CARIBOU, Maine — Voters in Caribou and Stockholm voted in favor of a bond issue on the Nov. 5 ballot which will allow RSU 39 to spend up to $175,000 for the purchase of a parcel of land next to the Caribou Community School.
The .6 acre lot is located at 11 Glenn St. and would be used for snow removal and overflow parking.
RSU 39 Business Manager Mark Bouchard said the money would not only cover purchasing the property, but also asbestos abatement, demolition and the creation of the new lot.
Bouchard said the ability to move snow onto the lot during the winter months is crucial, as RSU 39 would otherwise need to either hire a contractor to physically haul off excess snow during the winter months, or have school employees do this themselves. By acquiring this space, staff can now blow snow onto a wooded area of the property.
As a result, he said once the $175,000 is paid, the extra space will likely save taxpayers money that would have been spent hiring a contractor to move the snow each winter.
The next step in the process is to secure financing for the property, and Bouchard said this will likely be accomplished via a bidding process with local banks.
The additional parking space, he said, will also help the school host large events.
“Without the lot, the new school has enough parking for staff and visitors,” he said, “but not enough spaces to park during large events and functions.”
Overall, he said RSU 39 is pleased that the question passed.
“We are very thankful that the voters of Caribou and Stockholm supported this project,” Bouchard said, “because it will save taxpayer dollars on the snow removal side once it has all been paid for. Otherwise we would’ve had to hire someone to haul the snow off or do it ourselves.”
