Cold temperatures are on their way, but planning for community projects and council goals is just warming up. Many of the stories below show incredible examples of collaboration—what can be accomplished when departments, Town Council, and external organizations work together with public input and involvement. Some of these efforts address immediate needs, like the upcoming fuel rally to keep our neighbors warm. Others are a forward-thinking, multi-step process with several stakeholders, like the Parks & Facilities master plan and school building project. Read on for details of recent Town achievements, what's ahead, and how you can be involved.

Speaking of those cold temperatures, our Fire Department reminds you to be careful; avoid unnecessary travel and extended outside exposure on Friday and Saturday.

Parks & Facilities Master Plan: First Draft Presentation

Wednesday, February 1 during the 7:00pm Town Council meeting (Agenda)

YouTube / Zoom

Draft Master Plan

The Town of Scarborough is conducting a comprehensive parks and facilities master plan with consultant BerryDunn. This process will allow for meaningful park and recreation facility improvements that yield higher levels of performance and increased enjoyment for all who use it.

The consultants conducted several rounds of focus groups and a survey with a random sampling of residents last summer. After a preliminary findings presentation in August, they began work on the master plan. In tonight's meeting, the will present the current draft of the master plan, expected to be complete by this Spring. 

Our Town's CodeRED computer alert system is used to quickly notify large groups of people in emergency situations like criminal activity, severe weather, road closures, evacuations, and missing persons. 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.

Norman Kildow is one month into his role as our new Finance Director. He comes to Scarborough from the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he spent 19 years in the finance department. He served in progressively responsible roles, most recently as the controller for the past five years, leading a staff of 29 people in the Accounting division. He has a bachelor's degree in Accounting from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. He is also a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Public Finance Officer.

After a 40-year history in accounting and finance in both the private and public sectors, Kildow joined the Town of Scarborough as an opportunity for career advancement. His draw to move was cemented by the great schools and outdoor activities.

Scarborough’s Finance Director manages the Finance department staff, which oversees and manages the revenue collections and expenditure payments for all Town departments. The Finance department also provides financial reporting to Scarborough citizens, the Town Council, Finance Committee, Town Manager and Town Departments. In addition to meeting and working with Scarborough employees, Kildow looks forward to diving into the entire budget process beginning this spring.

Kildow replaces former Finance Director Ruth Porter, who retired in September 2022 after 42 years of service with the Town of Scarborough. Her tenure supported a significant transformation of the Town’s financial organization over the decades. The systems she established remain as her legacy, and Kildow will continue to serve and support the department.

The finance director is one of five senior leadership team roles that have had a new staff member in the last 15 months. “Over the last year, we have seen more retirements than at any other time in my memory,” says Town Manager Tom Hall. “Meanwhile, I am grateful we have been able to recruit and promote some outstanding leadership and am enthusiastic to see what we will accomplish together and for the Scarborough community in the upcoming year.”

Kildow moved to Maine with his wife, Ellen, an attorney retired from the City of Tulsa, OK, and twin boys who are in the 8th grade here in Scarborough. He also has two adult sons, Andrew and Daniel who live in Grapevine, TX and Tulsa, OK, respectively. “We enjoyed traveling to the beach when we lived in Tulsa so we are ready to enjoy having the beaches nearby,” says Kildow. The family also enjoys camping and hiking.

Norman joins an already high achieving finance department: Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Town of Scarborough for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021. This is Scarborough's 17th consecutive year of receiving the prestigious award.

The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

With frigid temperatures forecasted for Friday and Saturday (February 3 and 4), the Scarborough Fire Department has coordinated the opening of a Warming Center at Scarborough Public Library. The Library will be available as a space to keep warm from 9:00am-5:00pm on those days. Unnecessary travel and extended outside exposure is discouraged. If you or someone else is need of additional assistance, please reach out to the Emergency Communications Center 24/7 at (207) 883-6361.

Free sand for seniors: Scarborough senior citizens in need of sand for their driveways and sidewalks can have a bucket of sand delivered for free to their residence. Please call Officer Tanner Mann at (207) 730-4328 or email your request to tmann@scarboroughmaine.org. Please be sure to leave your name, telephone number, and address.

The Scarborough Fire Department is excited to announce the arrival of its newest ambulance to our emergency services fleet. This new ambulance is the first of two ambulances approved in the FY23 Fire Department capital improvement plan. Both ambulances will be purchased using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funds of $650k, thus reducing the impact on taxpayers.

This project has been nearly a year in the making, overseen by an ambulance replacement committee comprised of a member of each full-time shift and led by Lt. Shawn Cordwell. One of the committee’s main goals was to identify ways to make our new ambulances safer and more efficient to work out of the back. The particular manufacturer that built our new ambulance uses an all-aluminum construction process in the patient module, making it safer and longer lasting. 

