In addition to the snowy landscape, there is plenty of generosity and holiday cheer throughout our community! Take note of some ways you can give back this season, like a blood drive with the Red Cross and CLYNK bag donations for Project GRACE's fuel assistance program. We also share some winter weather reminders, look back at some significant accomplishments in 2025, and feature some of the people serving our town. Grab the eggnog and read on for details.

Check our Town Calendar for upcoming meetings, including one this Wednesday, December 3rd.

That's a Wrap! A Look Back at 2025

And that's a wrap! As the year winds down, we’re taking a moment to crunch some numbers—the ones that tell the story of the Town of Scarborough in 2025. From conserved land to committee work and plans to establish a guide for future projects, the numbers show just how much has happened in our active community. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:

60: Number of committee members on the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC), formed in February 2024 to advance a solution for Scarborough schools, and concluding this past summer. The 18-month process (with over 51 meetings) resulted in a successful November referendum to move a $139.85 million school solution forward. The outcome was made possible by the dozens of involved community members who committed hundreds of hours to ensuring the process included rigorous community feedback and participation.

22: Council meetings held throughout the year. The Town Council meets twice monthly (once in July and August) to discuss and vote on Town business, hear public input, evaluate recommendations from committees and make informed decisions on behalf of residents. They also held 16 workshops this year to learn more about particular topics, including the Town audit, beach fees, the Open Space Plan, budget, transportation, growth, and more.

30: Roads listed in the “Priority” category of our Vulnerability Assessment. The Flood Vulnerability Assessment was approved by the Town Council in November and is a crucial step in developing a comprehensive understanding of Town vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies in the face of predicted environmental stressors affecting our community, such as sea-level rise and storm surge. As part of the assessment, 30 public roads were identified for adaptation prioritization based on their flood exposure and their consequences (not all roads are equal in terms of the impact they would have on the Town if they were to be inundated). The goal of prioritizing was to provide more information for the Town to use in the decision-making process for road adaptation projects. Explore the top 30 roads, their flood risk, and adaptation options on the Vulnerability Assessment StoryMap on our website.

$1,200: The new maximum amount eligible seniors will receive as part of our Senior Property Tax Rebate program, effective beginning in fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026). This is up from $1,000 and was passed by the Town Council in October in an effort to ensure that the rebate amount keeps pace with inflation and with the recognition of an anticipated increased tax burden due to the school project. There are approximately 500 participants in this program.

1.6: Mile length of the “gap” in the Eastern Trail currently being built to connect Scarborough to South Portland. The construction of this critical trail segment will close this gap and provide 16 continuous off-road miles reaching from South Portland’s Bug Light to Downtown Saco. Funding was sourced from the Town of Scarborough, City of South Portland, Maine Department of Transportation, Eastern Trail Alliance individual and corporate donors, and state and federal funds.

8: New firefighter positions created, as approved in the FY2026 budget process last spring. The new firefighters were hired in November and completed a rigorous 4-week probationary school to onboard them into the department. This is the largest number of firefighters hired at one time in the history of Scarborough Fire and will give us the ability to add a third, 24/7, advanced life support ambulance (it has been over 20 years since our second ambulance was added). This expansion of emergency medical services allows us to continue to provide the highest quality emergency medical response that our community has come to expect. 

5: Guiding principles directing the Transportation Assessment, formally accepted by the Town Council in July. The assessment, which was previously done in 2006, is intended to provide direction and focus for the Town's future capital spending related to traffic and transportation needs. It identified a primary goal, “to create a multi-modal transportation network that promotes health, safety, economic viability, quality of life, and accessibility for residents, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and motorists”. The guiding principles to meet the goal, as listed in the assessment, are: 1. Implement complete streets; 2. Provide safety measures; 3. Create a multi-modal network; 4. Meet transportation demands; and 5. Encourage connectivity.

328.5: Acres of land conserved this year with the use of land bond funds. The Land Acquisition Reserve Fund is funded by voter approved bond measures and was replenished with $6 million in a November 2024 referendum. This has allowed for the Scarborough Parks and Conservation Land Board to approve applications and make recommendations to the council. With the additional acreage conserved this year, Scarborough is now at 24% of total area conserved. To track progress as we work toward “30x30” (30% conserved by 2030), go to the Open Space Plan dashboard on the Town website.

Holiday Closures

Town offices will be closed on Thursday (Christmas Day) and the following Thursday, New Year's Day, January 1. Town offices are also closed on Fridays. Opening hours for both holiday weeks will be Monday-Wednesday, 7:00am-5:00pm. See below for the adjusted trash/recycling pickup schedule.

