To the editor:
This has been a stressful year for Halfway Home Pet Rescue (HHPR) and we are grateful to all our supporters and especially to the citizens of Caribou for the massive outpouring of support for our cats during the struggle with the City of Caribou governing body. I have dropped my Administrative Appeal (not a lawsuit, never was) against Caribou and the Caribou Code Enforcement has dropped its ordinance violation order against me. I managed with the help of my lawyer, Sarah LeClaire of Presque Isle, to maintain our Maine State Pet Rescue license and it appears that these troubles are behind us now. I hope no further action will be necessary. However, should more trouble appear, I’ll take whatever legal actions I deem necessary.
To set the record straight at no time did we ever receive an offer for land or housing from the city of Caribou. I have a witness to both of the following issues and we asked for permission from Code Enforcement Officer Steve Wentworth to tape one of the discussions. We were told we could bid on tax acquired property, but when we went in to see the list, each time we asked about a property that would work with what the state of Maine requires, we were told that the previous owner was making “good faith payments with no interest charged to them” to get the property back into their ownership. The few properties that were available for us to bid on were not fit to house a colony of raccoons and would in no way pass state inspection. Robyn Smith and I spent days driving around Caribou and looking at the tax acquired sites. At no time did Wentworth call my home and tell me he was not going to enforce the violation order. All I ever wanted was to have a promise “in writing” which I did not receive until the lawyers worked it out in mediation in May 2012.
For these reasons, we are working diligently toward a new location in another town, and have received a positive sign from a neighboring town who are putting their best efforts forth to help us relocate. It feels good to be wanted for the great animal welfare work that our volunteers accomplish for HHPR.
On a more personal level, I plan to sell my home and eventually move. I know it will take time to sell my home especially with the Caribou economy so desperate. Therefore, I do plan to run again for the Caribou City Council unless I see someone of a similar mindset prepared to run and then I would work hard to back that younger person. We all need to work together to stop this bloodletting of Caribou businesses. At this rate, Caribou could be a ghost town in less than another 20 years.
It is sad that the Caribou government discourages new businesses from coming into our community, sadder that they work against the current businesses making it impossible for them to survive in a defeated business environment. Worse yet, is that they are now even driving a non-profit out of town. It is time to get mad, to speak out and to realize that the next time it might just be you that gets caught in Caribou’s bottomless pit of petty politics. The Caribou business climate will not improve unless more people come forward to make it happen.
HHPR plans to have adoption fairs in the former Images Beauty Salon at the Ouellette’s Variety on Sweden St. in Caribou on Saturday, June 16, from noon to 3 p.m. All adult cats (spayed/neuter, leukemia/AIDS tested negative, distemper and rabies vaccinations, twice wormed, and 30-day parasite protected will be available for an adoption fee of only $25 during June 1-16. This is in celebration of the current national “Adopt a Shelter Cat Month.” I hope to see you at the Adoption Fair. We have some sweethearts.
Norma Milton, president
HHPR of Caribou
