PEPPERRELL POST
APRIL 2018
Photo courtesy of Kevin Sutherland
A MESSAGE FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR

Dear Saco Citizens,
 
Map provided by Kevin Sutherland
The City of Saco, elected officials, and concerned citizens from across the community have worked for decades to resolve the challenges created by the Army Corps of Engineers' structure known as the Camp Ellis Jetty.  In early summer 2017, an updated report by the regional office of the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) was presented to the City with a price tag of $67 million dollars.  This revised amount, well above the $26.9 million previously allotted from prior Congressional efforts, would not be accepted by the Head Quarters of the ACOE as it exceeds what Congress had originally authorized.
 
This information put the City of Saco in tough position.  At this point, the City had four options: 1.) Work with our congressional delegates to lobby for an increase to the authorized amount; 2.) Request that the project be moved to another potential funding source and added to the ACOE Chief's Report; 3.) Advocate for the Federal Government to purchase all the properties, or 4.) Consider legal action.
 
The City has worked closely with our federal delegates to apply pressure on the Army Corps of Engineers and at this point Headquarters has instructed the regional office to submit a revised project that meets the authorized amount by May 15th.
 
The City will host a meeting the week of April 9th for residents and elected officials to learn about where this project stands and what our next steps are. We will update our website, send out an email to the Camp Ellis & Ferry Beach notification list, and share the information across other platforms  once a date has been selected. 
 
Please visit our website to sign-up for notifications or to read more about the history of the Section 111 project and erosion studies. 

Sincerely ,

Kevin L. Sutherland
City Administrator 
CITY NEWS AND UPDATES

Articles for the April edition were provided by the Parks and Recreation Department. 
Summer Camp Registration is OPEN! 

PreK-8th Grade Summer Camp Registration: Open March 26th through June 15th, 2018!  This summer, our K-8 camps will run from June 25th-August 24th. We also offer a Sandbox summer camp morning program for children ages 3-5.
 
Here is our Summer Camp 2018 enrollment process:
Journal Tribune Readers' Choice Best Summer Camp 2018

The Saco Parks & Recreation Department would like to thank all those in ou community who voted for our summer camp! We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to provide the best summer camp experience in the area!
Summer Theater Academies

The Theater Academy is back for its fourth season with our most exciting summer yet!

This season is brought to you as a cooperative endeavor of the Saco and Biddeford Recreation Departments and the Biddeford School Department. This year we are combining forces to bring you the summer theater academies you have come to know and love in a state of the art auditorium in the Performing Arts Center at Biddeford Middle School!  Registration will open early April.  The shows include: 
  • Broadway Bound: Once Upon a Time!
  • High School Musical Jr.
  • Annie Jr.
  • Mulan Jr.
  • The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
  • Broadway Bound: Rock On!
Superhero 5K Run-Walk Fun Run!

Please join us for our 2nd Annual Superhero 5K Run - Walk - Kids Fun Run onSunday April 29th, sponsored by Saco Sport & Fitness! Start and finish will be at the Saco Community Center at 75 Franklin St. Online registration open through Thursday, April 26th, 2018. 
Spring Sports 

Intro to Indoor Youth Volleyball Divisions for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8.  
April 13th-May 4th.
Spring Outdoor Coed Soccer Divisions for K-2 and grades 3-6.  
May 7th-June 11th.
Saco Stars Cheering Spring Clinics:  running end of April through end of May 2018 with sessions for Tumbling and Stunting. 
T-ball: Instructional Baseball/SoftballRegistration is open through April 6th for our
spring T-ball program!   Click here to register. We offer the following divisions:
  • Start Smart: parent participation divisions for ages 3-4
  • National League: first year player program for ages 5 -6
  • American League: modified t-ball program combined with coach pitch for ages 5-6
  • Eastern League: coach pitch instructional program for ages 6-7.
Thank you to the Parks Division and Public Works Department!

We just wanted to extend a big thanks to our Parks staff and the team at Saco Public Works who have gotten up early and worked late nights to make sure our facilities and streets are plowed all winter long! We know with the most recent winter storms, they have all been working tirelessly to make sure everyone is safe. Thank you!
UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS

Check out the Community Calendar for upcoming meetings and events. 
SENIORity Spring Barbecue

April 26th 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Saco Community Center

Join us for our spring SENIORity Program Event: the annual Spring Time Indoor Barbecue!  Enjoy some wonderful tastes of summer including barbecue chicken, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, garden salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, chips, cookies and ice cream.

Where: Saco Community Center
When: Thursday, April 26th, 2018, 11:30am-1:00pm. *Food served 11:30am-12:15pm
Who: For participants 50 and over
Fee: Free for members; $2.00/non-members
RSVP: All attendees must preregister.   
River Bend Farm Project Community Meeting 

April 10, 2018 6:30 PM-8:00 PM
Saco City Hall Auditorium, 2nd Floor

The Ecology School will host a Presentation to the Community: Site Plans for River Bend Farm on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 in the Saco City Hall Auditorium (2nd Floor). The presentation will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. with refreshments and an informal viewing of site plans beginning at 6 p.m. Craig Freshley (Owner, Good Group Decisions) will moderate the meeting. This is an opportunity, prior to the Planning Board Meeting Public Hearing on April 17, for all interested parties to ask questions, review the plans, and discuss concerns.
More P&R Programs and Events

Please join us for other great programs and events this spring including our April Vacation Theater Academy April 17th-20th, Safe Sitter Babysitting Course on April 19th, Family Bingo on May 11th, and more! 
 
