PEPPERRELL POST
JANUARY 2018
A MESSAGE FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR

Dear Saco Citizens,
 
Mayor Marston Lovell and I will be available by appointment on Wednesday afternoons from 2:30 PM-4:00 PM on the second floor of City Hall. For more information or to make an appointment, please click here . If you have any requests or concerns that you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us to make an appointment. 
 
We are excited to celebrate the New Year and establish the City Councils goals for the next two years. The goals will be discussed at the upcoming City Council workshop on January 2nd. City Council meetings and workshops are open to the public. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
 
On behalf of the Mayor, City Council, and City Staff we would like to wish you a safe and Happy New Year.
 
Best wishes,

Kevin Sutherland
City Administrator 
CITY NEWS AND UPDATES
Holiday Hours and Trash/Recycling Collection

City Hall will close at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 29th and will be closed all day on Monday, January 1st in celebration of New Years.

Trash and Recycling service will be pushed back 1 day all week for the week of New Year's (no collection on the holiday, weekly collection will begin on Tuesday and go through till Saturday).

Christmas Tree pick-up is scheduled to begin Monday, January 8th.

For the holiday trash collection schedule or for more information about the Christmas tree collection, please visit the Public Work's webpage
Socks for Seniors and Warm Hands, Warm Hearts 

The community generously collected an extraordinary amount of socks, hats, mittens,
 gloves, and scarves this holiday season! 


Thank you to the following locations for participating in the collection: Union Church in Biddeford, Biddeford Pool Community Center, Saco Bay Variety, First Parish Church, the Saco Police Department, Saco City Hall, Saco Parks and Recreation, Dyer Library in Saco, and CIA CafĂ© in Saco and South Portland. 

Cold Weather Safety

The Emergency Management Department has provided a list of cold weather safety tips to stay safe and warm this winter!
Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning 

According to the Maine Tracking Network, in Saco/Biddeford in 2015, 13 children under three years old tested positive for elevated blood lead levels.

Click here to  learn how the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition (CHCC) is working with families, property owners and the cities of Saco and Biddeford to prevent childhood lead poisoning. 
City Collaborates with Owners to Safely Remove Dangerous Structure 

Over the years, the City of Saco has had to contend with properties that were  abandoned or neglected, for a variety of reasons. In some cases, the structure had deteriorated to such an extent that it met the definition of a "dangerous building." 

Click here to read more about the approach the Code Enforcement Department and City Administration took when address a "dangerous building" in North Saco. 
New Codes Due in 2018

Building codes that set minimum standards for construction of all types in the State of
Maine are due to be revised in the first part of 2018.  Presently Maine enforces the
2009 editions of the International Family of codes which include the International Residential Code for one and two-family dwellings, the International Existing Building Code for use in renovation of all types of existing buildings and the International Building Code for all other types of construction.  These codes are updated and published every 3 years by a public consensus process and the State of Maine is required to update them when the codes are more than 2 cycles out of date.

We anticipate that the 2015 editions of these codes will take effect in Fe bruary of 2018 with a grace period of 6 months whereby construction can be done under either the 2009 or the 2015 editions.  After the 6-month grace period has gone by, all construction will need to be completed to the new standards.

The only exception to the new codes will be that the 2009 editions of the International Energy Conservation Code will remain in place and not be updated.

The Code Enforcement Department will be proposing adoption of the 2017 edition of the National Electric Code so that it will be in sync  with the State adoption of the same code.  Notice of the proposed update will be sent to all licensed electricians who have obtained a permit in Saco in the past 6 months so that we can gather input on the proposal.

It is important to stay current with the updated codes as they reflect changes in both products and industry standards that are constantly evolving.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Eve's Eve - A Family Celebration

Looking for a family fun event to celebrate the coming New Year? On Saturday December 30th, Saco Main Street is teaming up with Saltwater Vineyard church to create a fun night for families in the Saco area with a mission to support Caring Unlimited, York County's domestic violence program.

Click here for more information or visit www.saltwatervineyard.org to register. 
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Karen Audie is the Administrative Assistant for the Building Inspections/Code Enforcement Department here in the City of Saco. 

Karen has worked for the City of Saco for 15 years,  starting as a clerk in the Finance office and then taking the position of Administrative Assistant in the Code Enforcement Department in 2006. She and her husband Bruce live in Saco and enjoy spending time with friends and family, especially their two young grandchildren. They are both heavily involved in the community and with their church, volunteering for many missionary trips abroad.

Karen continually goes above and beyond, lending support to anyone who needs it.  Her smile and good humor are infectious, bringing a positive atmosphere to all she comes into contact with.  Karen's knowledge of Saco and the City's ordinances is extremely beneficial to the organization and is very much appreciated by her colleagues and the residents in the community.

Next time you stop by City Hall to apply for a building permit, ask a zoning question, or need information about setbacks, make sure to say hello to Karen and thank her for all her hard work and dedication to this community.  

Thank you, Karen. Saco City Hall is a better place because of your efforts and friendly face! 

If you'd like to recommend an employee to be featured in an upcoming "Employee Spotlight" please contact ERoy@sacomaine.org
Pepperrell Post | City of Saco | (207)282-4191 | info@sacomaine.org | www. SacoMaine.org
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