Trash/Recycling Holiday Schedule

Public Works would like to remind you that there will be changes to your curbside trash collection over the Christmas and New Year holidays. The weeks of December 25 and January 1 will be delayed by one day for Thursday-Friday trash collection days. Monday-Wednesday collection days will remain unchanged.

• If your normal trash collection day is Thursday, it will be picked up on Friday.
• Friday pickup will be on Saturday.
• Collection on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will remain unchanged.

This day change applies for two weeks in a row, both the weeks of Christmas and New Year's.

*Snowy weather reminder!* If there is inclement weather, please help our plow drivers by placing your trash and recycle carts in your driveway, not on the roadside.

Questions? Contact Public Works at pwinfo@scarboroughmaine.org or (207) 730-4400.

Thank You to Our Plow Drivers! Meet Dan Desimio

Dan Desimio is a member of the Scarborough Public Works crew and plays a big role in the behind-the-scenes of keeping our town running smoothly. From maintaining the road signs, to fixing damaged trash carts, winter plowing, cemetery coordination, and more, he is an integral part of our town and has been for 33 years.

Dan, along with the rest of the Public Works crew, is ready to salt, sand, and plow when the weather turns. He is on-call 24/7 from November 15 to April 15. A select group of eight people are on a weekly rotation for managing the roads with sand and salt if they become icy overnight. If it’s a snowstorm, everybody comes in.

There are 18 total plow units on the road when everyone is in (including part-time workers). Everyone has their assigned route for the season. Dan’s route for several years has been Route 1 from the Saco line to the medical campus, and some side roads. After decades of winter plowing, he urges drivers to slow down and give him and the other plow drivers room to do their job, because they’re out there for all of us. Read more winter reminders from Public Works.

Dan was featured in the most recent issue of Scarborough Living magazine, a local publication by, for, and about Scarborough. Pick up a free copy at one of many locations around town (Town Hall, Hannaford, coffee shops, salons, etc.).

Thanks to all who attended Sparkle in the Park for a truly magical night!

December 19: Gingerbread House Night

Friday, December 19

6:30-8:30pm

Community Services Hub, 418 Payne Road

Register; $10 per house kit (only need one ticket per household)

Usher in the holiday season with our Annual Gingerbread House Night at the Hub. Leave the mess and all of the extra gingerbread bling to us! We will provide the easy-build houses, icing, so much candy you won't be able to make up your mind, plus music, crafts, and light refreshments. And thanks to Michelle Raber State Farm as our event sponsor, it is only $10 per gingerbread house! Limited to 100 houses so register soon!

Find Upcoming Programs in Our Winter Brochure

The Winter 2025-26 Brochure is here! Check out our upcoming activities for Active Adult Programs, Teen Programs, Youth Programs, and Special Events

Swearing-In & Graduation for Ten New Firefighters

December 3rd was a big day in the history of Scarborough and our Fire Department! Ten new career firefighters graduated from our Probationary Fire School, a four-week onboarding program to support with the transition into the department. Our newest firefighters are:

• Amanda Downing, Firefighter/AEMT
• Anthony Heriot, Firefighter/EMT
• Charles Reed, Firefighter/EMT
• Jack Sullivan, Firefighter/EMT
• Michael Byrd, Firefighter/EMT
• Paige Quilty, Firefighter/EMT
• Riley Doughty, Firefighter/AEMT
• Savannah Jones, Firefighter/EMT
• Stephen Bishop, Firefighter/AEMT
• Yuliya Paquette, Firefighter/AEMT

Eight of these are new full-time Firefighter/EMS positions that were added in the FY2026 budget. This increase in staff will improve our ability to serve the community with a continued high level of emergency response 24/7. The new staffing will also allow us to add a third 24/7 advanced life support ambulance—the second ambulance was added over 20 years ago in 2001.

Thank you to all who supported our newest firefighters along the way! We welcome them into our community and look forward to see their accomplishments.

Post Referendum Building Committee Seeks Applicants

Want to be part of the Post Referendum Building Committee? Today is the last day to apply (December 15th deadline).

With the approval of the $139.98 million school building project in the November referendum, it is now moving into its next phase. The Scarborough Board of Education is seeking Scarborough residents to serve on the Post Referendum Building Committee, which will convene in January 2026 and is expected to continue through the end of 2029.

