Council approves library abatement bid, appoints trustee and authorizes Brownfields loan; code-of-conduct vote tabled

The Caribou City Council on Jan. 27 voted on a package of routine and policy items, approving a contractor for asbestos abatement at the Caribou Public Library, appointing a trustee to the Caribou Utilities District Board, authorizing city manager Penny Thompson to sign loan paperwork tied to the state revolving Brownfields loan fund and tabling a proposed council code of conduct pending further legal review.

The actions completed Wednesday were largely unanimous votes. Councilors also approved the December 2024 financial report and accepted minutes from prior meetings.

Why it matters: The library contract clears a step needed to begin interior renovation work under a grant to create a connectivity hub. The Brownfields loan authorization advances a plan to remove contaminated soil at the Birds Eye site using a combination of grant and low-interest loan dollars. Tabling the code-of-conduct measure postpones council decisions about meeting procedures and conflict terminology until the attorney and council members reconcile statutory requirements and Robert’s Rules language.

Details of the votes and outcomes • Minutes (May 28, 2024 and June 24, 2024): Motion to approve carried (recorded votes: Bagley, Kelly, Lovewell, Smith, Terrio, Watson — all “Aye”). • Appointment — Caribou Utilities District Board: Council appointed Matthew Till to a three-year term through Dec. 31, 2027; motion carried unanimously. • Library asbestos abatement bid: Council accepted the lone bid, $49,266, from County Abatement Inc. of Caribou to abate asbestos tile in the library’s non‑historic interior section so renovation work tied to the MCA connectivity hub grant can proceed; vote unanimous. • December 2024 financial report: Council accepted the unaudited year‑end financials (assets, revenues and fund balances presented by the finance director); motion carried unanimously. • Authorize city manager to sign DECDRLF loan paperwork (Brownfields revolving loan fund) for the Birds Eye PCB soils work: Motion and second carried; attorney review was reported and the manager was authorized to execute paperwork so the grant/loan can proceed. • Code of conduct resolution (draft): The council discussed proposed language and whether to rely on Robert’s Rules terminology for conflicts of interest and other procedural items; a motion to table the resolution for further attorney review carried unanimously.

What council members said and next steps City Manager Penny Thompson explained the Brownfields funding structure: the program combines a grant portion and a low‑interest loan portion; the city previously authorized application and now must execute loan documents for a PCB‑soil removal estimate that rose from about $33,000 (2017) to about $48,000 in recent estimates. Thompson said attorney Rick Salmon reviewed the paperwork and was comfortable signing, but the council voted formally to authorize her signature. Thompson also presented the library connectivity project and said asbestos abatement is a precondition for interior renovation work funded through an MCA connectivity hub grant. Finance staff presented unaudited December 2024 numbers and answered council questions about fund balances and revenue collections.

The council directed staff to obtain revised code-of-conduct language that merges Robert’s Rules phrasing with statutory conflict-of-interest requirements and return with a recommended draft at a future meeting.

Votes at a glance (short list) • Minutes (May 28, June 24, 2024) — Approved — unanimous • Appointment: Matthew Till, Caribou Utilities District Board (term to 12/31/2027) — Approved — unanimous • Accept County Abatement Inc. bid for library asbestos abatement — $49,266 — Approved — unanimous • Accept December 2024 unaudited financial report — Approved — unanimous • Authorize city manager to sign DECDRLF Brownfields loan paperwork for Birds Eye PCB cleanup — Approved — unanimous • Table proposed council code-of-conduct resolution for further attorney review — Approved — unanimous

Ending: Council members asked staff to return with revised or clarified documents for the code‑of‑conduct item and said the manager would submit the executed Brownfields paperwork to the lender/grantor promptly; the library abatement contract clears the way for interior renovation work tied to the connectivity grant.