Thanksgiving is just ahead, and so too is the busy holiday season! We're taking this time before the hustle and bustle to reflect on the Scarborough community. We are thankful to you for making this a vibrant place to live and work. You voted in our local election, get involved in town issues that you care about, and make the most of the resources that Scarborough has to offer. Read on for upcoming reminders and updates on what's happening in our town.

Check our Town Calendar for a look at upcoming meetings. The next Town Council meeting is on Wednesday, November 16. It will be preceded by a 5:30pm workshop regarding the School Building Committee and process to date.

Election Day was last Tuesday, November 8. Here are the results from Scarborough (*denotes winning vote):

Local Elected Officials

Town Council

8,489 SHUPE, Karin B.*

8,712 SITHER, April V.*

8,175 BLANKS

Board of Education

8,648 GAMMON, Carolyn L.*

8,453 TARPINIAN, Frayla A.*

8,275 BLANKS

Board of Education - 1 Year

8,847 MAIORINO, Brian M.*

3,841 BLANKS

Trustees for the Sanitary District

9,421 CARROLL, Joseph M.*

27 D’AMELIO, Anthony J.*

15,937 BLANKS

Question 1 - Library Referendum

4,817 YES

7,097 NO*

810 BLANKS

Charter Questions

Question 1: Compensation [Town Council/Board of Education]

7,476 YES*

4,540 NO

701 BLANKS

Question 2: Section 215 – Independent Audit

9,564 YES*

2,154 NO

999 BLANKS

Question 3: Section 403 – Vacancies

9,520 YES*

2,119 NO

1,078 BLANKS

Question 4: Section 502 – Preparation and Submission of the Budget

8,903 YES*

2,446 NO

1,428 BLANKS

Question 5: Section 806 – Municipal Elections [Change to BOE Elections]

9,263 YES*

2,165 NO

1,262 BLANKS

Question 6: Article IX – Voter Rights – Referendum, Initiative and Recall

8,101 YES*

2,998 NO

1,581 BLANKS

Question 7: Section 1009. Disclosure of Interest

10,317 YES*

1,247 NO

1,116 BLANKS

State Elected Officials

Governor

190 HUNKLER, SAM

4,156 LEPAGE, PAUL R.

8,269 MILLS, JANET T.*

110 BLANK

Representative to Congress (District 1)

8,083 PINGREE, CHELLIE M.*

4,392 THELANDER, EDWIN

0 ALAN H. MACDONALD (Declared Write-In)

250 BLANK

State Senator (District 29)

761 CARNEY, ANNE M.*

308 LEWIS, JOHN WESLEY

34 BLANK

State Senator (District 30)

7,359 BRENNER, STACY FIELDING*

3,961 THORSEN, TIMOTHY J.

302 BLANK

Representative to the Legislature (District 124)

1,724 MARKOWSKI, LISA

3,592 WARREN, SOPHIA B.*

Representative to the Legislature (District 125)

1,938 LIVINGSTON, ALAN R.

2,854 MURPHY, KELLY NOONAN*

161 BLANK

Representative to the Legislature (District 126)

1,575 GATTINE, ANDREW*

722 BLANK

Judge of Probate

9,776 ARANSON, PAUL*

2,949 BLANK

Sheriff

9,744 JOYCE, KEVIN JAY*

2,981 BLANK

District Attorney (District 2)

9,445 SARTORIS, JACQUELINE ANNE*

3,280 BLANK

The Scarborough Public Schools Building Project committee meets monthly as they work on plans for a new primary school. The committee, along with architecture and engineering firm Harriman, will give a project planning update to the Town Council on Wednesday, November 16 at 5:30pm. The workshop will precede the regular council meeting at 7:00pm.

Dog license registration is now open for 2023, and licenses are valid through December 31, 2023. 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, 2023. There is an additional $25 fee starting 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 Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm (first and third Wednesday until 6:00 p.m.).

It's almost New Year's Resolution season and Scarborough Community Services is here to help! Their upcoming winter brochure will be announced shortly and will have exciting new programs to help you learn a new hobby, focus on your fitness, or get social. SCS offers programs for all ages year-round with creative picks like dance lessons and dodgeball for adults, indoor sports and crafts for kids, plus senior trips and more. The winter brochure with all programs and registration details is right around the corner—check back on our website for the latest updates when available.

Scarborough Community Services is located at the Hub, 418 Payne Road. They also offer services like passport renewal and child care.

Community Services is accepting letters to Santa! Have your kids tell Santa about all of the good things they have done this year and a few presents on the wish list. They will need letters before November 28 to get them to Santa so he can get a letter to you in return!

