Staff Writer
The Caribou City Council met Feb. 22 for a regular meeting and public hearing regarding the 2010 Capital Improvements program. Steve Buck, Caribou city manger, presented a PowerPoint explanation of the capital improvements program which represented each cost center (city departments), the initial department requests, recommendations by the CIP committee and the final city council recommendations. The overall 2010 capital improvements departmental request was $565,135, an increase of $115,040 or 27.16 percent compared to the 2009 reduced program. The CIP committee recommended the same $565,135. Prior to knowing the current budgetary impacts, the city council now recommends the amount be reduced to $372,390, a decrease of $87,240 or 18.98 percent compared to the final council approved 2009 program total of $459,630. The CIP total for 2008 was $581,600.
The resulting action to the Capital Improvements Program was a reduction of $192,745 as compared to the original departmental requests. The amendments to the program preserves all long-term programming by maintaining the rate of contributions to provide for programmed purchases, pushing some of the programs ahead by one or more years, or by decreasing the balance forward. A 10 percent reduction was taken on a number of smaller reserve lines. Specific capital improvement reduction actions were taken in the following areas:
• Fire vehicles reduced by $10,000 by foregoing the replacement of rescue truck 6, until such time as a fire act grant becomes available.
• Ambulance vehicles reduced by $20,000 by purchasing only a chassis in 2010 at a cost of $39,250 and the remount pushed ahead one year due to decreased utilization in 2009.
• Public works equipment reduced by $100,000 by pushing the major replacements forward one year with the exception of radio replacements — this action is not anticipated to significantly impact repairs and maintenance for the single year push.
• Streets and roads reduced by $25,000 by adjusting the shimming process applied for chip sealing — maintains the restoration of in-town street paving and the rural chip sealing.
• Parks improvements were reduced by eliminating the cost of pending land surveys for $4,000.
• Groomer reserve by $2,000 and potentially more due to favorable remounts — analysis of the 2003 Gilbert system is pending.
• Elimination of planning and engineering for the single year due to anticipated reduced project scopes for 2010, reduction of $5,000.
• Elimination of all new projects yet preserving the one remaining two-year project within the library for a net reduction of $21,465.
Buck stated, “The total CIP after adopting the above actions is $372,390, a net reduction of $192,745 from the original program requested by the departments and reviewed by the committee. The resulting reduction is a decrease of 19 percent over the 13 percent reduction made in 2009, again in response to last year’s impacts. The current amendments still assure the programmed replacements are maintained, all replacement programs carry forward as projected and the highest priority programming has been maintained.”
Buck also said, “There is a recognition that in future programs, prior reserve contributions will need to be restored less the full amount of depreciation will not be capitalized. Reserve balances are decreasing due to the reduction in contributions over the past two years and will mandate a return to prior funding levels in the near future.”
Council members approved the 2010 CIP with one caveat — reviewing a cost analysis regarding payments involving the wellness center/debt service and cash flow.
In other business the panel set a date of Monday, March 8 to hold a public hearing regarding re-zoning a portion of lots Tax Map 26, Lots 48 and 79 from C-2 and R-2 to C-2 only.
• The councilors tabled the adoption of the International Building Codes as the state is not ready to go forward with the issue at this time.
• Approved directing city administration to develop a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries pending the state’s task force finalization of rule making.
• Approved the ratification of a successive employment agreement with the Caribou Public Works Department, AFSCME Local 220. This is a one-year contract. Buck commented that these were very good negotiations involving meetings on two nights and one follow-up session.
• Approved the ratification of successive employment agreements for Teamsters Local 340 for the Caribou Police Department and the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department. Buck added that scheduling was not included in the contracts but in a sidebar.
• Council members considered authorizing the proposals for a City-Wide Reappraisal to Maintain Equitable Assessments. This involves sending out letters with detailed specifications to qualified firms. Once a firm is established it is anticipated that the reappraisal work will be done during 2011-12. The city will base their 2012 tax commitment upon these new valuations.
The city will actually, employ the firm as an independent contractor. The Board of Assessors will have jurisdiction over the quality and finalized product of the new valuations. Both the city manager and assessor shall serve as the chief administrators between the firm, the council and board of assessors. According to Buck, the estimated cost of the work is $300,000 to 350,000.
• The council approved issuing a construction overlimit permit for MDOT for paving on Route 89. This agreement stipulates that the municipality will issue a permit for a stated period of time to the MDOT contractor for transporting construction equipment (backhoes, bulldozers, etc.) that exceed legal weight limits over municipal roads. Buck stated that with this agreement in place, should damage occur the contractors doing the work are responsible. “This permit agreement protects the interests of the city,” he said.
• Seven tax-acquired properties were discussed with the council approving five of the properties be put out to bid, as two had been cleared of tax liens.
• It was approved to issue a municipal quitclaim deed to the owner of property located at Map 30, Lot 13 in consideration of taxes paid in full.
• The city council approved authorizing a game of chance license for Texas Hold-em for the American Legion Post 15 for March 6 and the renewal of a bingo game of chance license for the Lister-Knowlton VFW Post 9389.
The next regular city council meeting will be held Monday, March 8, at 7 p.m. in the council chambers on High Street.
