Letters to the editor:

To the editor:
2008 was a challenging year for our family, starting with Dr. Siruno’s stroke, then followed by his cancer diagnoses and its subsequent treatment. Luckily we have a caring and dedicated community that helped us through this troubling time. While the list of all involved in Dr. Siruno’s care is too long to fit in this space, we would be remiss to not mention several key people that gave us their assistance, support, and their time.     Special thanks go out to Kris Doody and the entire Cary Medical Center for their relentless care of Dr. Siruno. Thanks also go out to Dr. Tilak for his behind-the-scenes assistance. Thanks to Mae and Jim Martin, and Bernadette Ouellette for always checking in and offering a helping hand. Our appreciation also go out to Eastern Maine Medical Center, The Aroostook Medical Center, and Borderview Rehab & Living Center for their contributions in Dr. Siruno’s care and rehabilitation.
We also thank all the family friends here in Maine as well as those in Florida and from Michigan, especially those that made the trip up here to Aroostook County. The family thanks our “adopted family” for all their help. Finally, our heartfelt thanks also goes out to the family members that were able to come from great distances, and on such short notice. From Dr. Siruno’s siblings to distant relatives, we thank you for your support and prayers.

To the editor:
This is to attest to the fact on Aug. 22, 2008 I remarried after being married to a wonderful man for 44 years and losing him. My husband’s death suddenly left a void in my life I wish on no one to experience, however God was good too me and gave me someone else to share the rest of my life with. Because life has become so precious to me, I have decided to take an early retirement. January 16, 2009 I will be giving up my position as Activity Coordinator on the Residential Care Unit, Maine Veterans Home.
I cannot tell you how great it has been and how I have enjoyed working with these residents and also with Med. tech. and all my PSS – you are all wonderful and very special. I cannot say enough for the staff; I love each and every one of them. To see the way they take care of the residents and how they loved them; it would be one of the first places I would want to live. No it’s not home, but it’s their home away from home. The administrative staff, what can I say except “Wow” you are all so awesome.
You can rest assured that all of you will always be in my heart. I hoped I have brought a little joy to the lives I have touched. I am so grateful for touching a part of your life and I hope maybe someday what I am leaving behind here I can share at other places.
I leave with a big heart because a part of my era has ended, but I want to thank each and every one of you for the memories. The wonderful staff that remains here – keep up the good work, this facility has so much to be proud of. To all our volunteers a special thanks – what can I say, there are no words in the dictionary that can tell you what you are all worth. I will never forget all of you and I hope you will all continue to be blessed for all the hours that you gave and shared, not only with the residents, but with the staff as well. All of you play a special part and that’s what makes their home what it is.
I want to say a very special thank you to Martha McGlinn, who officially retired on Dec. 31, 2008, for all that she has done for the Maine Veterans Home. Martha was here to help us through thick and through thin – we would call her when we needed her and in minutes she was at our call, even if only for an hour. It has been a pleasure Martha and I hope what we shared together you will always treasure. Happy retirement!

