By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
On Monday evening the Caribou City Council met for a regular meeting during which time they voted to adopt the proposed capital improvements program as submitted.
Following this decision Councilor Philip McDonough moved to adopt the 2012 municipal budget with the amendment that allowed for five furlough days for all municipal employees excluding those employed by the city’s fire/ambulance and police departments. A vote on the furlough days had been tabled at a previous meeting for further discussion. City Manager Steven Buck said that the furlough days would affect approximately 65 to 70 percent of the city’s entire workforce, including those who are employed part-time.
The motion to adopt the 2012 budget document with noted amendment passed by a 4 – 3 margin with councilors David Martin, Mary Kate Barbosa and Mayor Kenneth Murchison voting against the motion and Bryan Thompson, Jon Boone, Gary Aiken and McDonough in favor.
The adopted 2012 municipal expense budget is $8,873,788, a reduction of $136,858 from 2011. Non- property revenue is $5,170,997, a reduction of $114,281 compared to last year’s figure; municipal appropriations, needed to be raised is $3,702,791, $13,576 less than 2011. The municipal debt service shows a zero balance due to the city having completed its financial payments toward the Caribou Recreation and Wellness Center, a savings of $215,511. Buck said that the anticipated decrease of municipal appropriations was $229,088 less than last year or 0.86 mils less than the 2011 valuation.
Prior to the budget consideration, students from the Caribou Middle School Gifted and Talented Program and members of the Caribou Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board, requested Mayor Murchison and the council proclaim the week of April 30 through May 4, as 2012 One Book, One Community Bullying Awareness Week. The students presented each of the panel with a copy of the book, “The Revealers” by Doug Wilhelm. The students witnessed as the mayor read and signed the proclamation.
