If the foliage wasn't enough of a tell tale sign that Fall is here, our Town updates sure will be! Check out the number of upcoming events that mark a sign of the changing seasons. There's a pumpkin carving event for families, the 3rd annual Jr. Firefighter Muster that's entertaining and open to the public, and a Council Corner Live that should lead to interesting discussion. We also review some Town Council business. Read more for details, and don't forget to vote!

Check our Town Calendar for a look at upcoming meetings. The next Town Council meeting is this Wednesday, October 16.

Upcoming Election: November 5, 2024

Early Voting at Public Safety Building

Early voting is now available at the Public Safety Building (275 U.S. Route One). Regular hours are Monday-Thursday, 7:00am-5:00pm. There will also be a Saturday opportunity for early voting: Saturday, October 26, 8:00am-12:00pm.

Early voting runs through the week prior to Election Day, Thursday, October 31. Early voting on November 1 & 4 require a special circumstance (coordinated with Clerk's office).

What's on the Ballot?

Local Candidates:

Town Council** (2 Seats for a 3-Year term to expire 2027)

Fellows, Cory E.

Maurer, Crescencia

Doherty, Scott W.

Town Council (1 seat to fill a vacancy, with a term to expire in 2026)

Donovan, William J.

**Due to an administrative oversight, the middle initial for a candidate running for Town Council is printed incorrectly on the Town Ballot. The first and last names of all candidates on the ballot are otherwise correct and no action is required from voters.

Sanitary District Trustees (2 seats for a 3-Year term to expire 2027)

Rico, Nicola F.

Stein, Michael A.

School Board (1 Seat to fill a vacancy, with a term to expire in June of 2026)

Rockenstire, Mitchell T.

The Scarborough Community Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual Candidates Night on September 25th to meet the candidates. Watch the recording on YouTube. Skip ahead to the following timestamps: Sanitary District Board of Trustees (21:00), Board of Education (37:45), Town Council (54:30).

Local Referendum Questions: Scarborough residents will be asked if they support three referendum questions—a Fire department request for a replacement pumper truck ($1M), a Police department request for body worn and in-car cameras ($1M), and a replenishment of the Town's land bond ($6M).

Want the 60-second overview? Fire Chief Rich Kindelan and Sergeant Andrew Flynn hit us with their elevator pitches. Give them a quick watch!

Learn more about the replacement fire engine question on the ballot.

Learn more about the police camera question on the ballot.

Read articles for all three referendum items on our 2024 Election webpage.

Visit the Town Clerk's Election page for general information about elections and voting. They also provide a list of sample local ballots, which vary by district, and the State referendum ballot.

If you have any questions, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at (207) 730-4020.

Sustainable Scarborough Day Success!

Sustainable Scarborough Day was a free event that brought the community together on October 6 to celebrate conservation and sustainability. There were local vendors, workshops, electric vehicle test drives, food trucks, music, and workshops offered throughout the event. Thank you to all who attended!

More than 25 businesses and groups set up informational displays on topics ranging from solar power and energy efficiency rebates to native plants and land conservation.

There were three workshops, including reducing food waste with kids (pictured above), Efficiency Maine resources for homeowners, and sustainable transportation.

October 30: Council Corner Live on "Prioritizing the Priorities"

Wednesday, October 30

6:00-8:00pm

Town Hall, Council Chambers

A term the Town Council has been using this year is "prioritizing the priorities", or, given the major costs of projects and initiatives being discussed in Scarborough, which come first? Finding a school facilities solution has been an urgent need, and time and resources have also been invested into opportunities like the Library expansion and a potential community center. Meanwhile the council has made it a goal to maintain a stable tax rate, and taking a concerted effort on conservation.

How should the council balance its weight on servicing existing infrastructure, planning for the future, and continuing to provide quality municipal services to residents? Join us for Council Corner Live where we'll break into small groups to discuss this issue. We'd love to hear from you.

The Downs Gives 6-Year Development Update

Prior to the regular Town Council meeting was a workshop for The Downs to provide an annual update on the status of its development and plans for the future. Their report covered the ways in which it is modeling a "smart growth" community and opportunities for partnership moving forward to access transportation grant opportunities and more.

Model Smart Growth Community

The Downs development project began in 2018 as a redevelopment of a site deemed as a "greyfield", one that was formerly commercially viable but has since lacked in this capacity, yet does not have environmental concerns (like a "brownfield"). The site was identified in the Town's Comprehensive Plan as a growth area, and The Downs has worked within these confines and zoning ordinances to create a space for housing, commercial, and mixed-use development. Their report also covers their environmental considerations and investments. In this time they have invested $81M and generated $320M in new assessed value and helped fund transportation improvements to offset new traffic.

View slides

Next Steps

The Downs developers reported that they have maintained consistent with the timeline from their original proposal. They anticipate five years for completion of a new downtown, which will draw more commercial opportunities and support the tax base. During this time, they also seek to partner with the Town on grants for transportation projects, enable food truck courts, and other collaboration opportunities.

