We hope your week started with chocolates and flowers! As we look ahead, the Town Council is gearing up for a busy Spring with a focus on the Town budget (more on that to come in late March) and a review of the Growth Management Ordinance. We share some other departmental news and fun upcoming programs. We'll also reflect on some good happening in our community, including a philanthropic Fuel Rally weekend, hardworking Public Works crew, and a recognition of our School Resource Officers. Read on for more.

Town offices will be closed on Monday, February 20 for Presidents Day. We will reopen Tuesday at 8:00am. Trash pickup will remain on schedule for the week.

Wednesday, February 15

5:30pm GMO Workshop (Agenda)

7:00pm Town Council Meeting (Agenda)

YouTube / Zoom

There is a regular Town Council meeting this evening at 7:00pm. Prior to the meeting is a Town Council workshop on the Growth Management Ordinance. The Town Council set a Residential Growth Management goal for 2023, "To update our ordinances to better manage the pace and impacts of growth on the community." Councilors Jon Anderson and Nick McGee volunteered to lead this effort with staff support and will share some initial ideas and recommendations during the workshop. We'll continue to share GMO revision process updates (and opportunities for public input) through the Spring.

Thursday, March 2

6:00pm, Public Safety Building

Links will become available to view remotely

Following the GMO workshop tonight, the Town Council will continue to review and make revisions on the ordinance through the Spring. Public input is an important part of this process, and Council Corner Live is an opportune time for councilors to hear from constituents in a less formal setting than a public meeting. Join for a two-way conversation and a chance to share your thoughts on the GMO revision process. Learn more of the background in the Council Corner article below and on our website.

Where would we be without the Public Works crew treating our icy and snowy roads? Our plow drivers are experienced (up to 31 years!) and work around the clock on storm days to ensure our safety. While this winter seemed relatively mild in temperature compared to years' past, there were five significant dates that highlight the busy season:

The first storm this season was on December 23, 2022. It brought strong winds and astronomical high tides, which led to downed trees and road flooding. Areas of Route 1, Pine Point Rd, Payne Road and Black Point Rd were closed due to flooding. The Public Works crew was dispatched to take care of downed trees and assist with closing roads. Temperatures dropped that evening, and crews changed gears to treat the icy roads with salt and sand throughout the evening and overnight.

The next plowable snow storm hit on January 6, 2023. Crews were called in around 12:30am and worked to approximately midnight. This storm gave us 3-5 inches of snow and kept us busy for 24 hours.

On January 12, 2023 the next storm hit. This storm started out as some light snow Thursday then turned to rain. Crews went from treating the roads to dealing with flooding. The storm lingered into Friday then turned back to snow and crews again had to treat the roads. Crews were in on Thursday and did not get home until midnight on Friday night.

January 19, 2023 was the next storm, which brought close to 8 inches of wet heavy snow as some freezing rain mixed in with the snow. Trees came down and crews had to address the issues while maintaining the roads. This was also another long drawn out storm. Crews were called in on Thursday evening and were dealing with the storm until after midnight on Friday as well.

The next storm showed up on January 25, 2023. This storm was again mixed precipitation and gave us 3 inches of wet snow. Crews worked overnight plowing and treating roads. There were also several other calls between storms to treat roads that had become slippery, keeping our crew very busy during the month of January.

Scarborough spans 54 square miles, and its 175 miles of roads are treated and cleared by 11 full time drivers, 1 supervisor, 2 seasonal drivers, and 2 on-call drivers when available. The work is done one side of the road at a time, multiple times throughout the course of a storm. Public Works also maintains sidewalks, treated by 1 part-time employee, and the vehicle maintenance staff makes sure the plow trucks are ready to go. We are grateful to have them!

If you want to join this incredibly hardworking crew, they are currently hiring for a full-time year-round Maintenance Worker/Plow Truck Driver. Learn more here.

The Scarborough Fire Department is adapting its daily staffing model in an effort to provide more consistent, safer staffing deployment, more efficient service, and to better manage our budgetary resources.

The transition will take full effect in late February and includes schedule and operational response adjustments. The new schedule is designed to create more consistent around-the-clock coverage and standardizes that there is always a set number of on-duty firefighters 24-hours/day.

The new staffing model also ensures that all calls for service will receive a more predictable response of a multi-firefighter crew and all but eliminates the practice of allowing a single firefighter responding to emergencies. In order to move away from any single member responses, two stations with lower call volumes will no longer be staffed with a single firefighter and instead be primarily supported by our dedicated call company firefighters. The Engine 3 (Pleasant Hill Road) and Engine 4 (Pine Point/King Street) stations will be unstaffed; however, they will remain open and continue to be dispatched to emergency calls. 