Our vehicle replacement committees also work very closely with our Public Works fleet mechanics to ensure the best outcome when building our new vehicles. One of the suggestions from our fleet shop was to change to the Ford F-Series chassis. While this is different from the current cutaway van styles we currently operate, the heavier duty design of the F-Series should provide our department with increased longevity and reduced maintenance costs. The new unit is a 2022 Ford F-550 4x4 Chief XL manufactured by Braun Ambulances and sold by Autotronics, LLC out of Bangor, Maine. 

Besides the new chassis design, the other noticeable difference is the color and lettering scheme. The Fire Department command staff and ambulance committee decided it was the right time to move the ambulances to a design that matches the rest of the emergency fleet. The committee decided on a single red color that matches our fire apparatus and finished it up with synthetic gold leaf lettering and the town seal. 

The Scarborough Fire Department responds to nearly five-thousand calls per year with nearly 85% of those calls being emergency medical services evaluations and transports. 

A new heating assistance fund called Keeping Cumberland County Warm is available to income eligible Scarborough residents. This one-time grant program is federally funded and allocates $50,000 for each municipality in Cumberland County. Scarborough nonprofit Project GRACE is supporting the grant program administration in Scarborough by facilitating the application process. The application period is open from now through April 10.

Program Eligibility

Residents of Cumberland County, Maine with gross (before taxes) annual household income levels within the following income guidelines:

Please be aware that this program is intended to help moderate income county residents who are not eligible for the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The eligibility minimums are above the income limits for heating assistance from Scarborough General Assistance and LIHEAP heating assistance.

Application Process

Find all of the program details and a downloadable application on the Project GRACE website. Paper applications are available at Town Hall or Scarborough Public Library. Project GRACE is also available to initiate an application over the phone; call (207) 883-5111 or in person at scheduled dates at the Scarborough Public Library.

Applicants will be required to provide proof of income for the whole household (ex. Income tax form, pay stubs, etc.). Completed applications and supporting documents can be left at Town Hall 24/7 by using the after hours dropbox outside of the entrance, or they can be mailed to Project GRACE at PO Box 6846, Scarborough, ME 04070, or brought to one of the scheduled dates at the library.

The 11th Annual Rally to Keep Our Neighbors Warm will be held on Saturday, February 11th from 10:00am-Noon. The event is hosted by Project GRACE with support from the Town of Scarborough, Public Safety and the Fire Departments, Scarborough Library and Friends of the Library, Scarborough Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lions, Scarborough Historical Society and Audubon Nature Center.

Join us at the Town Hall/Public Safety Building from 10am-Noon or make a donation curbside. There will be a bake sale, book sale, informational tables and live music. Bottle drive and a warm sock drive, too! Preorder delicious chili and chowder made by Bread & Butter Catering Co and pick it up at the Rally. Visit with your neighbors and help us raise $20,000 for fuel assistance.

You may soon start to encounter a flashing yellow arrow turn signal at traffic lights in town. This is part of a nationwide upgrade to traffic signals, which is already in place throughout Maine, and is now being implemented locally here in Scarborough.

When illuminated, a flashing yellow arrow allows motorists to make a left-hand turn after yielding to oncoming traffic. Proceed as you normally would for a steady red, yellow, or green arrow.

Flashing yellow arrow signals are used to keep motorists safer during heavy traffic times by allowing more opportunity to turn rather than taking chances, and have been shown to help drivers make fewer mistakes. They also reduce delays and offer more flexibility to adjust signals to handle variable traffic volumes and move more vehicles through an intersection.

'Talking Traffic' is a new segment brought to you by the Scarborough transportation committee. They'll answer commonly asked questions and highlight upcoming projects that are mitigating the effects of traffic and making Scarborough roads safer.

February Vacation Care: Full But Friday Spots Remaining

Scarborough Community Services is offering child care from February 21-24 during the school break. All days have filled up and are on the waitlist, but there is still availability for Friday 2/24. The activities for that day include an All Grades Trip to Happy Wheels (9:30am-1:00 pm). Register soon, as it is likely to fill up.

Details

7:00am to 6:00pm

Wentworth School

$65 per day per child

Now Hiring Summer Camp Counselors

Our Community Services department is seeking creative, energetic, caring, responsible, and dependable applicants to work part- or full-time 20-40 hours/week in our eight-week seasonal summer day camp program. The program consists of children who are entering kindergarten through 6th grade. Applicants are responsible for supervision on and off site and for planning activities and providing them daily. Candidates must have completed their junior year of high school. This is a great summer job for high school or college students!

