Bright spots worth mentioning

    In this time of extreme budgetary crisis, the City is facing some very difficult financial and regulatory decisions. While the Council continues to refine a responsible and balanced budget, let us take a moment to mention a few positive events.     After months of the city struggling to meet costs with less and less money from the state, legislators now seem to realize that by not addressing state decreases in revenues and by continuing to push these losses back on the local level, the end result may be the single largest increase in property tax Maine has ever experienced. With this new realization at the state level, steps may be taken which will strengthen the city’s financial position.
    The Federal Highway Administration has given approval to the Maine Department of Transportation to move forward with the Caribou Connector Project, a 4.28-mile connector that will loop around Caribou and connect Route 1 with Route 161. This decision allows the Maine Department of Transportation to move forward in its design for the connector and advertise a portion of the connector project for bid later this year. This project could bring 23 million dollars to the local area. Additionally, South Main is slated for milling and resurfacing this summer as well as Route 89 from Caribou to Limestone and Route 161 in the New Sweden and Stockholm areas. These projects are estimated to generate 5.4 million in local dollars.
    The Tri-Community Landfill Board of Directors continues to work toward the construction of a dedicated underground pipeline to transport leachate from their retention ponds to the Caribou Utilities District. This will eliminate the need to transport leachate over the road, allow for consistent flow for treatment purposes, and will better ensure adequate retention capacity within the ponds.
    The current Caribou draft budget reflects unpaid reimbursements normally designated for ambulance services in super-rural-designation areas. Several bills have been proposed in the Senate and House which would cover retroactive payments for these services as well as permanently extend bonus payments for transports originating in super-rural areas.
    On March 3, the City Council met with the City Manager and the department heads for a budget discussion. The department heads and their staffs have worked diligently to identify savings for the city. In addition to cuts already proposed, new items included postponing the library bathroom renovation for one year, delaying some orders and artifact maintenance for one year at the Nylander, and temporarily cutting a low-enrolled program at the recreation department. More than once, the Council expressed its appreciation for the cooperation and professionalism of these individuals throughout a very difficult process. The Council looks forward to hearing from the community during the public hearing on March 29, 2010.
    Judy Corrow, Caribou’s city clerk, will retire at the end of April after 24 years’ of dedicated service. Judy has always demonstrated professionalism, experience, and support in her duties, and the Council wishes her well as she moves on to new adventures. The Council also wishes to congratulate Jayne Farrin as she moves from her current position of deputy clerk to city clerk.