The purpose of the Building Committee is to advise and support the Board of Education on matters related to the building project. This includes design and construction, oversight on the project budget and schedule related to the construction of a new Eight Corners School, addition/renovations at Blue Point, Pleasant Hill, and Scarborough Middle School, and a minor addition to Wentworth School.

An online application is open for all Scarborough residents interested in serving on this committee. The deadline to apply is December 15, 2025.

Don't Miss Our Board & Committee Updates

Last week we sent a Board and Committee newsletter with updates specifically from work happening at the committee level, before it reaches the Town Council. Learn about some of their recent work as we close out 2025. From Planning Board site reviews to Community Services Advisory Board volunteer recruitment planning, a multitude of transportation projects, land purchase applications to review and more, our boards and committees have a significant impact on the town.

Last Chance to Take Community Survey

The Town is wrapping up its community survey and it will close at the end of the day today. Complete the 15-20 minute online survey at scarboroughsurvey.org.

Rate your satisfaction with:

• The overall quality of customer service you receive from Town employees

• The overall appearance of the Town

• How well the Town is managing residential growth

& more

Results of the survey will help inform council goals and projects/initiatives. Results will be shared in our next newsletter on January 1st.

Last chance! Take our online community survey. Your thoughts let us know areas of pride and where efforts need to be prioritized moving forward

Closing Out Cake with the Councilors

We have one more Cake with the Councilors session, tomorrow, December 16! North Scarborough residents, we hope you'll join us at the North Scarborough Fire Station at 6:30pm. Our Councilors have enjoyed several sessions over the past few weeks, where they've had the chance to hear from community members with concerns, suggestions, and viewpoints to share. And since managing the town is not always a "piece of cake", there will be cupcakes on hand as they engage and listen to people in Scarborough.

Council Corner: Reflection, Gratitude, & Community Engagement

By Michelle Hayes, Town Council

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Scarborough Town Council.

As Scarborough’s newest Town Councilor, I’ve hit the ground running since my swearing in ceremony on November 19. I’ve had the good fortune to met dozens of engaged citizens through our informal Cake with the Councilors sessions, with the goal of understanding what’s “top of mind” for folks, as they navigate life in Scarborough. The Town Council had an interactive session with Town staff to better understand their scope of work—and challenges—to inform our goal setting priorities for 2026. I’m particularly looking forward to spending time with our Public Safety leaders and participating in a police ride-along soon! It is a privilege and honor to serve our community; I look forward to hearing from and meeting you during my tenure.

A bit about me!

I grew up in a military family and arrived in Machias/Cutler to begin high school, as a result of my father’s final Navy deployment. My father had grown up on a farm in Belfast, and wanted to retire in his beloved Maine. Subsequently, I fell in love with Maine, and after living a nomadic military life—Italy, Iceland, Virginia, Washington, it was nice to put down roots.

My family has happily called Scarborough home since 1993. My children attended Scarborough schools, and my parents moved to Scarborough and resided here for the last 10 years of their lives. I was fortunate to spend a 25-year career with Hannaford Supermarkets as a Human Resources and Operations leader. I’ve been an active community leader throughout my career serving on several boards including the YMCA, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Thomas College, Maine Community Foundation and Ketcha Outdoors. I’ve supported numerous political candidates “behind the scenes” and grew up in a household with robust political conversations around the dinner table.

Many people have asked why I decided to run for Town Council. Like many people in Scarborough, I’ve been frustrated and puzzled by the lack of growth management; the perception that the Town is developer-centric; the cost and impact of growth on our infrastructure; the impact on our environment and quality of life. 

Scarborough is a highly desirable place to live. We don’t need to “incent” developers to conduct business in Scarborough. If developers cannot make their numbers work, we shouldn’t support development with TIFs or CEAs. Our infrastructure continues to struggle with the acceleration of growth. We need to restructure our impact fees to more proportionally offset the cost of growth on taxpayers. Speaker Ryan Fecteau has highlighted Scarborough for doing more than our fair share of providing housing in Maine. We increased housing units by 25.4% in the past decade. We desperately need a PAUSE—a temporary moratorium on growth—to access where we are and how to responsibly more forward. Our infrastructure needs to catch up with our accelerated growth. The challenges of navigating Payne Road are frequently mentioned in Town. It’s a traffic and safety nightmare. I often wonder if today’s Payne Road is what folks envisioned as development was approved along the Payne Road corridor. We can’t change the past but we can adjust our ordinances and zoning and utilize the growth management tools we have to create the future we desire. 