To the editor:
In 2000 the Caribou Development Corp. merged with the Chamber of Commerce. Significant resources have been spent (and saved) in this merger of what was two separate offices the last nine years.
Our loan portfolio has grown to $2.5 million. We believe our clients and Caribou businesses are best served by a local Board of Directors of Caribou businesses. The majority of our operating income – to cover the cost of administering those loans — is paid by an appropriation from the city of Caribou. This stipend also pays for a combined office with “the chamber,” and while we believe there are obvious efficiencies to be had by sharing the overhead costs in one office, which can be substantiated by just looking at our organizational spending as compared to the city of Caribou’s. We believe we are at a point in time where the city may indeed not fund our organization to continue doing the business of “economic development” for Caribou. We need your support.
In 2004 when we agreed (with the city) to stop doing “business attraction” – and we reduced our city appropriation request by $80,000. And our appropriation has remained at $155,000 ever since. As I said last month, inflation is real. We would need just over $182,000 just to remain apples to apples to stay even with inflation – to provide the same services we provide now. The city said they were pleased with our restructure in 2004, and they said they couldn’t run the organization any less expensively than we were. The cost of doing business for the municipality has gone up more than 4.5 percent, every year since. They can’t do it cheaper. We can, we are, and we do.
But we are at our breaking point. Without the financial investment from the city of Caribou, we will not be able to provide the level of services we have the last nine years to our clients, our members, and the community. We won’t be able to provide the services we do without an investment from the city. Economic development takes time, a collective vision, a support system, determination, perseverance, and resources. I do not believe our Board has a lack of these items. We do need the investment from the city. Our loan clients more than pay back that total investment each and every year, just in the property taxes they pay each year to the city.
This is a key issue for our business community. We believe we have helped many dozens of businesses over the last decade, as they’ve sought GAP financing within Caribou, in a manner unique to those individual businesses, because our sole focus of economic growth and GAP financing is exclusively for Caribou: our community. We believe there are many businesses which would not have remained in Caribou, would not have expanded, would not have continued to be open for as long as they have, if it were not for the financial investment of the CCC&I. As we move into the budgeting cycle for 2009, I encourage anyone with questions, or concerns to call our offices any time.

To the editor:
As the Solid Waste Director for Tri-Community Recycling and Sanitary Landfill (TCL), I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you that continue to utilize and support our municipal recycling program. Any amount of material that is diverted from our landfill is certainly helpful in terms of conserving extremely valuable disposal capacity in our landfill for as long as possible.
Also, despite the recent (but temporary) downturn of the markets for our recyclable products, the revenue generated from the sale of these materials helps to offset the costs to operate the landfill — costs that would otherwise have to be made up by tax revenue. It is also important to continue to supply our buyers with material, even in the bad times, so that they will be there when the markets improve again. So again, keep up the good work and thank you for all you do!
However (you knew there was going to be a ‘however’ didn’t you), we do need your help. We’ve noticed over time that the quality of material placed in the recycling igloos has declined somewhat. It’s obvious from looking at some of the items placed in the igloos that folks have good intentions, but are perhaps confused as to what can be accepted in our program. Therefore, I thought it might be beneficial to provide some updated information.
Please carefully review the “Do’s and Don’ts” below, paying particular attention to what not to place in the igloos. When non-recyclable items are placed in the igloos, the igloos fill up more quickly and have to be emptied more often, which increases cost. Also, the material requires significant sorting at our facility, which reduces efficiency and also increases operating cost.
Red igloo — no. 2 hdpe clear plastic containers
Do:
• Place only clear plastic containers with the no. 2 recycling symbol in the igloo
• Include clear milk and water jugs
• Remove the caps and rinse the containers
• Crush the containers to save space in the igloo
Do not:
• Place white, “light-block” milk jugs in the red igloo – these should be placed in the Blue igloo with colored plastic containers (white is a color)
• Place any type of lid or cover in the igloos – these are normally made from a different type of plastic
Blue igloo — colored plastic containers
Do:
• Place only colored, narrow-mouth plastic containers with the no. 2 symbol in the igloo
• Include detergent, bleach, shampoo, dish liquid, and white light-block milk containers
• Remove the caps and rinse the containers
• Crush the containers to save space in the igloo
Do not:
• Include wide mouth containers such as whipped cream, plastic coffee cans, or butter, regardless of the no. 2 recycling symbol. The plastic resins in these containers are different and these items unfortunately are not accepted by our markets.
Yellow igloo — newspaper
Do:
• Include newspapers, telephone books, and newspaper inserts
• Please leave loose
Do not:
• Include any other paper; such as office paper, cardboard, magazines or mail
• Tie, bundle, or put bags in the igloo
Green igloo — magazines and catalogs
Do:
• Include all magazines and catalogs
• Please leave loose
Do not:
• Include any other paper, such as office paper, cardboard, newspaper, or mail
• Tie, bundle, or put bags in the igloo
Gray igloo — tin cans
Do:
• Include food cans, empty aerosol cans, cat food cans, etc.
• Rinse the cans clean
• Labels are acceptable
Do not:
• Include aluminum cans, aluminum foil, or food trays
• Please do not put bags in the igloo

