To the editor:
Let’s clear up what a petition for recall is. The petition, first and foremost, does not remove a sitting councilor from the dais. 1,200 signatures of qualified Caribou electors is what it takes to get the recall on the ballot.
The elector then gets a chance to vote to end an era of deceit, arrogance, and conduct unbecoming an elected official of our city. When citizens have tolerated violations of their city charter and have endured profane and gutterball attacks by a person that took an oath to represent them, they tend to stand together and say “Enough is enough.”
Caribou is better than this. We have a process to restore respect and decency and integrity, all of which are lacking in Councilor Doug Morrell.
In my opinion, Mr. Morrell has seemed to undermine the city of Caribou while highlighting his “fiscal conservativeness.” He is so fiscally conservative that town records show he had someone else pay his taxes for him so he could be seated on the council. He seems so concerned about the Caribou taxpayer that he repeatedly makes social media posts referring to dissenters as “[expletive] snowflakes” or “dumb [expletive].” He appears so proud of himself that on Sept. 21 at the council meeting, he asked the city manager to investigate if the tax exemption status of the VFW and American Legion can be revoked because he was “insulted” that petitioners were on the property. I refuse to believe that the majority of Caribou find this behavior acceptable and our best representation to our surrounding communities.
Mr. Morrell is an elected official who pulled a bait and switch on his constituency into giving him another chance to pursue his personal agenda, not represent Caribou. I’d like to think of the new residents and business owners that are looking to find a safe, cohesive, and drama-free city to start the next season of their lives. To that end, I urge the men and women of Caribou to sign the petition and take the steps to correct this human blight on our city council.
Christine Lister
Caribou
