Caribou council candidates outline competing plans for growth, riverfront, housing and a scaled police station

Three candidates vying for two seats on the Caribou City Council presented differing priorities at a public forum that highlighted shared concerns about economic development, housing and the city’s long-running police station project.

Incumbent candidate Daniel Bagley, candidate Laurie Knight Bair and candidate Benjamin Tucker answered questions from moderator Jason Parent on topics that included downtown and riverfront redevelopment, blight and vacant properties, housing incentives, the proposed police station and the city’s tax burden.

The forum offered a broad view of where the candidates align and where they diverge. All three said economic growth and expanding the tax base are central to relieving pressure on homeowners. “Without significant new businesses and residents coming in, soaring costs are going to cause taxes to go higher and higher,” said Daniel Bagley, who said he has served on the council for three years. Bagley called the interaction of rising costs and population loss a “death spiral.”

Benjamin Tucker, a telecommunications engineer and repeat candidate, said economic development should be driven by competition and fewer regulatory barriers. “I think economic development is first and foremost driven by competition,” Tucker said, calling for a review of ordinances that might be “needlessly burdensome” and for tax incentives to attract businesses.

Laurie Knight Bair, principal of Conner Consolidated School, emphasized partnership and transparency in city government. She said she would support efforts that back local businesses, strengthen community connections and improve the city’s responsiveness to residents.

On downtown and riverfront redevelopment, candidates described both opportunity and caution. Bagley said the city’s current one-way loop and circulation patterns limit downtown revitalization but called the riverfront “one of the most important investments we can make for Caribou,” noting recent purchases of the train station and starch plant and grants for cleanup. “This could be a huge tourist and recreational attraction,” he said.

Knight Bair said the Aroostook River is a key asset and urged balance between growth and preservation. Tucker said he supports green spaces and partnerships with private property owners but urged fiscal restraint given Caribou’s roughly static population.

Housing, blight and vacant buildings drew sustained attention. All three candidates endorsed exploring incentives for builders and landlords, streamlining permitting and pursuing public–private partnerships to expand housing supply. Bagley has been pushing for a municipal land bank and described it as a tool to address blight and housing stock together. Bagley and Knight Bair also recommended stronger enforcement of nuisance and dangerous-building ordinances and regulatory steps to register and monitor vacant properties to help market them to prospective tenants or buyers.

The planned police station — authorized by voters in June 2022 “not to exceed $10,000,000” — was a frequent flashpoint. Candidates agreed a new facility is needed but differed on approach. Bagley said he supported replacing the current facility but opposed the scale and cost of the original design; he said councilors previously rejected applying $2.5 million in congressional-directed funding to reduce borrower costs and that construction bids came in far above architectural estimates. “Council finally made what I believe was the correct decision to abandon the plan and start over,” he said, adding the city should first examine existing buildings for possible retrofit before commissioning a smaller, more affordable new design.

Knight Bair said she favors renovating an existing centrally located building instead of building a $10 million-plus new structure. Tucker said he is open to a smaller new build but warned retrofits must meet long-term needs and state requirements.

On taxes and municipal budgets, candidates urged tighter spending controls and more rigorous budget workshops. Bagley recommended comparing proposed budgets to actual prior-year spending rather than prior-year requests to better distinguish needs from wants. Knight Bair and Tucker also prioritized grants, efficiencies and economic growth to expand the tax base.

Public health and substance-abuse responses drew a mix of proposals. All three cited prevention and treatment alongside enforcement; Knight Bair emphasized recreation and youth programming, Bagley called for coordinated outreach and increased treatment options, and Tucker focused on addressing underlying economic and mental-health drivers and easing regulatory barriers for treatment providers.

The forum ended with a reminder that two council seats will appear on the November ballot and that voting will be held on Nov. 4 at the Caribou Wellness and Recreation Centre from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; absentee ballots are available from city clerk Danielle Burset at City Hall.

The forum was moderated by Jason Parent, executive director and CEO of Aroostook County Action Program, and introduced by Eric Sanderson, the city’s economic and community development specialist.