CARIBOU, Maine – A larger school district budget could increase Caribou’s overall mill rate this year.
On May 22, residents from Regional School Unit 39 (Caribou and Stockholm) voted to add $90,000 to the proposed 2024-2025 fiscal year budget, increasing that budget from $23.3 million to $23.4 million. The budget will go to a referendum vote on Tuesday, June 11.
City Manager Penny Thompson presented an updated mill rate calculation to city councilors on Tuesday.
Three components affect Caribou’s mill rate: the city’s expense and capital improvement budgets, the school district’s budget and county tax bills, Thompson said.
City councilors passed an $11 million expense budget and a $1.2 million capital improvement budget in March. At the county level, commissioners passed a special 6-month budget last fall to prepare the county for transitioning from a calendar year to a fiscal year. Commissioners approved the county’s fiscal year budget this month.
County government sent municipalities two tax bills this year, one for the 6-month budget and another for a 2024-2025 fiscal year budget. Caribou will pay its $415,845 6-month tax bill in three-year installments of $138,615, and the 12-month bill of $905,531 in full by September 1.
That means the city will allocate $1,044,146 total toward county tax bills this year, Thompson said.
RSU 39 is on a fiscal year budget. Since the city remains on a calendar year budget, they must pay half of the city’s education-based tax obligation from 2023 and half from 2024.
The city was expected to raise $4,451,017 total for the 2023-2024 school budget, half of which the city will pay this year. Caribou will also pay half of its expected local contribution for the 2024-2025 school year, which currently totals $5,501,382.
That means Caribou’s contribution to school-based taxes would total $4,976,200 for the 2024 tax commitment, Thompson said.
When the city subtracts the expense and capital budget totals from projected 2024 revenues, that means Caribou must raise $4,429,792 through its own property tax bills, Thompson said.
If voters approve the school district budget June 11, Caribou’s education-based mill rate will be 10.7 mills. The county’s portion would be 2.2 mills and the city’s 9.3 mills, giving Caribou a projected overall mill rate of 22.3, an increase from 19.5 mills last year.
Caribou homeowners would pay $2.85 more on their property tax bills for every $1,000 of property value, Thompson noted.
So far the mill rate projections are estimates because the city has not finished its tax valuations for 2024, Thompson said.
Caribou residents can vote at Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center, 55 Bennett Drive, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 11. Stockholm residents can vote at the town’s community center, 62 School St., from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In other business, city councilors decided they would allow Thompson to take “stronger, more aggressive action” toward three blighted properties at 61 Washburn St., 91 Collins St. and 1253 Presque Isle Road.
Thompson, who is currently the acting code enforcement officer, said she has received daily complaints about garbage piling up at all three properties. She has also viewed body camera footage of 91 Collins and 61 Washburn from calls that police have made.
“Every day last week, someone would come in and say they’re at the end of their rope with this problem, it’s so bad,” Thompson said.
Caribou resident Arthur Benner said that the garage door at 91 Collins is often open, making him concerned about rodents entering or children looking through the garbage.
“The pile of garbage bags in the garage keeps building up,” Benner said. “I hope you can find a way to clean this up because it’s a great neighborhood.”
Councilors authorized Thompson to impose fines on the homeowners for the garbage left unattended. They also supported possibly condemning the properties as dangerous buildings if the issues continue.
All three properties are owned by out-of-town homeowners who have not been responsive to letters from the city, urging them to address the garbage issues, Thompson said.
“One of the biggest hurdles we face [with blighted properties] is that they’re tenant-occupied and the owners have no interest in maintaining the property,” Thompson said.
The city has hired a new code enforcement officer who will begin work June 4 and follow up on local property issues, Thompson said.
Councilors gave Parks & Recreation Superintendent Gary Marquis permission to purchase a Kioti NS 4710 tractor for $28,298 from Gary’s Yamaha in Caribou to replace the department’s current 2018 New Holland Boomer 40 tractor.
Marquis said he has invested over $7,000 in repairs to the 2018 tractor’s front axle, transmission and clutch, $2,407 to repair the right final drive, and $7,000 worth of repairs have been covered by a one-year warranty.
Gary’s Yamaha presented the lowest bid, which factored in 15,000 for Marquis to trade in the current tractor for the Kioti. Harry’s Motor Sports in Presque Isle bid $57,000 for a Kubota 4760 tractor without a trade-in offer. Beauregard Equipment in Presque Isle offered $37,800 for a Massey Ferguson 2850 tractor, after the trade-in reimbursement of $14,500.
Councilors set June 24 as the date for a public hearing about proposed changes to the city’s charter. The changes would clarify when the city manager needs to submit a complete financial report for the city budgets, clarify the definitions for expense and capital budgets, clarify when city councilors are excused from meetings and adopt a code of conduct for councilors.
Residents would need to approve any changes to the city’s charter during the November election.
The council recognized the following city employees for years of service: City Clerk Danielle Brissette, five years; Ryan Hall, firefighter and paramedic, five years; Eric Dickinson, firefighter and paramedic, 10 years; Michael Divito, firefighter and paramedic, 10 years; Tony Michaud, deputy tax assessor and code enforcement officer, 10 years; and Michael Thompson, Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center janitor, 10 years.
Councilors congratulated Caribou High senior McKenzie Cooper for being Caribou’s recipient of the Maine Principal’s Association award.
Caribou City Council will hold their next meeting Monday, June 24 at 6 p.m. at Caribou Municipal Building, 25 High St.
|DNP:true