Response times to calls in these locations will remain well within acceptable NFPA standards and will come with the support of a full firefighting/EMS crew as opposed to a single member who would traditionally be staffing those stations. Fire Department chiefs will be monitoring response times closely, and we anticipate that our community won’t notice a difference in the prompt service they have come to expect.

This new staffing model is part of a long-term strategy for the department. A staffing plan began in 2008 and has since led to the hire of 22 full time firefighters over the past 14 years. The department aims to continue this transition in phases over the next several years to support increased call volume while maintaining high-level fire/EMS services to the community. Meanwhile, reconfiguring our model now will help ensure preparedness and the ultimate effectiveness of our plan.

External factors have accelerated the transition process and there are challenges that demand an immediate response. Not unlike fire departments across the region and the country, our department is experiencing the effects of staffing shortages and increasingly fewer applicants. The trend has led to our own unfilled shifts increasing threefold since pre-pandemic operations, and is only continuing on this trajectory. Our per-diem program, which was once a robust and effective model for our department, is no longer a reliable means of supporting our calls for service. This decline has been observed for the past decade but has only recently accelerated in the past few years. Keeping all (6) six fire stations filled with full-time staff using overtime hours is not a sustainable model and requires us to address our staffing needs with more urgency. 

This new staffing model is a data-driven approach to address our department’s budgetary needs, reliability of service, and overall operational efficiency. Scarborough Fire has the advantage of a robust fleet of equipment and apparatus, and a reinforced staffing structure will ensure we have the operations to support our capital resources. After a late February launch, we will continue to monitor and adapt this plan as needed with a full review after six months.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions about this transition plan. I can be reached at [email protected] or (207) 883-4542.

Last Saturday was the 11th Annual Fuel Rally, an event put on by Project GRACE to support Scarborough residents with heating assistance. They exceeded their $20,000 goal and raised more than $25,000 (with gifts and pledges still coming in!). "Wow! Such a caring, generous community pitching on to keep our promise we won't leave anyone in the cold," says Steffi Cox, Project GRACE Executive Director.

Thank You to Donors, Sponsors, & Volunteers

Leadership Sponsors: Woodin & Company, Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, KCV Trailer Rentals, Shutterbugs 4 Charity, and West Scarborough United Methodist Church. 

Co-Hosts: Town of Scarborough and Scarborough Public Safety

Bert Follansbee, Project GRACE Board President, stands with Engine 3 Fire Department crew members who raised their own funds to donate to the Rally.

Participating Organizations: Friends of the Scarborough Public Library, Scarborough Lions Club, Scarborough Kiwanis, Scarborough Rotary and Interact Clubs, Scarborough Historical Society, Volunteers In Police Service, Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center, and musicians Hadacol Bouncers. 

Thank you to the hundreds of neighbors who stopped by to give to the fuel fund. There were 60+ volunteers helping and representing the hosts and participating organizations on the day of the Rally plus dozens of residents of Bessey Commons and Piper Shores, Lions, and Project GRACE volunteers who lent a hand before the event.

Over the last 10 years, the Fuel Rallies alone have raised more than $152,000 — about 70% of the funds Project GRACE needs to keep our neighbors warm. In an average heating season (October - April), we provide 70 'helps' to seniors on tight fixed incomes and families having a tough time making ends meet. $20,000 at todays prices is about 4,500 gallons of oil, k1 or propane.

Project GRACE is also supporting the Town of Scarborough by overseeing the application process for a new heating assistance program called Keeping Cumberland County Warm. Click Here to learn more and see eligibility requirements for this one-time grant.

Today is School Resource Officer Appreciation Day! These members of our Police Department take great strides in making our schools safe and our students supported, and we are very fortunate to have three high-caliber officers in those key positions. Let's take a moment to recognize them:

Eric Greenleaf

Community Resource Officer Eric Greenleaf started his career with the Scarborough Police Department as a Reserve Officer in June of 1984. A year later, in July 1985 he was hired as a full-time officer. CRO Greenleaf has held many different positions over the years ranging from Tac Team member, Youth Aid Officer, D.A.R.E Officer, Detective, Acting Sergeant, Honor Guard Member, Crisis Negotiator and more. 

In 2007, Officer Greenleaf was voted Officer of the Year by members of the department. He was assigned to the Community Resource Division in 2013 and has served in this capacity for the last ten years. You may have seen CRO Greenleaf at the Wentworth School where he spends time helping with pickup and the drop off of the students who attend there. Thank you CRO Greenleaf for your unwavering commitment to community policing!

