CARIBOU, Maine — Caribou officials are considering whether the city should assume ownership of the site where a fatal fire occurred on Water Street in January.
Councilors declared 7 Water St. a dangerous property in July after the former apartment building’s owners, Brian and Sharon Bickford of Lewiston, did not present the city a plan for cleaning the site. The Bickfords filed for bankruptcy in March and now owe three years of unpaid taxes.
In a letter to City Manager Penny Thompson, the Bickfords’ lawyer, Chris Leger, stated that Maine’s bankruptcy court released the property back to the Bickfords and that the couple wishes to transfer the property to the city via a quitclaim deed.
“If we accept the deed, we would not foreclose on the property. This would give us more options to clean it up,” said Thompson.
But Thompson has not received a response from the Bickfords on whether they can pay back at least some of their taxes. She suggested that the council postpone their vote on the quitclaim deed so she can attempt to gain some of the taxes back for the city.
Councilors also stated that the city should formulate a cleanup plan for 7 Water St. that considers the neighboring buildings at 3 and 9 Water St. and how to mitigate environmental damage to the Caribou Stream below.
“I think we need to consider this [quitclaim deed] if we can talk with the owners of the other buildings,” said Deputy Mayor Courtney Boma.
The council will take up the issue of 7 Water St. again during their Oct. 23 meeting.
In other business, the council heard a presentation on the city’s 2022 financial audit from Gisele MacDonald of Felch & Company, LLC, based in Caribou.
At the end of December 2022, the city’s total assets were just over $31 million, which includes city buildings and infrastructure. Liabilities totaled $2 million compared to $1.6 million in 2021. That leaves the city with a net financial position of $28.7 million compared to $27.6 million in December 2021.
In 2022, the city’s expenses totaled $16.5 million compared to $15.6 million in 2021, and general revenues totaled $13 million, compared to $12 million in revenues in 2021. Program revenues, including charges for city services and operating grants, totaled $17.4 million compared to $17.1 million in 2021.
“It means the city saw a $1 million increase in its net position over the year,” MacDonald said. “Your liabilities were less than your assets and you took in more revenue than expenses.”
Councilors signed the election warrant for RSU 39’s bond referendum in the November election. The school district is proposing that residents approve $660,000 to fund resurfacing and electrical upgrades at Caribou High School’s running track, a new athletic scoring and timing building and reconstruction and resurfacing at the high school’s tennis courts.
In September, RSU 39 officials suggested that the city fund $164,500 of the running track’s resurfacing, which would have reduced the bond referendum to $495,500. The referendum will include the $164,500, totaling $660,000.
Councilors also approved a five-year strategic plan for the Caribou Public Library, bylaws for the new Caribou Development Committee and a contract with Northern Maine Development Commission.
NMDC will provide administrative work related to a $472,550 grant the city received from the Northern Border Regional Commission for riverfront revitalization. The city will put $50,000 toward a riverfront master plan, with other funds slated for purchasing riverfront property.
NMDC will receive $9,451 for their work, which will include quarterly and final reporting on grant activities to NBRC, reimbursing employees for grant-related work and helping the city understand its responsibilities related to the grant.
Library Director Peter Baldwin told councilors that the library’s short- and long-term goals include creating a bookmobile to serve senior citizens, opening a makerspace that includes 3D printers and other modern technologies and expanding the library building within its current location on High Street.
The library was built in 1910 as one of 20 libraries in Maine supported through financial grants from Andrew Carnegie. An addition was built in 1960. With more people moving to Caribou, now’s the time to expand with a larger children’s room, a multipurpose room, a larger second floor and elevators that allow access for people with mobility challenges, Baldwin said.
Councilors also voted to put the fire station and municipal building’s former wood pellet silos for sale for a minimum of $1,000 or best offer.
Both silos still contain wood pellets inside, which would need to be removed at the new owner’s expense. A new owner would need to remove the silos from the fire station and municipal building no more than 90 days after purchasing them.
Per city policy, any city-owned property valued at over $300 must be listed for sale. Items not purchased within 30 days of listing can be disposed of at the city manager’s direction.
The next regular Caribou City Council meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m. at the Caribou Municipal Building, located at 25 High St.