Value to Scarborough

The Town Assessor Nick Cloutier and Scarborough Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) Executive Director Karen Martin contributed to the workshop presentation with an assessment of fiscal impact that this development is having on the Town. With six years of data now available to report, the Town has developed a fiscal impact model that serves as a tool to interpret the data. It suggests a "resoundingly positive return on investment," says Martin, with a positive cumulative fiscal impact for the 30-year development projected to be nearly $125 million, beyond the CEA obligations and the estimated cost to serve. Overall, the tax revenue earned exceeds the cost to serve new residents, due to it being a compact, mixed-use development.

View presentation

Proposed Amendments to Town's Plover Ordinance

During the October 2nd Town Council meeting, a first reading was held to go over proposed amendments to  Chapter 610 – Piping Plover Ordinance. The council first reviewed proposed changes back in February, when they were requested by volunteer beach monitors who sought to also include endangered least terns, further define "recreational activities", increase penalties for violations, and provide information specific to the Higgins Beach Wildlife Management Area (as requested by Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, who owns and manages the area).

At that time, the Council noted a number of issues with the proposed changes. A group of stakeholders was convened to discuss and refine the proposed language, including residents of Higgins Beach and Pine Point, volunteer beach monitors, and members of the Dog Owners of Greater Scarborough (DOGS). It was also reviewed by the Conservation Commission and the Community Services Advisory Board.

Proposed Revisions

1. Extend protections to endangered least terns, which also nest on Scarborough’s beaches.

2. Clarify areas of Scarborough’s beaches where these rules apply.

3. Clarify timeframe for when this ordinance is in effect.

4. Update recreational activities prohibited in proximity to shorebird nesting areas to include devices that were not readily used when the ordinance was originally written (e.g., drones, one-wheels, etc.) and to address enforcement gaps noted by volunteer beach monitors.

5. Update penalties for violating the ordinance to be in line with other Scarborough ordinances, including Chapter 604, Animal Control Ordinance.

6. Include addendum for the Higgins Beach Wildlife Management Area at the request of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The Town Council will hold a public hearing during their next meeting on Wednesday, October 16.

Have a friend or neighbor who should be getting these updates? Let them know! Simply go to www.scarboroughmaine.org/stay-connected to sign up. Thank you for helping to make our town more informed.

October 27: 3rd Annual Junior Firefighter Muster

Sunday, October 27

10:00am-3:00pm

Rain Date: Sunday November 3 (same time)

Scarborough Fire Department, 275 US Route One, Scarborough

The Town of Scarborough Fire Department is excited to announce it will be hosting the 3rd Annual Maine Junior Firefighters Muster. The event invites Fire Departments, and Vocational Technical Schools with junior and/or explorer firefighter programs ages (14-18) from across Maine to participate and test their skills. These programs are critical to the sustainability of our departments and this is a great way to show these aspiring firefighters how important they and their programs are to Maine's Fire Service Future. This event will be free for all and the public is encouraged to attend!

This event is made possible thanks to several local sponsors.

Get Spooky: Pumpkin Carving Night

Friday, October 25, 6:00-8:00pm

Community Services Hub, 418 Payne Road

$8/pumpkin

Register

Get in the spooky spirit by joining us for Pumpkin Carving Night! This event is perfect for families and friends of all ages to enjoy. Show off your pumpkin carving skills for just $8 per pumpkin and leave the clean up to us! If you aren’t into pumpkin guts… No worries! Help yourself to the games and treats free of charge.

This event is generously sponsored by The Little Gym and Goldfish Swim School. Registration required for all attendees. A limited amount of pumpkins will be available for purchase at the door. Carving supplies provided. Costumes encouraged.

October 24: Red Cross Blood Drive

Thursday, October 24

9:00am-2:00pm

SCS Hub, 418 Payne Road, Scarborough

Register

Every 2 seconds someone in America needs blood. That means 14,000 units of blood need to be collected by the Red Cross each day. Help get them closer to that goal by donating blood at our annual fall blood drive. All donors will be sent a $10 Amazon gift card and entered to win 1 of 3 $5,000 gift cards!

Save the Date: Scarborough Community Thanksgiving

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Be sure to reserve your spot for the Annual Thanksgiving Scarborough Community Dinner.

Board & Committee Vacancies

If you're considering ways to get more involved in your town or issues you care about/have expertise in, consider joining one of our several citizen-led boards and committees. The following have current vacancies:

• Coastal Waters

• Shellfish Commission

• Long Range Planning

• Community Service Advisory Board

• Planning Board

Applications are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis by our Appointments & Negotiations committee. View Application

Councilors Jon Anderson and Karin Shupe serve as liaisons to several of the citizen-led boards and committees.

