By Natalie De La Garza
Staff Writer
CARIBOU, Maine — There will be a snow covered Sweden Street during next month’s Downtown Ski Festival, but the event drew discussion during the last meeting of the Caribou City Council.
As explained by City Manager Austin Bleess, the plan would be to close down Sweden Street from the Post Office to the movie theatre, and Stevens Street like the city did during Thursdays On Sweden events — but this time Record Street and the North Mall parking lot would also be closed. “We’ve discussed this with the Post Office and other Main Street businesses and they are supportive of this endeavor,” Bleess explained, “We would bring in snow to do the ski sprints on Sweden Street and provide snow in the Mall parking lot as well,” he added, asking for the council’s authorization to temporarily close off the necessary streets and parking lots for the events.
Moving the snow to the downtown area is estimated to cost the city $1,200 — and that’s with local businesses chipping in to help cover expenses.
Councilor Philip MacDonough II questioned the re-distribution of snow when there were other areas of the community well suited for the ski event.
Caribou Parks and Recreation Superintendent Kathy Mazzuchelli described that the last time the city held downtown ski sprints, it was back in 2009 during Caribou’s sesquicentennial anniversary — and it was pretty rainy. But the volunteers and community supporters are passionate about bringing that high-energy spirit back to the downtown area.
“The feeling was, from the tremendous outpouring that we’re getting from sponsorship to community volunteers, they want to be able to carry the momentum forward from the Thursdays on Sweden and engage people in that downtown atmosphere festival,” Mazzuchelli described, “and they don’t think small.”
During the public comments portion of the meeting, however, Milo Haney presented the other side of the coin.
“We’re all having hard times, and now we want to go back and do the same thing we did a few years ago, putting burdens on taxpayers by having to haul snow in there all night Friday night, and it’ll last for a day and a half or so, and then turn around Sunday night and haul it back out,” Haney told the councilors. “We have a park. If we’re not going to use the park, then let’s get rid of the park.”
“I understand you’re trying to aim toward businesses in the downtown area — what about businesses on the outskirts of town?” he asked. “You think they deserve to have a little bit of a thing, too? It’s just not fair that you even think about doing something like this, let alone do it.”
After additional discussion about Caribou’s winter carnival history and the community involvement with the downtown ski races, the council consented to shutting the streets down for the ski races; it was a unanimous decision, save Caribou’s Mayor Gary Aiken, who had an excused absence for the meeting.
Prior to the meeting’s start, council conducted a workshop to interview two people for the recently vacated seat on the council.
“We’re going to appoint one of those people this evening,” Deputy Mayor David Martin said. “Again, the person appointed will serve until June; we’ll have an election in June for that seat,” he outlined. “The person elected in June for that seat will (be sworn in during) the meeting after the election, and will (remain on the council) until Dec. 31.”
The council appointed Kenneth Murchison to the seat. Norma Milton was also interviewed.
The council also adopted a new $10 fee this year for fire permits.
“Historically we issue approximately 900 permits each year. If we were to charge $10 for a permit, we would see about $8,000 in new revenue after assuming a decline in the number issued,” Bleess explained.
The city’s permits are good for a calendar year; individuals can also purchase a burn permit for $7 online through the state, and that will permit their burning for two days — but the $10 city permit covers both the kind of fires done in a fire pit as well as burning brush.
Deputy Mayor Martin broke down the fire permit usage requirements in simplest terms.
“If I’m cleaning up my yard, I can get a ($7) fire permit. If I have a fire pit, I need one of these $10 permits,” he explained.
The $10 city fire permit covers a year’s worth of burn permits, but residents burning brush should still let the fire department know when they are burning brush.
While the council had discussed placing snow on the sidewalks for the ski races in February, citizen Diane Gove addressed the council to remove some current snow that was threatening her commute.
“For over 20 years, I’ve walked to work year-round; for the first time this winter, I cannot walk because in the budget cuts that you’ve made, one of them is not plowing the sidewalks,” she said. “I don’t expect to have both sides of the bridge plowed, but one side would be sufficient and I do not think that you have to plow after every storm,” she conceded, “but when there is enough snow to traipse through, you need to plow the sidewalks — and if you don’t do it, you’re jeopardizing public safety.”
The next meeting of the Caribou City Council is on Monday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers.