To the editor:
Small business people are the backbone of our economy. They are the source of new ideas, they hire additional workers, and they develop innovative products and services. By investing in their business, by opening a business, by expanding, the small business owner makes a major contribution to the local, regional and national economy. Small businesses account for half of all private nonfarm gross domestic product.
According to the Office of Advocacy for SBA, “a state’s ability to generate new establishments is the most important factor that leads to a higher gross state product, state personal income, and total state employment.”
Is this the time to cut back the Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry resources which could generate those new establishments in Caribou?
The second key factor the Office of Advocacy states is the absolute essential process of writing a business plan. Those business owners who were engaged in writing a business plan, are more likely to open and remain in business: “it is essential to the overall success of the venture.” Is this the time to cut back the one source devoted exclusively to Caribou which assists people writing business plans?
Writing a business plan isn’t glamorous. GAP financing isn’t pretty stuff either, usually not in the beginning, and not most of the way through the payment process … it doesn’t make for big headlines, and I can tell you — the best things we’ve ever done for our clients won’t ever get to be told in a public forum, and there won’t be a photo op. Business plans don’t write themselves, and they aren’t whipped up in an afternoon or a weekend even. GAP financing doesn’t end the day of the loan closing. Promoting business is what the CCC&I is devoted to doing. And I believe it matters to the dozens of people who have now, or have had, loans with us the last 10 or 15 years.
I am back to the question: are we going to cut the one organization (the CCC&I) geared to provide GAP financing to start/continue/expand a business? Are we not going to invest in the one organization specifically devoted to helping our business community with their problems and issues? Is this really where our smallest investment should be in Caribou? The natural course of logic lends itself to what result? Have you been to our downtown recently?
In Caribou’s Vision Statement (which is posted in almost all the municipal buildings) economic development is stated to be an aggressive priority (the word aggressive is used specifically!)
“The aggressive pursuit of business and economic development” is the second priority listed. Shouldn’t we be investing more money, rather than less? Isn’t this be the time we should be investing in the organization specifically tasked to do “the job of” economic development – with the proven track record of efficiencies over nine years in operation?
The CCC&I is that organization. We are in the business of assisting our small businesses! Governed by Caribou’s own business people, we have a proven track record of fiscal conservativeness and frugality (there’s no bottled water, no Pitney Bowes machine, no benefits, no fancy phone system). Who better than our own business owners to govern and shape the future of our community? Who better than our own business owners to determine the course of “economic development” for Caribou? Who better than our own business men and women to determine how best to move forward — revitalize the downtown! Who better to oversee the city’s investment (which more than pays itself back in just the property taxes of its current loan clients – in any one single year – not even mentioning secondary impacts) than the people running businesses in our community?

To the editor:
The CCC&I Board of Directors approves each year a “work plan” as one of the components of our overall Business Plan. The following is our approved “Scope of Work” for 2009. These items are “in addition to” our regular work. We encourage anyone with questions or comments to call or stop in our offices anytime.
Scope of Work for 2009
Economic Development:
• Quarterly Updates to Caribou City Council
• Quarterly workshops with Caribou City Council to discuss Economic Development – exclusively
TIF packages; DECD packaging, incentive programs, and resources available for small businesses
Business Plan Assistance – resources available for business start-ups and retention projects: Business and Member visitations
• Maintain “Attraction Packages” to be personalized/implemented with an immediate turn-around for all perspective Site Selectors
• Co-op programs: investigate/ implement and encourage business participation across the community
• Maintain Commercial Properties Inventory
• Loan Goal 2009: $300,000 (with administrative fees generating $4,000)
• Encourage communication/feedback with Caribou business community: annual visits, paper surveys, Web site
Loan Committee Restructure:
• By-law changes by mid May related to this restructure
• Representation from every financial institution in Caribou, and three CCC&I Directors. This committee will have the authority to tell clients “no” – and will have approval authority up to an undetermined amount of funds in the aggregate.
Thus Board of Directors meetings will have more time to focus on Economic Development
Chamber:
• Membership goal is two new members a month – 24 new in total – with 10 dropping members
• Solicit new participation in each annual event
• 150th Birthday Celebration: It’s a birthday party all year long (from Winter Carnival through Annual Dinner, through Potato Blossom, and our own culmination in August/September).
Other:
• Caribou Cares About Kids – finalize implementation of this program and its perpetual funding
• Generate additional operating income: user fees, explore additional revenue sources

