To the editor:
In 1967, when Caribou transitioned from a town to a city, a new charter was established. Then in 2011, a group of people were elected to serve on a charter commission to begin the process of updating it. Once completed, the city attorney reviewed it and then it went to the voters who approved it.
Election Day will soon be upon us and people are already asking me who my choices are for city council. First of all, let me tell you who I will not vote for.
I will not vote for any candidate who disrespects, disregards or circumvents the charter. The charter is the people’s document, written and approved by the people, and is the very principle upon which our community is governed. The charter is specific, with no “gray areas” that I can see.
I will not vote to re-elect a sitting councilor who, more than once, has remarked how sick he is of hearing about the charter and how he wants to “forget about” the charter, or condones or is complicit with another to circumvent the charter.
I will not vote for anyone who condones the behavior of a sitting councilor who threatens to “tear the bark off” the superintendent of schools and who disrespects and threatens our city employees, who interrupts with nasty remarks to citizens who are addressing the council and who posts comments on social media using vile and filthy language about others.
It’s time for a change. It’s time to elect those who will work for the benefit of all of the citizens of Caribou, who will abide by the charter, and who will treat people with respect instead of calling them names.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am opinionated and my friends tell me I don’t carry my tongue in my back pocket. Well, I kind of have been since I’ve been on council, but I can’t do it any longer. We need change. We’ve got new names on the ballot. I’m voting for three of the new candidates.
Joan Theriault
Caribou