Print out this fill-in letter template (double-sided), pick up a paper copy at the Hub or Town Hall Clerk's Office, or request a copy by emailing comserv@scarboroughmaine.org. Have your child or children fill in the spaces with their information, wishes, etc., and Santa will be sure to reply before Christmas!

Completed letters can be dropped in the North Pole Express mailbox at the front of Town Hall or mailed to the address listed on the template.

Note to Parents: To make it a bit easier for Santa and his response, make a mark (like a star) next to an item your child wishes for that they are most likely to receive!

Gingerbread House Night

Friday, December 2, 6:00-8:00pm

$20 per gingerbread house

Gather the family and get creative by decorating a gingerbread house to get ready for the holidays! House will come pre-assembled. Decorating materials, crafts, and refreshments will be provided. Registration will be available soon.

Santa in the Park Drive Through

Saturday, December 3, 5:00-7:00pm

Free

Scarborough Community Services, Police, and Fire will welcome St. Nick to town along with local groups and businesses—and we want you to join us! Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves will greet you as you weave through the school and municipal campus to Memorial Park. Exact route TBD, details to come.

Scarborough Community Thanksgiving is hosting their 7th annual dinner this year on Thanksgiving Day, November 24. This is a free community meal sponsored by many businesses, organizations, and friends in Scarborough. The special event returns indoors this year at Wentworth School and includes a traditional Thanksgiving meal served between 11:00am and 1:00pm.

RSVP by tomorrow, Wednesday, November 16 if you plan to attend. Volunteer capacity has been reached—thank you for your interest.

There are several active boards and committees that support the overall functions of the town and visions for its future. The term is soon to expire for several committee members, so now is the time to consider filling a vacancy. Selecting a board that you feel passionate about or have expertise in is a great way to get involved and contribute to your community. See a list of all boards and committees on our website. This page is also where you can complete an online application. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by our Appointments & Negotiations committee. Thank you for your interest.

The Scarborough Police Department is seeking motivated people to be part of their growing department, serving 21,000+ residents.

Patrol Officers

Patrol Officers get a four-day work week, competitive starting salary, and a comprehensive benefits package. They also offer many specialty positions, including Criminal Investigators, Federal Drug task force officer, SWAT, Honor Guard, School Resource Officers, Special Enforcement, K9 Officers, Community Resource Officers, Traffic Enforcement Officers, Drug Recognition Experts, Motorcycle Officers, Drone Pilots and more!

For more information, a tour, or to schedule a ride along please contact Lieutenant Scott Vaughan at svaughan@scarboroughmaine.org or 207-730-4304.

Public Safety Dispatchers

Scarborough Communications is a community-oriented department that thrives on serving the Towns of Scarborough, Old Orchard Beach and Buxton. Our dispatch schedule consists of 5 days on, 2 days off consecutively. We are a rapidly growing Emergency Communications Center with professional career advancement opportunities outside the traditional Emergency Dispatcher role. 

To learn more about a career in emergency communications or to tour our Center, please call Emergency Communications Manager Joseph Thornton, (207)730-4352 or email jthornton@scarboroughmaine.org. 

Application deadlines are approaching. Check out all the details and apply online.

Weatherization & Heating Workshop

Saturday, November 19, 9:30-10:30am

Scarborough Public Library

Worried about the cost of heating your home this winter? You're not alone. Scarborough Sustainability Committee, Scarborough Conservation Commission, Efficiency Maine and Project GRACE are teaming up with the Library to host a free workshop before the cold settles in. Stop in at the Library anytime between 9:30am and 10:30am on Saturday for tips, ideas, and freebies to help you save fuel and funds to keep you warm at home this winter. Enjoy light refreshments before heading home with your winterization supplies in resources. Open to the public thanks to many generous sponsors. No registration necessary.

Conservation Options for Your Property

Thursday, November 17, 7:00pm

Scarborough Public Library

Free, no registration required

Are you interested in conserving your property into the future? Do you want to ensure that wildlife and nature or certain uses, such as farming or forestry, won’t be lost to development? Join Scott Kunkler, Conservation Director of Scarborough Land Trust, for a discussion about the different options you have available to create a legacy for your property.

Kunkler will discuss conservation tools such as fee purchase, conservation easements, bequests, and deed restrictions. He will also offer insight on navigating the tax consequences of these decisions, and the importance of discussing these choices with family members and land professionals.  

The application deadline for the new Senior Stabilization program is Thursday, December 1. The law went into effect on August 8 and allows certain senior residents to stabilize, or freeze, the property taxes on their homestead. An applicant must be at least 65 years old, a permanent resident of the State, and must have owned a Maine homestead for at least ten years. If you or someone you know may be eligible and haven’t yet applied, please contact the Scarborough Assessing Office before December 1. Program details and eligibility requirements are available on our website.

