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| Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet As proclaimed during the Feb. 11 meeting of the Caribou City Council, it’s officially FFA week in Caribou from Saturday, Feb. 16 to Saturday, Feb. 23. Receiving the signed proclamation from Caribou Mayor Gary Aiken were, from left, Caribou FFA Chapter Sentinel Maurice Tardy, Reporter Cindy Ketch and President Sara Huston. Shown in front is Caribou City Councilor Kenneth Murchison. A story celebrating Caribou’s FFA chapter will be in next week’s issue of the Aroostook Republican. |
By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — A slight change to the city’s fireworks ordinance was approved during Monday’s City Council meeting, moving the location for permit acquisition from the Fire Department to the Police Department after a public hearing that lasted about a minute, with only one question asked.
Prior to the meeting’s opening, City Manager Austin Bleess explained that the ordinance changes didn’t have anything to do with the days or hours fireworks can be used or what fireworks can be used.
“The proposed changes tonight are basically changes to allow the police department to issue the permits and collect the fees for the permits,” he explained. “The fire department was listed as the department to get the permits from; this will allow us to have the police department do it.”
Citizen Milo Haney vocalized the lone question of the hearing, inquiring if there was a fee for a fireworks permit — he was informed that there isn’t.
After the public hearing’s close, the possibility of a fee was alluded to by Caribou’s Fire and Ambulance Department Chief Scott Susi. Councilor Philip MacDonough asked Susi if he had a recommended fee in mind. The chief stated that he does, but the fee would be included in the “revenues” portion of the budget that council was slated to delve into during a budget workshop last night.
Fees were clearly discussed, however, regarding the cost of obtaining an automated copy of the city’s tax book. Citizen Mark Reschke addressed the council regarding the cost of the obtaining an electronic copy of the tax book — which is currently $160.
“Back in November, I’d made a proposal to cut the fee for getting an automated copy of the tax book from the assessor from $160 to $5 for Caribou residents, keeping others the same, and I just wanted to let you know I’m still interested in seeing that happen, and hope that you’ll give it consideration,” Reschke stated.
Bleess explained that back in November, the council had requested that the city look into the fees — an action that correlates with the revenue side of the budget currently being reviewed by council.
When the council revisited the subject later in the meeting, Councilor Kenneth Murchison did share a bit of cautionary insight.
“The caution here is it costs a lot of money to develop a system to put things online, and once you pay this money to develop your program, then it costs money to update it indefinitely,” Murchison explained.
Councilor MacDonough suggested that the discussion could probably be resolved by having Manager Bleess review relevant state statute (citing Title 1, Chapter 13: public records and proceedings, Subchapter 1: Freedom of Access, Subsection 408-A Public records available for inspection and copying) and establish a new policy based on what he deems necessary from the review.
Two new members were appointed to Caribou’s Registration Appeals Board, nominated by Caribou’s Democratic and Republican parties, as stipulated by state statute. Democrat James Moore and Republican Jacqueline Beaupre were both appointed to terms ending on Dec. 31, 2015 on the Registration Appeals Board — an entity that hasn’t met in the six years that City Clerk Jayne Farrin has been with the city, which isn’t a bad thing.
Farrin explained that the Registration Appeals Board exists for situations where an individual is denied voter registration due to lack of clarity regarding whether they actually live in Caribou. This hasn’t happened since Farrin has been with the city or during the time of her predecessor.
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| Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet Former Planning Board members Richard Fortier, left, and David Genthner (now city councilor) at right, were presented plaques of appreciation by Caribou Mayor Gary Aiken during the Feb. 11 meeting of the Caribou City Council. |
“I’ve never had to challenge a ballot — knock on wood — neither did Judy Ann Corrow in her 12 years as clerk,” Farrin told the council. “Most people provide the necessary documentation so there’s no need to challenge.”
State statute stipulates that the board exists in municipalities with over 5,000 people.
Council members also discussed setting an election date to fill a seat on the board vacated by former councilor Bryan Thompson last fall; Councilor Joan Theriault was appointed to serve on the council until the election can be held.
Manager Bleess explained that the council can hold a special municipal election on Tuesday, June 11, when the RSU holds their budget validation referendum, or the council can hold the election at the next regular election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
“In 2011, the clerk’s office was paid $973 to run the RSU’s budget validation referendum, and the wellness center received $300 in rental income,” Bleess explained. “We will not receive those revenues if the city holds a special municipal election at that date.”
“Also, during that election only 189 people voted,” he added.
The council tabled action on the election so that the city might obtain perspective on the charter committee’s intent as well as a legal opinion.
“I was on the charter commission and if I remember correctly, it was the intent to have it in June,” said Councilor David Martin. “I would recommend that we table this until the manager can speak with other charter commission members to see if they have the same recollection, but I’m almost positive that the intent was we shouldn’t wait a year for the public to vote, so I’d like to see that happen,” he added.
On the flip side, Mayor Aiken expressed his concern with low voter turnout during the June election.
“I would hate to see a councilor elected by only 189 members of the community,” he said.
The annual school budget vote was also discussed at the start of the meeting, brought to the council by community member Larry Pelletier; he expressed his opinion that RSU 39 is wasting money and that the former Sincock School — now the superintendents building on South Main Street — needed to be closed down.
“I really think that school should be closed … it should be moved into the learning center where they promised to put it,” Pelletier said. He also added that he went to that school when he was 6 years old — 61 years ago.
Pelletier requested that the council tighten up the budget for the school, and didn’t believe Mayor Aiken when he said that the council doesn’t have any authority to decrease the school budget.
“Actually,” Aiken clarified, “the people who have the ability [to decrease the school budget] are you, and the rest of the citizens of Caribou.”
“What, by not paying our taxes?” Pelletier quipped.
Aiken explained that the citizens have an opportunity to decrease the school budget by attending the school board meetings when the budget is reviewed.
“It’s voted on at the school board meeting before it goes to public vote,” Aiken said. “So you have two chances to [lower the school budget]. I don’t have any other than an individual citizen of Caribou, and I can do the same things — go to those meetings and vote — and I intend to do both.”
Dissatisfied at the explanation, Pelletier told Aiken “That’s just what I was told today, that you guys were going to pass the buck …”
Aiken further clarified that the RSU 39 school board does not fall under the city’s governance anymore and that Caribou must pay for what is voted on during the June election.
“We are mandated by the state to provide that to [RSU 39]. We don’t have the ability to say ‘no’ — we are mandated by the state to do that,” Aiken clarified.
Pelletier expressed his interest in pushing hard this year to find ways to cut the school budget.
During the public comments portion of the council meeting, Aiken himself had a public comment — thanking new Planning Board member Bob White for repairing the sound system used in recording the City Council meetings for television.
“Through the marvels of modern technology, I just got a signal to tell me that the sound is much better, and I hope that’s the case across town,” Aiken said, expressing his appreciation.
Aiken and MacDonough assisted White with the repairs, “going around and tapping microphones and everything, but Bob’s the one that reset the system volumes and everything else, so we all owe him a debt of gratitude because it’s been a long time — it’s probably the thing I’ve heard the most about since I’ve been on council, that people say ‘I quit watching it because I couldn’t understand it,’ so hopefully that isn’t the case anymore,” Aiken said.
The council was slated to meet for a budget workshop last night, and the next scheduled meeting of the Caribou City Council will be held on Monday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in the Councilors’ Chambers.