Mike Beeler

Mike Beeler joined the Scarborough Police Department in March 1999 as a reserve officer, only to be hired full time a few months later in July 1999. Throughout his career, he's been known as a reliable officer who was always able to remain calm in an emergency situation. He has received several commendations, unit citations and recognitions over the years. One in particular was in 2008 when he was awarded a commendation award for saving the life of a suicidal subject who had brandished a knife to officers, when himself and another officer were able to subdue the individual without causing any further harm. 

Officer Beeler spent many years on the department’s regional SWAT team as a sniper and also served (and still does) as one of the department’s motorcycle officers. In May of 2022, Officer Beeler was selected as the newest High School Resource Officer. Thank you SRO Beeler for protecting our students every day!

Rob Pellerin

School Resource Officer Rob Pellerin came to the Scarborough Police Department in May of 2005. Prior to his start in Scarborough he worked for the Saco Police Department for 5 years as a patrol officer. During his time as a patrol officer in Scarborough, Officer Pellerin received several recognitions to include being awarded the “Police Officer of the Year” in 2009, a recognition voted on by his peers. In 2008 he was awarded the life saving award where he and another officer gave CPR and used the department’s AED to successfully resuscitate the individual.

Officer Pellerin was selected as the Middle School’s School Resource Officer in 2009. And if that wasn’t enough, SRO Pellerin has announced that he will be retiring this summer. Thank you SRO Pellerin for your service. We wish you luck in your upcoming retirement!

See more department highlights and accomplishments in their weekly reports.

As part of operations, the Assessing department conducts annual inspections for permitted work or new construction. These will mostly be drive-by inspections but may involve getting out of the car to walk around the property or measure. For properties that require an interior inspection, adequate contact will be made in advance. We will have our Town IDs and our vehicles will have magnets with our Town logo. If you have any questions, please call our office at (207) 730-4060.

Visit the Assessing department website pages to review criteria for some upcoming tax relief program application deadlines (April 1).

Monday, February 27

3:00-4:00pm, Free

Community Services Hub (418 Payne Road)

Age-Friendly Scarborough is pleased to announce its inaugural Speaker Series to support those aging in Scarborough. The first program will be a panel discussion topic on "Aging Safely in Your Home", featuring Mobility One, The Iris Network, Scarborough Fire Department, and other local agencies.

Whether you live in a single family home, apartment, condo, mobile home, assisted-living complex, or are an owner or renter, hear from local experts about easy-to-do, low cost and no-cost devices, fixes, and adaptive strategies that can help meet your, and/or your loved ones', changing needs and allow for safely aging in place. This is a free program; light refreshments will be served.

Age-Friendly Scarborough is a town sub-committee of the Senior Advisory Board comprised of town staff, community volunteers and leaders. It is designed to develop, inform, involve, and recognize successful efforts that make communities livable for residents of all ages. The committee is a recognized member of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities through their Livable Communities Initiative. Future topics for our Speaker Series will include internet safety for all on Friday, March 3 and March 31 at 10:00am at Scarborough Public Library with the USM Cybersecurity Ambassadors. 

Passport Day

Saturday, March 4

9:00am-2:00pm, Community Services Hub

Do you have upcoming travel plans that will take you outside of the United States? Wherever you go, a passport will get you home! Community Services is hosting a Passport Acceptance Day to assist individuals and families with the acceptance of U.S. passport applications.

No appointment is needed for this event. We will have all necessary forms available for your convenience, but we highly recommend checking all requirements and fees prior to the event by visiting Travel.State.Gov or calling us at 207-730-4150 with any questions.

Magic Workshop

Session 1: Wednesday, February 22

Session 2: Friday, February 24

3:00-4:00pm, Community Services Hub

$35 per session

Calling all aspiring kid magicians! Join Master Magician Phil Smith of Abracadabra Productions during February vacation to learn magic tricks and illusions using everyday items like playing cards, rope and coins. Friends and family will surely be dazzled by your new skills!

Click Here to register. Registration deadline is Friday, February 17.

Stuff 'n Fluff

Tuesday, February 28

5:00-6:00pm, Community Services Hub

$25 per stuffy

We are turning the Hub into a stuffed animal workshop! Come stuff a snowy friend and then bundle them up with a fleece scarf and hat.

Click Here to register.

Nonesuch River Brewing Tour

Monday, February 27, 3:30pm

$21 per person, Nonesuch River Brewing (201 Gorham Road)

Grab your friends and family (21+) and join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Nonesuch River Brewing operation. Get an up close look at how they produce a wide variety of beers for all different tastes. Our group is limited to 15 adults for an intimate atmosphere. The tour is followed by samples of their beer and afterwards, you are welcome to relax in the restaurant to order food and beverages and have a good time with like-minded locals.