Listening to the residents of Scarborough and enhancing community trust in our representative government is of paramount importance to me. I believe we have a Town Council committed to listening to our community and factoring diverse perspectives into our decision making. We saw this in action this past summer when the grassroots group, Not So Fast Scarborough, galvanized 150+ concerned citizens to show up and voice their concerns at a Town Council meeting concerning the proposed Dunstan TIF. The Town Council voted unanimously to reject the TIF, demonstrating the power of people coming together and making a difference in the outcome of an issue. The school referendum, which passed in November, is another good example of citizen input impacting an outcome. The first school referendum failed at the polls. The school building committee listened to voters to better understand why the referendum failed. and incorporated the feedback in to the recently passed referendum. Your voice matters and the Town Council is working hard to engage with Scarborough residents. We welcome your ideas on how to engage and communicate with you more effectively.

My favorite quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Show up at meetings, send us emails, volunteer on committees, share your insights. Let’s shape Scarborough’s future together.

Wishing you peace, health and wonderful moments with family and friends as we close out 2025. Take a pause to absorb the beauty of Maine and the calming glow of holiday lights throughout Scarborough. Happy New Year!

Scarborough Town Council

Cory Fellows (Chair) • Larry Cain (Vice Chair) • Jonathan Anderson • Scott Doherty • Bill Donovan • Michelle Hayes • Karin Shupe

Town Council meets the first and third Wednesday of each month (third Wednesday only in July and August). Visit our Town Calendar for links to attend and view agendas.

Sustainability Tips & Gift Wrapping Workshop 🎁♻

Here are a few simple changes we can all make to reduce our impact this holiday season:

• Shop Local: Online shopping results in 5x more packaging waste than in-person

shopping.

• Wrap Sustainably: Most wrapping paper is single-use and cannot be recycled. Use materials you already have that you can use to gift wrap this year or attend the sustainable wrapping workshop at the public library.

• Exchange Items: Swap decorations with neighbors to freshen up your home, swap

unused items through Buy Nothing or other swap groups.

• Gift Creatively: Gift experiences your loved ones will enjoy, like concert tickets, massage

coupons, pottery or music lessons, and gift cards for activities they love!

Join us for a sustainable gift wrapping workshop at the Scarborough Public Library on Tuesday, December 16th from 12:00-2:00pm. Bring newspaper, fabric, old sheets, ribbons, paper bags, cardboard boxes, or whatever materials you have laying around, and gain ideas and inspiration to reduce, reuse, and recycle when you wrap!

Clerk's Office: CLYNK Bags to Support Our Community

Join the Town of Scarborough in a CLYNK Challenge to benefit Project GRACE's fuel program fundraiser. The program offers assistance to community members in need of fuel assistance, especially during the challenging winter months of home heating. Pick up a CLYNK bag in the Town Clerk's office so that your can/bottle returns can support the fund.

Project GRACE is a Scarborough nonprofit helping to improve the lives of Scarborough neighbors through fuel assistance, food support, and more.

SEDCO Holiday Guide

Get in the holiday spirit with the 2025 Holiday Guide for Scarborough, brought to you by Scarborough Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO), Scarborough Community Chamber of Commerce and Scarborough Buy Local. You'll find a list of events in Scarborough, a selection of regional events and a mini guide to gifts and offers. Enjoy the many events that celebrate the holidays in Scarborough and the region. Have a safe and happy holiday season!

SEDCO develops, supports and promotes sustainable economic development practices leading to a healthy, diverse and resilient local economy for the Scarborough community.

Explore Independently-Owned Scarborough Businesses

Look locally for last minute gifts! Scarborough Buy Local has built a robust directory of independently owned businesses in town in industries ranging from food & beverage, to fitness, services, retail, banking, and more.

Residents - Do you want to keep it local? Check out the Scarborough Buy Local website and find local businesses. 

Scarborough Small Businesses - Register to be part of the Buy Local team and optimize the business search on our website. Plus, as a member you receive many other benefits such as advertisement and networking events. 

December 30: Blood Drive Hosted by Scarborough Fire

Scarborough Fire is hosting a blood drive on Tuesday, December 30 from 9:00am-6:00pm and asks for donors to sign up. The drive is in honor of Madison Charland, the niece of one of our firefighters.

At only 10 months old, Madison was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She is a fighter and went through a grueling 2.5 year treatment plan including many rounds of chemotherapy. During this time, Madison needed many blood and platelet transfusions. She has now been in remission for over two years and enjoys gymnastics, dancing, and soccer. There are more children who need your help to win their battle with cancer, which is why we started Blood Drives in Honor of Madison. Please sign up to be somebody's hero!

