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Council holds required public hearing for County Ag CDBG application and approves application slate
Summary
The council opened and closed a public hearing on a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application for County Ag; councilors then voted to approve the slate of required resolutions and plans to permit the city to apply on County Ag’s behalf and to administer the grant if awarded.
The Caribou City Council opened a public hearing on Feb. 10 to accept comment on a Community Development Block Grant application that Local business County Ag, working with Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC), is preparing to submit to the State of Maine.
Penny (City staff) explained that County Ag has qualified to apply for a CDBG through NMDC and that the municipality — the City of Caribou — must apply and administer the grant on the business’s behalf if the applicant is selected. Penny emphasized that no municipal funds would be used as match for County Ag’s project and that a public hearing is part of the state application process. County Ag owner Mrs. Neto was present to answer questions, the city said.
Councilors and staff discussed administrative workload for grant administration. Penny said NMDC provides assistance and that the city’s finance staff has received training on grant requisitions; the city manager added that much of the heavy paperwork for CDBG compliance had already been prepared citywide and that some items were general to municipal applications rather than specific to County Ag.
A councilor asked whether current staff resources were adequate to administer the grant. Penny and the manager said NMDC would help and that city staff had prior experience administering CDBG grants. The manager noted that much of the required documentation — equal employment opportunity resolution, fair housing resolution, residential displacement plan, standards of conduct, Section 504 plan — had been prepared and were city‑wide templates.
Following the public hearing, a councilor moved to “move this slate” of required documents and resolutions; another councilor seconded. The roll-call vote recorded councilors Bagley, Kelly, Lovewell, Smith, Terrio and Watson as voting “Aye.” The motion carried and the items required for the CDBG application were approved for submission with the city as applicant and administrator if County Ag is selected.
Penny and staff said they would continue to coordinate with County Ag and NMDC as the application proceeds.
