Council authorizes city manager to approve payroll and benefit warrants; council notes lack of formal procurement policy

The Caribou City Council voted Jan. 2 to authorize City Manager Penny Thompson to approve city treasurer warrants pertaining to wages and benefits for the 2025 calendar year, a recurring annual vote required under Maine statute.

Councilors discussed the scope of that authority and whether Caribou maintains a separate procurement or purchasing policy. Thompson and councilors said the city charter defines some purchasing authority but that there is not a formal, standalone procurement policy on file; councilors requested follow-up on whether to develop an explicit procurement policy to accompany the manager’s purchasing authority.

Why it matters: Under Maine law, municipalities may designate a municipal officer to approve warrants for payroll and state fee disbursements; without that designation the full council would be required to approve each payroll warrant, a time-consuming process. Council authorization streamlines payroll and benefits processing while raising questions about oversight and written procurement safeguards.

Details - Authorization adopted: Council voted to designate the city manager to approve treasurer warrants for wages and benefits for calendar year 2025. - Procurement discussion: A councilor asked whether the city has a formal procurement policy; the manager and other councilors said there is no separate, formal procurement policy beyond references in the charter; councilors indicated they may pursue a formal policy or clarification.

Ending: Motion carried. Councilors asked staff to return with procurement-policy language or guidance that would define limits and controls that accompany manager purchasing authority.