By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Caribou’s city manager has high expectations for an upcoming meeting to discuss various ways area municipalities can collaborate to save limited taxpayer dollars.
“I am really looking forward to the joint municipal meeting scheduled for Sept. 1,” said Caribou City Manager Steven Buck, “I’m not exactly sure what the outcome will be, but a large number of elected officials are looking for cost effective solutions to problems that communities are dealing with everywhere. What better way than to have a chance to listen to how others have solved these same problems — the possibility of combining similar services just makes sense,” he added.
Buck also commented that with the economy the way it is this type of meeting allows for administrators and elected officials to sit down and hear about other community business practices, learn which ones have been successful and look into the benefits of regional governance and/or shared work forces.
This joint meeting will allow for city/town officials to observe and hear from successful regional governance models, where slightly populated municipalities have joined forces, working for the benefit of all involved.
“This isn’t about just bringing administrators to the table to try to solve problems or make changes, this is bringing the entire talent pool of city/town administrators and elected officials together then directing the possible solutions back to the citizens,” Buck said.
Buck also said that in years past, the state would not allow communities to combine their expenses and revenues, therefore hindering any chance of regionalization but those laws no longer exist.
