Caribou Mayor Courtney Boma will retain her seat for the coming year and Jody Smith, former mayor and newly elected councilor, will be deputy mayor.
Caribou City councilors elected Boma and Smith on Thursday, each by a ballot vote of 4-3.
In its first meeting of the new year, the group welcomed new members, set meeting dates and made appointments to administrative roles and city committees. Smith and Paul Watson, who won posts in November’s election, started their duties officially when City Clerk Danielle Brissette administered the oath of office.
Though most appointments were passed as presented, councilors discussed the Caribou Development Committee. Some questioned whether it should continue since it is so similar to the Caribou Economic Growth Council, while others saw benefit in both groups.
“It was discovered recently that the Caribou Economic Growth Council really performs the same tasks as the Caribou Development Committee, so I feel at this point it’s almost like a duplicate committee and probably is no longer needed,” Boma said.
Though there is overlap, some facets of each group are completely different and the city should make sure no services are lost, Watson said.
The Caribou Development Committee is a standing committee of the city composed of five residents, appointed by the city council, and two ex-officio members who can vote, according to its bylaws.
The committee’s purposes include working with city officials, administrators and the economic growth council to facilitate business development; find appropriate sites for businesses to locate; recommend companies for funding; and improve commercial, recreational, entertainment and hospitality opportunities for Caribou and surrounding areas, the bylaws state.
The Caribou Economic Growth Council is a nonprofit with a nine-member board of directors, according to the city website. Its mission includes providing funding for businesses that want to grow in Caribou.
The growth council was built from the former Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry, City Manager Penny Thompson said. It was designed to work with a director of economic development, which the city doesn’t have, as well as facilitate business loans.
An ordinance would be necessary to dissolve the development committee, she said. Dissolution would require two meetings, one for the proposal and the second for a formal vote.
Councilors discussed allowing the two committees to decide whether to merge or stay separate, and voted not to make appointments to the development committee at this time.
The council also voted on yearly appointments as per the city charter, including: Penny Thompson, city manager; Carl Grant, treasurer and tax collector; Danielle Brissette, city clerk, registrar of voters and overseer of general assistance; Felch & Company LLC, auditor; Solman and Hunter, general legal officer; Bernstein Shur, legal officer for personnel and bargaining; and Brian Lajoie, health officer.
The group approved the appointments of Kristina Drinkall as deputy city clerk, Holly Doody as deputy treasurer and Gary Marquis as acting city manager if the city manager should be temporarily absent.
Councilors voted in residents to serve three-year terms on the following groups: John Weeks, Board of Assessors; Jane White-McCall, Carl Flynn, Neal Griffeth and Doug Plourde, Cary Medical Center Board of Directors; Erica Raymond, Caribou Hospital District Board of Trustees; Heather Hale and Carole S. Belanger, Library Board of Trustees; Mark Draper, Caribou Riverfront Development Committee; Kyle Corrigan and Casey Plourde, Recreation Commission; and Jay Kamm, Caribou Utilities District.
Mary Pratt was appointed to a five-year term on the Caribou Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.
Ken Murchison and Jody Smith will serve one-year terms on the Aroostook Waste Solutions Board of Directors, with Penny Thompson as alternate.
Jason Gillis and Gail Hagelstein will serve three-year terms on the Nylander Board of Trustees.
In other business, Claire Randolph was the winner of a $50 gift certificate for veterinary services from the city’s dog licensee prize drawing.
Councilors also approved a 2025 tax club so property owners can divide their payments into 12 monthly installments.
The next city council meetings will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13, and Monday, Jan. 27, in the council chambers.
