Staff Writer
The Caribou City Council met for a regular meeting on Monday, November 23 in the council chambers.
Following a motion by councilman Miles Williams, the panel authorized the acceptance of minutes from the Nov. 9 meeting. In the first item of business, the council reconsidered the proposed Charter amendments for the Caribou Utilities district to be submitted to the state legislature. This was considered at the Nov.9 meeting, Karla Bell made a motion to authorize the response to two proposed charter amendments for the Caribou Utilities. With Mayor Kenneth Murchison abstaining from the vote and due to the absence of two councilors, it was discussed that there would not be a quorum with only three votes; as a result there was no second to the motion . It was then motioned by Karla Bell and seconded by David Martin to table the item until the next meeting.
The Caribou council reviewed the proposed Charter amendments as proposed by the Caribou Utilities District Board of Directors and authorized the following response to those changes.
Proposed: The district may disconnect water service to customers receiving sewer service for non-payment of an undisputed balance, if the total amount overdue is $100 or more and more than 45 days old.
Response: The City supports the above proposed Charter amendment as prudent to the collection of past due services provided. The City recognizes the difficulties documented by the Caribou Utilities District trying to collect upon certain accounts. The City recognizes that the inability to collect upon these accounts causes a net transfer of fee burden upon the remaining users within the system and finds such transfer as inequitable and unreasonable. Therefore, in the absence of the other state law such a lien to collect upon past due sewer billings, the City supports the Caribou utilities proposed and requested Charter Amendment addressing the same.
Proposed: Allow the District to accept wastewater from outside the District.
Response: The city supports the above proposed Charter amendment for the Caribou utilities District. The City of Caribou, being one-third owner of Tri-community Landfill, located in Fort Fairfield, is currently engaged in the development of a dedicated waste water line for landfill leachate to be piped directly to the Caribou Utilities District. The future construction of the dedicated leachate pipeline has been designed with the full support and knowledge of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Once the design is complete and final permits are obtained, the pipeline will provide a more cost effective means of transporting and treating this leachate. The pipeline will further eliminate the current practice of using tanker trucks to transport this leachate over the road. The above Charter Amendment supports the long range plans of Tri-Community Landfill, the City of Caribou as one-third owner, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and allows for the Caribou utilities District having the capacity to appropriately receive and treat this leachate.
City Manager Steve Buck stated that these changes in the utilities district charter would allow for them to have the same language as used in the charters of other communities.
According to officials at the Caribou Utilities District currently only the water service may be shut-off for non-payment of a water bill. Customers know this and often pay only the water bill, letting the CUD lien the property for the sewer bill. In some cases this continues year after year for some customers resulting in large uncollected sewer bills. In some instances the district gets paid when a property is sold.
Mayor Murchison also stated that since the district would now have the right to disconnect water service to those delinquent more than 45 days in paying their utilities bill it would be prudent for citizens and businesses not to put themselves in jeopardy by ignoring their bills.
Other business included the following.
• The city council members authorized the financial statements for the period ending October 31.
• Accepted the following bids for the sale of three City owned properties.
Tax map 25, Lot 122 — A vacant lot 0,29 acres, having frontage on Harvey Street opposite the intersection of Donnelly Avenue. Three bids were presented with the highest being $725, offered by Todd and Amanda Lericos. Other bids included $350 from Bill Belanger and $450 from Lee Beaulieu, Jr. Minimum bid for the property was set at $350.
Tax map 23 Lot 10C — a vacant lot 0.25 acres have frontage at 62 Lafayette Street. Two bids were presented with the highest being $1,051 offered by Todd and Amanda Lericos. The one other bid was presented by Bill Belanger at $800. A minimum bid was set at $800.
There were no bids received on Tax map 35 Lot 103 — a donated, not tax acquired, vacant lot 0.16 acres having frontage on North Main Street. The minimum bid was set at $4,500.
• Council members voted to assign the donation of funds on behalf of the City by Key Bank to the Bread of Life Soup Kitchen.
• Authorized the renewal of a club class V liquor license for the American Legion Post 14 located on Sweden Street.
• Discussed over a first read the railroad industries incorporated proposal to the State of Maine to analyze and develop solutions to the proposed abandonment of the rail lines throughout Aroostook.
• Council members entered into an executive session to discuss materials for pending Union contract negotiations, AFSCME Local 93 Public Works, Teamsters Local340 Police, Fire and Ambulance, pursuant to Title I MRSA 405(6)(D).
The next meeting of the Caribou City Council will be Monday, December 9, at 7 p.m.