On Saturday, October 29, Scarborough Police held a Drug Take Back event coinciding with similar events across the country. It was a success: In total, 11 boxes of prescription medications were collected, a cumulative of 275 pounds of unused or expired medications. As a reminder, the Scarborough Police Department has a drug take back box located in the lobby of our police department year-round. You do not have to wait for these events to come around. Just come in and drop them off whenever you would like.

Police updates like this one are available on our website. The Police Department shares a report weekly! Find them here.

The E-Newsletter has continued to evolve and is such a rich resource of all things happening in Town, including reading this Council Corner article. Our town-wide subscription base is up to 3,500 which is quite remarkable, but we’d like to see that grow exponentially in the next couple of years. Besides the website, this e-News should be your one stop shop of all things going on in Town. Please ask your friends and neighbors to subscribe. If you go to the Town Website, click on “Stay Connected” in the top blue bar. Then on the right select “Town E-Newsletter”. You can view past issues or scroll down and hit the blue “Subscribe” button to get the e-news sent to your inbox. Going forward, we’ve talked about using different multimedia options, like short video snippets to provide updates and more.  

We discussed our new Council Corner Live program. The forum, created this year, is intended to be another way to engage in a conversation with elected officials on topics in town. Town Council meetings tend to be more formal and may not be the preferred place you’d feel comfortable interacting or sharing your views. You have to stand at a podium and depending on the agenda, comments may be limited to three minutes. The Council Corner Live format, on the other hand, is intended to be less formal and more of an opportunity to gather input on key topics. We’re discussing ways to make this input more actionable. For example, last month we talked about traffic and the following week the Transportation Committee reviewed the feedback and discussed the ideas that were shared. The more we can connect these conversations to action, the more the public will benefit from attendance. This is something that the Communications Committee will likely explore and better fine tune next year.  

Lastly, this year the Town launched a new website to make it easier to navigate and find information. We often heard feedback on the difficulty of navigating the site, and since we’ve launched the new website the we haven’t heard as many complaints. The Town staff have done an excellent job to make it easier to find what you are looking for and they are constantly learning and looking for more ways to make it easier on the public to get what they need.

The committee discussed other ideas to engage more fully with the public. One way may be the good old fashioned way, walking door to door and talking to you. A canvass opportunity will likely be explored and hopefully we will be coming to you next year and hear from you what you care about in Town. We’re also working on better ways to share councilor opinions and viewpoints. It’s important the public understands the thought process that goes behind decision making, and making that clearer will better demonstrate how differing viewpoints and information are evaluated to support decision making. We also talked about a concept of “Communication Ambassadors” - highly connected individuals in Scarborough who can help get information out to their networks and help us recruit and pull in people to discuss various topics in town, at a Council Corner Live or in our other forums. These and other items will be explored next year. What are some other ideas you’d like to see to have better communications with the Council or the Town? We’d love to hear them.  

Scarborough Town Council

John Cloutier, Chair • Jonathan Anderson • Jean-Marie Caterina • 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

Early Release Day Activity

Wednesday, November 16, 2:00-4:00pm

Ages 10 & up

Early Release Day Activity! Kiddos ages 10 and up are invited to join us for fun audience participation through song, call-back lines, and other actions throughout the show. Costumes are encouraged! No registration necessary.

Fall Story Time

Monday, November 28, 10:00am

Held at Blue Point Preserve

This Fall Story Time features acorns and an easy hike. We love to partner with the Scarborough Land Trust, especially for story times! Join us on Monday, November 28 at 10:00am at the Blue Point Preserve.

Hands-Free Listening: Podcasts & Books on Your Mobile Device

Tuesday, November 29, 10:00am

Seating is limited; Register to reserve your seat.

Learn how to listen to audiobooks on your mobile device using the cloudLibrary app and your library card. Then, enjoy an introduction to the world of podcasts with a focus on how to find content that interests you, how to play the podcast content on your mobile device, and how to set up notifications about new episodes of your podcast favorites. Instructed by Catherine Morrison and Hailie Posey of the Adult Services/Reference team. 

Gifts from the Garden

Thursday, December 1, 1:00pm

Registration opens soon

Join us for a discussion of gifts you can create from your garden surplus to share with others. Don't have a surplus? Shop your local farmers' markets and let's plan ahead for next year by considering some crops to grow for future gift giving. Tyra Hatcher Mitchell, who lives in Scarborough and has been gardening and canning since childhood will be our presenter. Tyra is currently a volunteer for the Cumberland County Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver programs.

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