Click Here to register.

Find all upcoming programs in the Community Services Spring Brochure. Print copies are available at the Scarborough Public Library and Community Services Hub (418 Payne Road).

Kayak Storage Rental Lottery

Tired of lugging your kayak to and from the beach? Scarborough has 16 spaces at the Pine Point Co-Op and 8 spaces at Ferry Beach. In 2023, we will add an additional 8 at Ferry and 8 at Clay Pitts boat launch. Due to the high demand and the limited amount of spaces, we are running a lottery enrollment for these spaces. Scarborough residents and taxpayers have until February 26 to enter their name into the lottery for a chance to secure a space for the season. No fee will be assessed for the lottery enrollment. If you are selected, each kayak spot is $150 for the season.

We also knew that the development community was having a hard time planning for larger scale projects based on the 144 units/year number (shared among various developers). Single family home builds are much less common as the community has worked to increase the diversity in housing stock to more affordable and high-density developments – mainly apartments and condominiums.

Further complicating the matter was the amount of time and resources being dedicated to exemption requests from developers. What we all acknowledged is that the GMO needed to become sustainable, reasonable, and predictable.  

As part of our outreach, we built a survey and requested feedback from all the major town committees, department heads and developers. We wanted to understand exactly how the pace of growth impacted the work they do for this community. The response we received was tremendous. We should be thankful and proud of all our community members that dedicate so much of their time and talent to making Scarborough as special as it is.

After reviewing the feedback, we began working on various possible solutions. The proposal being put forward is 265-275 units per year through 2030. At our peak, we had issued 380 permits in 2018. We feel this is a reasonable reduction in the pace of growth and it allows for existing development projects to proceed at a pace that will not overwhelm community services and provides the predictability necessary for our business community and our government to plan for the future.

On February 15 at 5:30pm, the full Town Council will conduct a workshop on our recommendations. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and provide their feedback. There will also be a Council Corner Live on March 2nd at 6pm for further gathering of public input. The analysis and recommended changes can be found on the Town Calendar within the meeting agenda packet.  

Councilor Anderson and I feel confident we have put forth a reasonable proposal, at least a good starting point for some robust discussion with the full council and the community. This is one more step forward as we look to focus our attention on the many other challenges ahead for this community. We look forward to hearing your thoughts as we continue to develop this ordinance change.

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 Town Calendar for links to attend and view agendas.

Scarborough Public Library News

Hygge Week February 21-24

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 find a myriad of winter themed crafts and activities:

Feb 21-24 Daily, 10am-6pm: Hygge coziness, mitten and snowflake take-and-make crafts, winter haiku writing, and roll-a-snowman activity. Drop in anytime 10am-6pm.

Feb 22, 2pm: Put on your coziest PJs and join us for a fun sing-a-long showing of Frozen. As if it couldn't get any cozier, we will have a hot chocolate bar and popcorn to help you enjoy the show. Register

Language Learners

ELL Instruction at the Library

Scarborough Adult Learning Center staff hosts a FREE learning lab for ELL students in partnership with the Scarborough Public Library. Instruction focuses on improving skills in English as well as achieving personal language goals. Contact Marianne Doyle at (207) 730-5045 to learn more.

French Discussion Group

Parlez-vous Français? Interested in a French discussion group? Contact Elsa Rowe at [email protected] or 396-6279. If there is interest, we'll get that going again!

Save the Date! The Friends of the Library have a Saturday Book Sale coming up on February 25 from 9am-12pm in the Library.

Computer & Internet Safety

Friday, March 3, 10:00-11:00am

Age-Friendly Scarborough is starting a speaker series, with the first at the Scarborough Community Services Hub on Monday, February 27 from 3-4pm with a topic of Aging Safely in Your Home. The second will be at the Scarborough Library on Friday, March 3 at 10am and feature USM’s Cybersecurity Ambassadors. They will be teaching about Computer and Internet Safety, specifically phishing, identity protection, social media safety, and everyday home cyber security.

Dental Health Storytime for Kids

Monday, February 27, 10:00am 

Please join us as we welcome Jill and Alyssa from Diamond & Fisher Dental. They will be sharing a story, doing a kid-friendly presentation about dental health and handing out dental hygiene goody bags! 

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

Scarborough Little League: Registration is Open

Little League registration is open! Evaluations are coming up March 4th for the older levels and ongoing registration for younger divisions. Multiple clinics are already starting for older ages, in advance of the upcoming evaluations. Clinics and spring training sessions will continue through March.