To the editor:
Throughout 2008, businesses, funders, churches, municipalities, civic groups and individuals have generously given their time, talents and monetary resources to The Sister Mary O’Donnell Shelter and it has allowed us to help many families and individuals, mostly from Aroostook County, who find themselves homeless. Homeless Services of Aroostook, Inc. is most grateful for all the support this community provides, especially since we are seeing record numbers of people needing the services in this current economy. The return on your investment has been substantial and it is greatly appreciated by all those involved.
In the past year, 363 people found shelter here — 100 of whom were children. They stayed for a combined total of 4,899 bednights which is considerably higher than the 2007 total of 3,440 bednights. That means that instead of the historical numbers of 10 to 15 people in the shelter each night, it has increased to 20 to 28 people each night on average. All but 97 people were from right here in “The County”.
Those of you who contributed helped your neighbors, co-workers, friends and family have a place to stay when they needed it most. That is something you can all feel good about and will undoubtedly bless you many times over,
The Sister Mary O’Donnell Shelter will be celebrating its 25th year in operation all throughout 2009! As we look forward to the years ahead, The Board of Directors, Staff, and Shelter guests (past and present) would first like to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the support we have received.

To the editor:
When you file your income tax you might want to take the time to help out the stray dog you saw across the road or the lost kitten that was left on your doorstep, and you can easily do that. Just checkmark the box on your Maine Form 1040 that asks if you want to contribute to the Companion Animals Sterilization Fund. Once you have done that you will need to add the Maine Form Schedule CP. Companion animal on this form does not mean just for seeing eye dogs, etc. I called to check this out a couple of years ago. It literally mean “companion animal.” These funds are sent directly to the Animal Welfare Program in Augusta to aid in the sterilization of dogs and cats of low-income families. What a fantastic opportunity to help the Animal Welfare Program in a positive and progressive way each year.
You decide if you want to give $1, $5 or whatever and that amount is added to your tax liability. If you have any doubts or wish more information, call the Maine tax office at 207-626-8475. I have found them to be very helpful. It is one of the best ways that you can help animals in trouble. The more people spay and neuter, the less litters are born to face abuse, abandonment and/or neglect. If everyone in Maine gave even just $1 per year, just think what that would mean to the fund and to the number of animals they could help.
So remember, check ME Form 1040 and add Schedule CP. Do this, and you have already helped save a litter of unwanted puppies from being born. Do what you can afford and then feel great about yourself.

To the editor:
“Bells for Babies” is a national public remembrance for the 49 million babies who have died in the United States over the past 36 years through surgical abortions. At noon on Thursday, Jan. 22 all churches in the area are encouraged to ring their bells 49 times, one for each million babies whose lives have ended.
On this day, payers are encouraged for families to hold together in God’s love and discipline. May the love of God, our Creator of life and love for our fellow man; especially our families, the sick, the elderly, our enemies and others prevail. May the virtues of charity and chastity (virginity, celibacy, marriage and love of spouses, children and all) prevail! May the sins of selfishness, violence, war, perversion of human sexuality, unwillingness to forgive, the rejection of spouses and children, unborn or born, cease.
Anyone, anywhere is encouraged to join in prayer, at home, on the road, at work, in school, at church and other places for Jesus’ love, forgiveness, mercy and peace in individuals, families, communities, nations and among nations.
“Bells for Babies” is encouraged by the Daughters of Isabella, Mary Magdalene Circle No. 639. January 22nd is the 36th anniversary of legalized abortions.
St. Mary’s Church of Presque Isle will ring the bells at this time. The “Angelus” and other prayers will be recited in the church. All are welcome.

Johnnie Cancelarich
 Presque Isle