Caribou will retain its development committee following a Jan. 13 vote by the city council.
Councilors had considered dissolving the development group because its duties were similar to those of the Caribou Economic Growth Council.
The two entities share the goal of boosting business in the city, but while the nonprofit growth council deals with financial assessment and loans, the development group works with city leaders and businesses to improve opportunities, according to the committee bylaws. The council’s vote to reappoint members Troy Haney and James Nelson keeps the committee active.
“We all have the same goals: to create new development in Caribou,” Haney said before the vote took place. “Our taxpayers should be aware of the work that’s been going on during the past 12 to 16 months by a group of volunteer citizens that are working together to bring new economic development to our city and try to help offset our increasing taxes.”
Some of that work has included identifying 200 acres of city property that has potential for housing, industrial and business development, Haney said.
The committee has also worked with City Manager Penny Thompson and the Caribou Utilities District to solve a company’s water and sewer problem, met with the Maine Department of Transportation on future development sites and applied for a grant to start a housing development needs study.
Besides Haney and Nelson, the committee includes Caribou Parks and Recreation Superintendent Gary Marquis, Christina Kane-Gibson, Lydia Keiffer-Till, Jacob Beaupre and Dave Corriveau.
The fact that volunteers are working to put the city’s needs above their own speaks to the committee’s value, Haney said.
Simply put, the CEGC provides money and the development committee provides guidance, Councilor Paul Watson said.
“When businesses want to come here from the outside, they’re not going to come to the city council or the CEGC,” Watson said. “They’re going to look for an organization like this because it’s other businessmen and that’s who’s going to answer their questions.”
No one was disputing the value of the Caribou Development Council, but some people had suggested there was some overlap with the growth council, Mayor Courtney Boma said. With the roles of each made clear, it makes sense to retain both groups, she said.
Councilors agreed and voted unanimously to reappoint Haney and Nelson to the committee.
In other business, Boma provided an update on ongoing plans for the city’s new public safety building.
The revised concept includes a secure lobby, separate from the police area and offices, and a two-vehicle bay with space for an ambulance, which could be needed from time to time.
Committee members are happy with the design, which keeps the same square footage but shuffled some interior space to better fit needs, Boma said.
Watson encouraged the city to post updated building plans on Facebook, since most people he talks with use the social media site. The information is available on the city website, but not everyone navigates that, he said.
City Manager Penny Thompson said those updates could be added to social media.
Thompson reported on the city’s ongoing broadband internet projects. Charter Communications and Spectrum are getting poles online as each permit is finalized, she said. Crews have now completed adding internet to 294 locations out of 359.
Consolidated Communications has added 181 miles of fiber capability, Thompson said.
Riverfront cleanup can finally move forward because the Northern Border Regional Commission has accepted the city’s environmental assessment plan, she said.
Councilors also adopted an annual code of conduct and set the year’s meeting schedule.
The next meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 27, in city council chambers.
