CARIBOU – The Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry has eliminated its position of executive director in a reorganization plan that will be finished by Jan. 1

The day-to-day duties of Richard Scott, executive director since July 2000, will pass to Wendy Landes, chief financial officer and business developer with the CCCI. Scott already is off the job.

The CCCI works to improve the business climate in Caribou and is involved in economic development, tourism, along with touting the city as the “Community of Choice,” according to a press release received Thursday.

The reorganization was made to strengthen the financial position of the CCCI, according to Doug Morrell, CCCI president for the last two years. He said recognizing current economic realities makes the changes a prudent thing to do. Nonetheless, making the changes was a difficult decision, he said.

Morrell said the CCCI and Scott came to an agreement on a severance package.

“We are trying to be fiscally responsible, constantly trying to do better for less,” Morrell said. “We were looking at what was being spent versus the yield.

“We decided to concentrate our efforts [at getting more business and industry] locally,” he said. “Most new businesses we’ve had start up or expand have been the ones that are already here.”

Scott, in addition to being executive director of the CCCI, was responsible for bringing in new business or industry. The cutting of his position also brought a large savings in travel expenses for the position, according to Morrell.

He said Scott’s job was a “thankless one” because his sales were all outside. Morrell said the job of getting businesses from elsewhere to relocate to Caribou comes without guarantees.

“We’ve been trying for years, and it just was not panning out,” Morrell said. “We are just trying to be fiscally responsible to the organization, to the city and to taxpayers.”

Morrell said the executive director’s position and his travel budget was 18 percent of the operating cost of the CCCI in 2002.

The CCCI now has two full-time and two part-time employees.

“We carefully reviewed the administrative functions of CCCI and we believe that this restructuring was the most effective step we could take at this time,” Morrell said. “Richard [Scott] provided strong leadership for this organization.

“Under his leadership, membership increased and new programs were implemented,” he said. “He has always displayed professionalism and was very adept at dealing with the inevitable politics involved in economic development endeavors.”

“Having worked with these board members, I know that eliminating this position was not an easily reached decision,” Scott, at his home, said Thursday afternoon “I am already a co-owner of one small business, and I am looking to introduce a new business concept to our area.

“The CCCI is and will remain an agency that makes positive impacts on Caribou’s business and community development,” he continued. “The staff is dedicated and the betterment of the members and the city is always their first concern.”

Scott, a resident of Presque Isle, operates the Airport Cafe and Gift Shop at the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle. He said he also would be developing a home gourmet business, offering personal catering in private homes.