| Caribou City Manager |
|
City of Caribou 25 High Street Caribou, Maine 04736 |
Steven R. Buck, City Manager Phone: (207)493-3324 Menu Option #6 Fax: (207)498-3954 E-mail: manager@cariboumaine.org |
The City Manager is appointed by a majority vote of the City Council for an indefinite term and is responsible for implementing policy established by the City Council as well as the administration of all City affairs. The Manager oversees and keeps the Council informed of the business, financial condition and future needs of the City.
Caribou City Manager Steven R. Buck was appointed by the City Council in June 2001. In addition to his day-to-day duties, Mr. Buck is the Superintendent of roads, parking lots, bridges and buildings and the purchasing agent for the City (with the exception of those buildings coming under the School Department, Cary Medical Center, Public Library and Jefferson Cary Hospital Fund). Mr. Buck serves as an Ex-Officio member of the Cary Medical Center, Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Tri-Community Landfill Boards of Directors. He also serves as the Fair Hearing Authority for all challenged General Assistance Administrator’s decisions and conducts fair hearings in accordance with applicable State laws.
City Manager’s Annual Report for 2007
The end of the calendar year 2007 finds the City of Caribou in an exceptionally strong financial position as verified by this year’s audit. As stated in an earlier year’s report, dynamic is still the key word to describe the conduct of business and interactions amongst the City, businesses, State and Federal government and the people who are Caribou. The interactivity of all these entities, levels of bureaucracy and people provides both challenges and rewards. As is always the case, the City’s departments work under the direction of the City Council to provide all levels of services from the most essential to those further desired services that uniquely define our fair City. It is with great pride as your chief administrator that I work daily with department heads that also pride themselves in the prudent conduct of their departments and the oversight of our community’s assets. I believe you will agree with this last statement as you read the annual reports from our many departments and review the audi ted financials later in this report.Please review the departmental reports contained in this year’s Annual report for greater insight into their ongoing work. The City should continue with pride in their long standing conservative fiscal management, exceptional capital improvements programming and their current levels of investment in our Community. This is not an easy task and you may inquire of any City Councilor the hours that they contribute towards this well being. Caribou maintains a continued approach towards regionalization of services in cooperation with our regional partners towards ever greater efficiencies and economies of scale. With the success of these approaches, the refinement is now to implement “best practice” models for all existing and future services. We can continue to learn form others as we improve upon ourselves.
Regionalization was the prior mantra towards greater efficiencies. In 2007 it became consolidation that lead the charge with realizations stemming form the Brookings Report. The State of Maine’s 123rd Legislature responded by enacting public law for school consolidation. Caribou has been launched on this path of obstacles as we strive towards the highest level of academic offerings while achieving the State’s goals of savings on central administration, transportation and facilities maintenance. All services come with a cost and the future questions to answer will be, “What are the acceptable costs for the services as desired by our Community?” Caribou is well positioned for this challenge in school consolidation, and all other areas, having a long history of regionalized or consolidated services with our neighbors. Necessity may have been the original impetus of our consolidated services, but cooperation provided for the long-term growth and excellence in provisions that have become synonymous with Ca ribou and our partners. I believe Caribou will be equally as successful in school consolidation as in our current regional provisions and numerous mutual aid agreements.
This past year also saw the near completion of the new gymnasium at the Caribou Wellness Center. As of December of 2007, the construction was anticipated to be completed within the next three months to open ahead of schedule and yes below budget. The phenomenal team of local vendors, contractors and engineers should be noted for having the greatest influence on what will be a most positive outcome. Caribou has chosen to invest in its future through this facility and stands to capitalize on that investment for years to come.
Budgetary considerations for 2007 recorded a significant increase in expenses due to the impacts of petroleum fuels and products, electricity, winter maintenance products, employment and training costs and contractual allowances within the Ambulance department. Total appropriations increased by $339,163 or 4.31% for the year. However, non-property tax revenue grew even greater by $352,302 or 7.45% for the year. Total appropriations grew by $580,629 after accounting for a strong transfer of prior year net of operations, a slight increase in County tax, a reduction in Education appropriation and finally the first year inclusion of debt service for the new gymnasium. After inclusion of the non-property tax revenues, the net raised by taxation increased by $210,707 or 3.38%. Coupled with a strong increase in valuation the resulting mil rate was set at 24.00 mils, a reduction of 1/2 mil from the prior year.
In reading this Annual Report, I encourage the reader to remain proactive in the governance of their Community. I hope as the reader we share a view point that we are bound by our sense of Community more so than our municipal boundaries and it is the collective qualities of our people that truly make Caribou the best home town.
Submitted,
Steven R. Buck
City Manager,