Thank you to all the citizens of Saco for your support and participation throughout the years from the Staff of the Saco Parks and Recreation Department!
Biddeford-Saco Chamber After Hours 
Unitil and Chinburg Properties


April 5, 2018 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Saco Mill Building #4 
120 Main Street in Saco 

Experience the beauty of restored mill living and discover the low cost and convenience of natural gas. 
Red Ribbon Committee Presentation

April 26th 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM 
Biddeford High School Little Theater
20 Maplewood Avenue in Biddeford 
Transit Angel Project Launch - ShuttleBus Zoom

April 11, 2018 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Saco Transportation Center 

For more information, contact: Perian Carpenter, Mobility Manager at pcarpenter@shuttlebus-zoom.com or (207)282-5804
Bark in the Park - A K9 Celebration 
Saco Main Street


June 2nd 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Saco Dog Park 

More information to follow! 





Photo provided by Jordan Biggs
Upcoming Committee Meetings

City Council Meetings and Workshops
April 2nd, April 9th, and April 17th at 6:30 PM
City Council Chambers 

Planning Board Meeting
April 3rd and 17th at 5:00 PM
City Hall Conference Room 

Saco Valley Land Trust
April 5th at 7:00 PM
City Hall Conference Room 

Coastal Waters Commission Meeting
April 10th at 7:00 PM 
Transportation Center Conference Room

School Board Meetings
April 4th and April 25th at 7:00 PM
Saco City Hall 

Conservation Commission Meeting
April 23rd at 5:30 PM
Transportation Center

Energy and Sustainability Committee Meeting
April 24th at 10:45 AM
City Hall Conference Room 
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

The Saco Parks and Recreation Department welcomed new Director Ryan Sommer in January 2018.  One of Ryan's first priorities was restructuring the strong team that was already in place. As a result, some of the recreation staff have moved into redefined roles within the Recreation Division. 
Erika Dube, Deputy Director of Recreation
Erika Dube (pictured here with her daughter, Olivia)

Erika Dube has worked for SPR for 8 years and has recently moved into the position of Deputy Director of Recreation. Over the years at SPR, Dube has been involved with numerous facets of the department, from using her music and performing arts background to help pilot and support the theater academy to coaching and developing field hockey programs, marketing, grant writing, web and social media management, overseeing personnel, customer service, and more. As a lifelong resident who currently lives in Saco with her family, Dube is passionate about serving this community and offering programs that meet the needs and interests of the city's diverse population. Dube enjoys being a part of an organization that truly represents what Saco is all about and is excited to join the leadership team for the next phase of development for SPR!
Amelia Meier, Community Outreach Coordinator

Amelia Meier (pictured with her boyfriend, Alex) 
Amelia Meier has worked for the City of Saco for approaching 7 years and has had a few different roles throughout her time here. She currently is the City's Wellness Coordinator and has recently taken on the new position as Community Outreach Coordinator. Two of the largest components of her job include building programs and providing opportunities for the senior community, as well as, putting on special events for families and participants of all ages! She has worked with the 50+ group for the past two years, and truly values the importance of building a sense of community for this age group, and for everyone around Saco. Amelia is originally from Colorado, but made her way to the East Coast and graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2010. She is passionate about traveling and seeing the world, and also enjoys camping, hiking, and cooking!
Steve Brown, Facility and Youth Program Coordinator 
Steve Brown

Steve Brown has been working for the City of Saco since 2011 and is excited for his new role as SPR's Facility and Youth Program Coordinator. During his time here, he
 has been part of every aspect of the department, serving as a Summer Camp Director, a  football, basketball and soccer  coach, leading the charge on our growing STEM programming through our After the Bell program and Lego Robotics, and playing an integral role in our parks team. Steve has been part of the major renovations at both the Memorial Baseball Field and The North Street Softball Field and is looking forward to being a part of the growth and renovation of The Foss Road Recreation Complex with the recent bond passing. Steve's passion in recreation lies in leading and engaging the youth of the community, ranging from introducing our youngest players at the Start Smart Pre-K division to their sport of basketball, football or T-ball for the first time to mentoring our seasonal recreation employees, many who are just entering the workforce and hope to one day pursue careers in either Recreation or Education themselves.   Steve has worked in Recreation since he was 14 when he first became a soccer coach, and after more than 20 years in the field, still brings the same passion and excitement to the job today as he did when he first became "Coach Steve"!
City of Saco | (207)282-4191 | info@sacomaine.org | www.SacoMaine.org
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