Photo / Fred Field
A caribou statue provides the foreground as Penny Thompson works in her office.
Updated: August 5, 2024
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2024 Women to Watch Honorees
Women to Watch: Penny Thompson is a city manager with a knack for communicating, learning
Photo / Fred Field
Penny Thompson says key attributes for a city manager are transparency and honesty.
City of Caribou
25 High St., Caribou cariboumaine.org- Founded: 1859 as a town, established as a city in 1968
- Employees: 70 full-time, 12 regular part-time plus seasonal part-time
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Penny Thompson became Caribou’s city manager in 2021. She previously served as interim manager for a few months and assessor’s agent from 2013 to 2021.
Her accomplishments include facilitating the creation of a Visit Caribou tourism campaign, advancing community and economic development and strengthening communication. In fiscal years 2023 and 2024, she and her team secured over $8.5 million in grant funding for connectivity, brownfield mitigation, transportation, riverfront redevelopment and sense-of-place projects.
Thompson is committed to lifelong learning and encourages training and career advancement. She attends nearly all city and local events and makes herself accessible.
Mainebiz: What’s your background?
Penny Thompson: I grew up in Illinois, graduated from high school in 1988 and then worked for a Delaware farm cooperative that bought and sold potatoes as a college summer job. I feel like every job I’ve ever worked taught me something that helps me in my current position.
For example, because farming is a big part of our local economy and tax base, having worked summers in the potato business helped me understand some of those challenges.
In 1997, I became a licensed real estate agent and worked full-time as a broker until hired by the city in 2010. I’m still a licensed real estate broker.
MB: Could you describe a project you and your team have worked on?
PT: We were awarded a U.S. EPA Brownfields Program Cleanup Grant to abate hazardous materials at a diesel powerplant parcel the city acquired through the automatic lien foreclosure process. We have great partners through the Maine DEP, which even helped us do the background assessments needed for the grant application because it’s a daunting process.
We have another removal project with the EPA on a steam plant. When we have those cleaned up, it’s going to greatly reduce the risk of contamination in our community.
MB: What projects are in the pipeline?
PT: This spring, Ashley Pringle from Maine & Co. called with questions, since a client had been researching a Caribou property. It was a chance to learn more about how Maine & Co. partners with communities to highlight their unique attributes to incentivize business retention, expansion and attraction.
The project is an exciting opportunity because the business is a great fit to locate into our light-industrial park and occupy an underutilized commercial building. During our meeting, representatives said they needed a suitable property, an adequate labor force and a receptive community. We are pleased they recognized that Caribou has all that and more.
While I can’t give full details, the project is on track to meet their target of a Q1 2025 opening. I understand this will be a first-of-its-kind operation in Maine for this company.
MB: What would you say are key attributes for a city manager?
PT: Transparency and honesty are really important. We’re funded by taxpayer dollars. I have to say, ‘This is what we’re doing with your money.’
I say to people every day, ‘Don’t be afraid to come to me and say, “Hey, I think you’re wrong.”’ I want to be the person who people feel comfortable coming to. I love to learn. It’s like oxygen for me. And you can learn from everybody. And I’ve tried to instill in everyone I’ve worked with that, just as I like to learn, I want them to learn. That means giving them the tools of education.
The city manager is a generalist, so I have something to learn from the police and fire departments, public works, the city clerk’s office — all of them. They’re the experts in what they’re doing. As the generalist, I’m trying to help them be the best version of themselves as employees and to do work that’s fulfilling to them. And in the process, our citizens are getting a well-trained and engaged workforce.
MB: How would you characterize Caribou?
PT: People embrace each other. When someone is having a hard time, people step in to help — and they don’t need anyone to know they’re helping. They love this community.
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