Senior Meals To-Go

Thursday, February 9, 12:30-1:30pm

Monthly

In partnership with Southern Maine Agency on Aging, seniors 60 or older can get three pre-cooked frozen meals to enjoy when they need them. There is a $10 suggested donation (paid upon arrival). If you are under 60, the cost for the three meals is $15.

Register by calling (207) 730-4173. Please leave a message and someone will get back to you. If you are not registered with SMAA, we will need you to answer a few questions over the phone.

Check out all the upcoming programs for our 55+, Adult, Teen, Youth programs and Special Events in our 2022-23 Winter Programs brochure. View it online or pick up a printed copy at the Hub (418 Payne Road) or Public Library.

Friday Night S'mores Social

Friday, February 10, 6:00-7:30pm

Municipal Ice Rink (near Wentworth School)

Join us for a winter evening social! Grab your skates for an evening of skating, music, and free hot cocoa and s’mores. No ice? No problem! If the ice is not safe for skating we will move the hot cocoa and s’mores to the Hub for some indoor play.

The Greater Portland Council of Governments, a regional planning agency, is working to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the region. Take this short survey and/or drop a pin on their transportation hazard map to tell planners what roads, intersections, crosswalks, etc. make you feel unsafe. Your input will help shape their Vision Zero Action Plan, a draft of which will be ready this spring. Sign up to stay up-to-date on project progress. 

Kindergarten is open to any student who turns 5 on or before Oct. 15, 2023. If your child meets this criteria, and you are sending them to school in the fall, please complete this Registration Form.

If your child meets the age requirement, but you are on the fence about sending them due to their age or developmental level, please complete the Registration Form anyway. This will help us plan for all potential students.

Appointments will be scheduled later this spring in each of our schools to review paperwork, including notarization of residency.

If your child has specific health concerns, you can call or set up an appointment with one of our school nurses at any time.

More information will be provided throughout the spring!

What is the School’s K-8 Strategic Project and New Primary School?

This project includes the construction of a unified primary school to serve Scarborough’s K-3 students. It alleviates overcrowding and traffic issues at the middle school by moving the 6th grade from the middle school (where they are currently housed entirely in portables) to Wentworth Intermediate School.

Project Impact on School Needs

This holistic solution addresses the critical needs of our K-8 students by aligning our student populations, providing educational equity, addressing current operational and energy inefficiencies, and incorporating best practices in safety and security, flexibility for the future, and 21st century learning and teaching methods.

Learn more about this community project by visiting the School website. 

On December 29, the Scarborough Land Trust (SLT) purchased an 8-acre parcel adjacent to Fuller Farm Preserve. It was sold to the Scarborough Land Trust by George Baker in memory of his father, George Baker Sr. and comprised of a partial sale and partial donation.

The Town of Scarborough's Parks and Conservation Land Board played a role in funding the acquisition. Some funding was from the Town of Scarborough Land Bond, which the Board recommended to the Town Council in early December. Other funding came from the Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program (MNRCP), Bass Pro/Cabela’s and individual donors. This brings the total size of Fuller Farm Preserve to 228 acres.

• Housing Choice and Homelessness
• Sustainability, Conservation and Climate Change
• Strategic Capital and Facilities Planning
• Traffic & Transportation
• Residential Growth Management
• Financial Management
• Public Engagement and Communications

This year we had the difficult challenge of addressing homelessness in Scarborough, particularly at the Comfort Inn. Unfortunately, homelessness is not going to go away anytime soon, so in 2023 we are looking to take a systematic approach to understand how we address the challenge here in Scarborough - assessing the scope of the problem and identifying solutions leaning heavily on regional, state and other agencies to provide resources and support to this state-wide epidemic. The Scarborough Housing Alliance will be critical in helping to advise us on the best approach.

Our forests, the marsh and our beaches are something we are all proud of and we need to do more to protect them. This year, we are looking to better understand how we can conserve more land in Scarborough and better incorporate sustainability and conservation principles into our planning and development process. I often hear concerns about the impact of growth and development on our natural resources. This year we are committed to several specific actions to tackle this with our Conservation Commission, Sustainability Committee and Planning Board.

This year we will be making progress on two major capital facility projects. The first and most important need is the system-wide school solution being developed by the School Building Committee. Our K-2 primary schools have been part of our community's character for over 65 years, however they are no longer meeting the needs of the community and a consolidated solution at a new TBD site is being proposed. You can learn more about the need at the School Project website. This will be the largest investment this community has ever seen, so I hope everyone will take the time to learn more over the coming months and participate in different community forums that will be held.  

We are also taking further action on a Community Center with an aquatics facility, establishing an ad hoc committee to advance site selection, design and develop cost estimates for the project. This is something that many have wanted in the community for a while and I’d like to see this become a reality in Scarborough.  

