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Council reappoints Caribou Development Committee members after public briefing
Summary
The City Council voted to reappoint two members to the volunteer Caribou Development Committee after a committee chair briefed the council on last year’s work, activities and priorities for 2025.
The Caribou City Council reappointed two volunteers to the Caribou Development Committee on Jan. 13 after hearing a public briefing on the group’s work over the past year.
Troy Haney, who identified himself as chair of the volunteer Caribou Development Committee, told the council the committee had identified more than 200 acres of city-owned property with development potential, worked with the city manager and utility district to extend sewer lines where needed, and pursued meetings with the Maine Department of Transportation aimed at opening curb cuts to long-inaccessible parcels along Route 1. “We identified over 200 acres of city owned property that has potential for development of housing, commercial, and industrial spaces,” Haney said.
The committee’s work, Haney said, also included forming a housing development team, hosting conversations with builders and developers, applying for a Housing Development Needs Assessment grant and launching a community networking event the committee calls the Ice Breaker. He asked the council to vote to fill committee positions at the Jan. 13 meeting to avoid interrupting the group’s work.
City Manager Penny Thompson told council members she and staff have supported the committee by preparing materials and coordinating with stakeholders, and that some staff tasks overlap across the committee, the Caribou Economic Growth Council (CEGC) and other groups. Thompson said, however, that the manager’s office already delegates many routine tasks—agendas, minutes and packet assembly—so the committee’s activity does not impose a large additional staffing burden.
After discussion among council members about overlap with the CEGC and the committee’s value as a volunteer-driven outreach and development arm, Councilor Bagley moved to appoint Troy Haney and James Nelson to the redevelopment team; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
The council also recorded public support letters from members of the CEGC and the Caribou Development Committee and asked the committee to file an annual report by Jan. 31.
The reappointments keep the volunteer committee active as the council and staff pursue parallel economic-development efforts between the two groups.