This blood drive is sponsored by the Scarborough Fire Department, Scarborough Police Department, and the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. Sign up at redcrossblood.org and typing in the keywords: Madison Charland or directly through the link below.

Dog Licenses Expire on December 31, 2025

Dog license registration is open for 2026, and are valid through December 31, 2026. Register or renew your dog license in person at the Clerk's office or online. (If you register your dog(s) online, you will receive your tag(s) at the beginning of the next month). All dog renewals must be completed by January 31, 2026. The cost is $6 (spay/neutered) or $11 (not spayed/neutered). There is an additional $25 late fee after February 1st. To receive a license for your dog, please come into the Town Clerk's Office at Town Hall during our business hours, Monday through Thursday from 7:00am-5:00pm.

Why do dogs need to be licensed? Many reasons! Dog licensing ensures rabies vaccination which protects the health of your pet. Fees also go directly to the Maine Animal Welfare Program to fight animal cruelty and abuse, accounting for 95% of the State Animal Welfare Program’s entire funding. Without these fees, the State would be unable to protect the animals of this state.

Prepare for the Winter Season

Sign Up for CodeRED Alerts

As we head into the winter storm season, one way to prepare is signing up for our Town's CodeRED computer alert system. It is used to quickly notify large groups of people for emergency situations like criminal activity, severe weather, road closures, evacuations, and missing persons. Only those who are signed up receive these alerts. It's free and secure to sign up for cell phone alerts. Select how to receive alerts: text, phone call and/or email. Help us keep you informed and safe by signing up for CodeRED.

Scarborough Public Library Receives Prestigious Camden National Award

The Scarborough Public Library Board of Trustees president Kate Borduas has been awarded a 2025 Camden National Leaders and Luminaries grant. Borduas was selected from 120 nominations across the state, with only five awards granted statewide. The recognition honors individuals whose leadership creates meaningful community impact.

Borduas has served in the library community for over four decades and on the leadership team for more than thirty years. She restructured the library's Annual Fund through her "Tender Loving Care" model, which addresses long-term sustainability while maintaining current services.

"Kate's leadership philosophy is a metaphor of the light and the mirror," said Library Director Richard Schrader. "She works to reflect and amplify the light others bring to the community, including the efforts of our amazing board, library staff, and the city of Scarborough leaders. Her approach ensures that stakeholders are empowered, feel valued and are supported."

The $5,000 Camden National award will support community programs and public services at the Scarborough Public Library, furthering the institution's mission to serve as a vital community resource for all residents.

The Scarborough Public Library champions literacy in all its forms, providing free access to books, technology, programs, and resources for residents of all ages and backgrounds. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the library is supported by the town of Scarborough, grants, sponsors, and individual donations.

Upcoming Programs at Scarborough Public Library

Cookie Swap for Kids, Tweens & Teens

Monday, December 22, 1:00-2:00pm

Register

Bring a batch of cookies to swap with others so you can have a cookie variety over vacation week! We'll decorate boxes to bring your cookies home with you. Make it a gift or eat them yourself! Please register for each kid by selecting the number of people in your group.

Wings of Fire Book Release Party

Tuesday, December 30, 1:00-3:00pm

Register

Calling all dragonets! Celebrate the launch of the newest Wings of Fire book "Talons of Power" with an afternoon packed full of adventure. Join us for a Dragon Scavenger Hunt (find all the clues to win a prize!), spin the Dragon Creation Wheel to design your very own dragon, try a fire-worthy craft, and snack on tasty dragon claws. Think you know every tribe and timeline? Test your skills in our Wings of Fire Trivia Challenge—and more surprises along the way! Whether you’re loyal to the SeaWings or cheer for another tribe, all dragonets are welcome to celebrate Turtle’s big moment.

Death Cafe with Die Well Death Education

Tuesday, January 6, 5:30-7:00pm

Register

At a Death Cafe, people - often strangers - gather to eat cake, drink tea, and discuss death. Our objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their finite lives.' It is a group-directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives, or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counseling session. Individually wrapped, homemade skull cakelets will be provided. All are welcome - join us! 

"We're all going to die, so why don't we talk about it? I'm not saying talk about it so incessantly that people generally avoid you, (although you can if you want - I usually do) but rather talk about what we would like our end-of-life experience, our death, and our disposition to look and be like. With clear and concise communication and preparation, you can - and will - create the strongest possibility that you will experience a 'good death.'" -Leona Oceania, from Die Well Death Education