Traffic is one of the biggest concerns we hear about in the Town. This year, we will be conducting a Town-wide Transportation Study to better identify opportunities to increase mobility around Town. This will become the foundation for future traffic improvements needed to improve the flow of traffic in Scarborough, in addition to supporting other modes of transportation such as mass transit, walking, and biking around town. You can participate in Transportation Committee meetings to learn more as this advances. 

Residential Growth Management is always top of mind. We’ve spent too much time talking about the pace of growth and less time focused on necessary actions to manage the impacts of growth. While we plan to put together a rate of growth ordinance that provides greater predictability to growth, we also plan to review and update our zoning ordinance, particularly our impact fees. Impact fees ensure new developments cover their fair share of the impact of growth to a community so we can maintain the quality of life and services in Scarborough. As an example, traffic impact fees will help ensure that as the population grows, we have funds available for necessary infrastructure projects to absorb the new vehicles that will be introduced in town.  

The economic outlook in 2023 is still quite uncertain. This means we will need to be prudent in how we evaluate our investments and budget for 2023. Our Council Finance Committee is off to a great start and have set more refined budget goals for the Town this year to consider as budgets are evaluated and considered. Additionally, we will be reviewing and ensuring compliance with our Financial and Fiscal Policy with an eye for improvements that enhance our financial management in Scarborough.  

Lastly, the Council is committed to finding more and better ways to engage with you! We hope to see you at a future Councilor Corner Live or event where we can connect and work together to find solutions for the community's needs. You can view the details and specific actions of our goals in the Council Outlook session on the Town website after our February 1 meeting.

It’s time to go big or go home. If you have interest in any of these areas and would like to get involved to ensure its success - come to a Council Meeting, attend a town committee meeting, give the Council a call or send us an email.

Scarborough Town Council

Jonathan Anderson, Chair • Jean-Marie Caterina • John Cloutier • Don Hamill • Nick McGee • Karin Shupe • April Sither

Town Council meets the first and third Wednesday of each month. Visit our online calendar for links to attend and view agendas.

Scarborough Public Library News

Tonight: International Climate Policy & Trade

Wednesday, February 1, 6:30-7:30pm

Register

Peter Dugas and his daughter Thea will discuss how various policy proposals impact climate change as well as international business and trade. He will demonstrate the EN-ROADS Climate Solutions Simulator, a freely available tool that provides the public with a means to explore various climate solutions and will discuss how Maine can influence the nation and world on climate policy. 

Peter is the Maine State Coordinator for Citizens Climate Lobby, a nonpartisan grassroots organization focused on effective and equitable climate solutions. He serves as the liaison to the office of Senator Angus King (ME-I), is an EN-ROADS Climate Ambassador and a long-time advocate for finding climate change solutions. He earned a degree in Physics and Engineering from Brown University and lives and works in Portland, Maine. Thea is an eighth grader and a climate activist.

This program is brought to you as part of the 2023 Camden Conference, and as part of a collaborative programming partnership with Kennebunk Free Library, Patten Free Library, Scarborough Public Library, and Prince Memorial Library. 

Blind Date with a Book: An All Ages Valentine's Party

Tuesday, February 14th, 5:30-6:30pm

Readers of all ages are invited to join us for this fun Valentine's Day celebration of book love! Blind date with a book is a surprise book, wrapped in brown paper, with a few words printed on the cover acting as clues that tell you a little bit of what to expect. You won’t know the title or the author so no judging these books by their covers! We will have choices for readers of ALL ages. This will be a fun way for the whole family to find some fantastic new reads! Drop in anytime; light refreshments will be served. Single and looking to mingle? Pick up an exclusive Scarborough Library button at the door and alert other attendees of your status! 

School Vacation Week: Activities Everyday

February 21-24th

Winter getting you down? Join us for a fun week of celebrating everything we love most about the season! We will be practicing Hygge (pronounced Hoo-GA) from Danish culture. Hygge is defined as a quality of coziness and comfort that inspires a feeling of contentment or well-being. As we continue to battle snow, ice and cold, we could all use a little more "cozy" in our lives! Join us all week and explore our Hygge inspired reading nooks-cozy in and read to your heart's content! In addition to our book nooks, you will find a myriad of winter themed crafts and activities. Visit website FMI. 

Youth Services offers weekly recurring programs and activities like Preschool Learning & Discovery Time, Mind Readers: A Middle School Book Club, Rhythm & Rhyme (for babies and toddlers), Lego Block Party and more. View a complete listing and details on their website.

Monday – 9am to 5pm • Tuesday – 9am to 7pm • Wednesday – 9am to 7pm • Thursday – 9am to 7pm • Friday – 9am to 5pm • Saturday – 9am to 5pm • Sunday – Closed