Join members of our Police Department for coffee, community and conversation on January 17, 2020 from 8:00 am - 10:00 am at Scarborough Grounds.

Come into the Town Clerk's office and pick up a lovely green tag that helps your dog get home if the unthinkable happens and helps provide much needed services for our furry friends across the state. Dog license fees account for 95% of the State Animal Welfare Program's entire funding and without these fees the State would be unable to protect the animal companions of Maine.

In order to obtain a license for your dog, you must present a current State of Maine Rabies Certificate obtained from a veterinarian. This certificate will verify that your dog has received its rabies shot within the past two years. Also, bring with you written proof that the dog has been spayed or neutered, if applicable. If you have already shown proof of spay or neuter to the Town Clerk's Office then additional proof is not necessary. All dog licenses expire December 31 of each year.

$6.00 per year for spayed/neutered dogs
$11.00 per year for dogs not spayed/neutered

Please note, per state law, any dog that is re-licensed after January 31 will be subject to a $25.00 late fee. Can't make it into the Town Hall? You can register your dog through the State's website.

Is one of your New Year's resolutions to become better informed and more involved in your community? What better way to learn the ins and outs of local government than joining a board or committee? There are currently openings on the following resident boards and committees:

Board of Assessment Review - 2

Coastal Waters and Harbor Committee - 2
Conservation Commission - 1
Housing Alliance - 1
Parks and Conservation Land Board - 1
Personnel Appeals Board - 2
Senior Advisory Committee - 1
Shellfish Conservation Commission - 1
Sustainability Committee - 1

You can read about the roles and responsibilities of citizen committees on our website and then fill out and submit a committee and board application to the Town Clerk's office. 

Starting on Monday, February 3, 2020 you will be able to pay your property taxes securely online. In the next edition of the newsletter we will break down the process step by step with images of the website to guide you through. We're excited to offer this service to our tax payers and hope that it will make paying property taxes a little easier. As always, if you have any questions please contact us by email, by phone at (207) 730-4149, or just stop by the Town Hall.

Save the Date: Saturday, February 8th

 

As temperatures drop, and winter settles in, many in our town struggle to keep their homes warm or have to choose between paying for heat or doing without essentials like medicines, skimping on food for their kids, or falling behind on utility bills. Project GRACE answers the calls for fuel assistance, and thanks to the generosity of the community, we can make sure no one is left in the cold. Scarborough's 8th Annual  Rally to Keep Our Neighbors Warm  is a collaborative fundraiser hosted by the Town of Scarborough, Fire and Police, Public Library, Scarborough Lions, and Project GRACE that takes place at the Oak Hill Fire Station from 10:00 am - Noon, with safety demos, activities for kids, touch-a-truck, raffles and a bake sale, too. We need everyone to give, a little or a lot, to the fuel fund. Our neighbor and local philanthropist, Eddie Woodin, has offered a $2,500 match gift, if Project GRACE and friends can raise $10,000 on Saturday, February 8th. Please visit our website to learn more.

As we enter mid-January it seems like an opportune time to review some basic winter fire safety tips. Emergency access and egress leads the list. If you have an emergency that requires fire, police, or EMS it is very important that we have adequate access to get to you. That means your house number is clearly visible, and the driveway and walkways are clear so first responders don't have to shovel their way in, wasting precious time that could be better spent resolving your emergency.

 
Every home should have at least two remote means of egress. That means at least two different ways to leave in case you have a fire or some other type of emergency that requires immediate evacuation. Are your front door and steps shoveled and is there a path beyond the steps where you can safely and quickly get away from the house and meet the fire department near your driveway or mailbox at the designated meeting space you identified in your home evacuation and safety plan? How about your back door? It is very easy to get lazy and fail to shovel the secondary steps and doors that aren't routinely used during the winter, but that is the very means of egress you may need to use in an emergency. Once you get out of the house, are you up to your waist in snow, or do you have a shoveled path where you can quickly and safely evacuate a safe distance away?

Click here for the complete article

On Monday, January 6th 2020, Bryan Butler started in the Information Systems Department as the new Webmaster serving both the Town Hall and Scarborough Public Schools. Bryan's previous experience includes working as a scientist in the Molecular Genetics field for GENEWIZ, Inc. in New Jersey, then in various roles with Bat Conservation and Management Inc. in Pennsylvania. Before starting his professional career, Bryan earned his Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies, Specialization in Environmental Biology from Liberty University in Virginia.

 
Bryan's time at Bat Conservation and Management Inc. included extensive field work as a Wildlife Biologist until he made the switch to Project/Content Manager. Through job duties including website design, content creation, running social media accounts, and public engagement in person and via digital platforms, Bryan discovered his new passion in the Information Technology field. Congratulations on joining the Town of Scarborough as the new Webmaster and welcome to Maine!

Welcome to the official newsletter of the Town of Scarborough, Maine.  Brought to you by a team of Town staff, our mission is to keep you informed about town events and activities.  

Please note that the newsletter articles are intended to be brief and will often point you back to a link on the Town's Website or Facebook page. The website is the heart of the communication network within town and is the central repository for information on Town government.

Thanks for reading!  If you have ideas for stories, please email us.  

Your newsletter team:

Tody Justice, Town Clerk	Catherine Morrison, Public Library
Stephen Kramer, Community Services	Donald Begin, IT
Kailey Dubuque, Human Resources	Brian Longstaff, Codes & Planning
Kelly Johnston, Scarborough Public Schools	Michael Thurlow, Fire Department
Kim Sperlich, Police Department	Ruth Porter, Finance
Leona Oceania, Public Works	Larissa Crockett, Administration
Magdalena Slawiec, SEDCO