Caribou Utilities District authorizes GM to pursue $1 million NBRC grant for Aroostook River water‑main crossing

The Caribou Utilities District Board of Trustees on Oct. 8 authorized Jonathan G. Hellstrom, general manager, to apply for, accept and expend $1,000,000 in Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) funds for an Aroostook River water main crossing project and to sign NBRC investment documents on behalf of the district.

The resolution, contained in the meeting packet, states that the NBRC award amount is $1,000,000 and grants the named official full authority to execute NBRC documents. Staff told trustees the district must include a board resolution as part of the full application and that the application deadline is the end of the week. The board read the resolution during the meeting and then moved and approved it.

Meeting discussion noted the NBRC round was highly competitive: staff recorded more than 60 applications and roughly $3.54 billion in total requests across applicants. Staff credited district employees and external partners for preparing the application; the packet referenced assistance from Jim Ward and NMDC. The board record shows the document will be signed by the general manager and by the district treasurer once the board authorizes it.

Background information provided at the meeting said the full application follows an earlier, successful preliminary request. Staff emphasized that the resolution is a necessary step for the NBRC application to proceed; without the authorized signatory and board action the application would be incomplete. The board approved the resolution and agreed to complete the required signatures.

Provenance: The resolution language and the board’s motion to approve appear in the meeting transcript beginning at 00:10:21; application timing and competitive‑round comments appear later in that discussion at 00:11:10.