Town Council Corner: On Closing a Chapter and Opening Another

By Don Hamill, 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.

"There is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:8 (ESV)

Over the past six years we have faced great challenges and made big decisions together. We survived COVID and historic, damaging storms. We rewrote the Comprehensive Plan to preserve our wetlands. We involved and engaged the public through expanded communications, workshops, public comment and committee work.

Our fundamental weakness is appropriating funds without full public deliberation. We make decisions without quantifying cost and value. We must reduce taxes and spending through more careful, fact-based analysis. This will require a fundamental shift in our thinking as well as leadership changes.

Thank you for the privilege of serving. It has been a joy to meet new neighbors and to get to know old friends better. 

Our future depends on choosing optimism over cynicism to rebuild trust in our government.  

God bless Scarborough and God bless the great State of Maine.

Front, left to right: Tody Justice (Town Clerk), Nick McGee (Chair), Tom Hall (Town Manager)

Back, left to right: Karin Shupe, Jon Anderson, Don Cushing, Jean-Marie Caterina, April Sither, Don Hamill

Scarborough Town Council

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

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

School Building Committee Enters Phase II

The next phase of the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC) starts this month. After a September application period, three new residents at-large and three alternate members were selected. They join 13 members of Phase 1 that will carry over to Phase 2. They will be appointed at the next Town Council and School Board meetings on October 16th and 17th, respectively. 

After their appointments, the SBAC will have its first meeting on Monday, October 21st from 6:00-8:00pm in Council Chambers. Their work will center around working with a consultant to review the four concepts brought over from Phase I, which occurred this past spring. In their first meeting they will develop a consultant selection team made up of 5 committee members. Additional members to the consultant selection team will be one Board member, one Town Councilor, Superintendent Nadeau and Town Manager Tom Hall. They aim to hold interviews with the firms in late October and make a final selection in early November.

October 19: Scarborough Marsh Cleanup

Saturday, October 19

9:00am-12:00pm

Audubon Center, 92 Pine Point Rd, Scarborough

Gather at the Nature Center for a cleanup of the marsh and beaches. There will be refreshments and displays and information on how you can be a better steward to this beautiful part of the earth. This event is sponsored by Back Cove Financial. This event is also sponsored by Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Scarborough Land Trust, Sierra Club Maine, and the Scarborough Community. We will also be collecting food for Project GRACE. Groups are welcome. Registration is helpful but not required.

Events & Programs at Scarborough Public Library

Russell Kaback's 25044: My Grandfather's Story

Thursday, October 17, 7:00pm

Register (Limited seats available)

25044 is a one-man musical story, written and performed by Russell Kaback, based on the life of his grandfather Szyjek Magier, a Polish Jewish teenager who spent four years in the Nazi labor and concentration camps. 

Presented in Russell's theatrical storytelling style that weaves together original songs on guitar, characters, sound effects and gestures, the piece incorporates personal interviews, testimonies, in-depth research and imagination, reminding us that life and hope can endure. The show runs 45 minutes and is intended for audiences age 13 and up.

Board Game Night All Ages

Friday, October 18, 5:00-7:30pm

Drop-in program; no registration required

Bring the family, friends, or come on your own for this intergenerational party! Either way, plan to play games with anyone. This is a great way to have some fun, and maybe make a new friend. Scarborough Public Library and Scarborough Terrace will supply the games & pizzas & snacks.

This event is for all ages—we have new and classic games for adults & kids. We have baby, toddler, preschool, elementary age, middle school, high school, college and beyond covered. If you have a game you want to play with others, bring it along!

Yashu Derisala: Youth Poet Laureate

Wednesday, October 30, 5:30pm

Register

Join us in welcoming Yashu Derisala for a poetry reading and a Q&A about her writing and experiences as Portland's first Youth Poet Laureate. Yashu Derisala (she/her) is a young, brown, first-generation South Indian Immigrant woman who is a senior at Scarborough High School. She is Portland’s first Youth Poet Laureate, and published her works in two chapbooks while participating in Maya Williams’ Poetry Workshop. She is extremely passionate about social justice and hopes to inspire others to use their voice and artistry to make themselves feel seen and heard.

Democracy: The Importance of a Free Press & Political Engagement

Thursday, October 24, 6:00pm

Register (Online program)

Join Georges Budagu Makoko on Zoom as he talks about the importance of a free press, especially to people from countries without a free press. He will also talk about his newspaper, Amjambo Africa, how it came into being and why, and the importance of being aware and being involved in politics even if you are not eligible to vote. For those new to the US, he will emphasize the importance of an engaged citizenry and why all of our votes matter—a detail that is missing in far too many places.

This talk is in association with the Camden Conference and partnering MECollab libraries: Baxter Memorial Library, Falmouth Memorial Library, Prince Memorial Library, Scarborough Public Library, South Portland Public Library, Thomas Memorial Library, and York Public Library.