programs including 27 years as Scout Master and Scouter with Boys Scouts of America; certified search and rescue(high angle rescue and tracking, in Gallup, N.M.; a past member of Toastmasters International; is an active member in the American Legion and Northern Aroostook Motorcycle Club (American Legion Riders); and he is a member of the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree.
Cerrato for the past eight years has served with the Fort Fairfield Police Department.
His hobbies include bee-keeping, photography and gardening.
Dave Genthner
Dave Genthner, who is seeking a seat on the Caribou City Council said, “I go my feet wet a little bit in local politics and I feel the council needs to create a more positive atmosphere regarding business and our youth — we need to find way to keep businesses here and a way to bring people back.”
Genthner, born in Hartford, Conn., grew up in Yarmouth and came to this area when he was stationed at the former Loring Air Force Base in 1975. For more than 10 years he has been employed as a driver at the Loring Job Corps Center. He and his wife, Doreen, are the parents of three grown sons, David Jr., Albert and Brian, all who still reside in Aroostook County. In 2007 the candidate graduated from the Maine Community college with an associates degree in general trade technology.
Currently serving his second term on the city’s Board of Appeals, Genthner works closely with Steve Wentworth, Caribou’s codes enforcement officer.
“Over the last 150 years this city has grown,” stated Genthner, “and we need to continue on that path. We need to aggressively consider the tax situation here and we also need to decide what concept will be considered in the future — will it be to work to bring businesses back here and keep them here, or are we going to allow Caribou to become a bedroom community?”
Genthner continued with the analogy, “ Like in a business, the City of Caribou is the corporation; the taxpayers are the investors and the city council is the board of direction and they are required to answer to the investors.”
Dave Genthner added, “The only special interest group I am concerned with is the taxpayers of the City of Caribou.”
Justin Pinette
Justin Pinette, 28, and a graduate of Caribou High School stated, “I am the proud father of a little boy, Evan Parker, who my fiancé, Jenna Disy and I look forward to raising in this great city.”
Since his 1999 graduation, Pinette said he may not have continued with formal schooling, but takes very seriously the lessons of life.
“Growing up in this area has made me realize how much things have changed over the last 10 years and I decided that I really want to try to make a difference regarding the future of Caribou — that is why I am running for city council,” said Pinette.
The candidate continued, “Now, I’m not making any promises to anyone except that I will do what I think is best for our city as a whole, not what’s best for just a few. To the voters I would like to say, ‘If you want fair and balance in your city council vote for Justin Pinette — out with the old, in with the new, I’m not there for them, I’ll be there for you — a fresh face for the future’.”
