|
A MESSAGE FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR
|
Dear Saco Citizens,
On May 23rd, the City Hall Auditorium was filled with residents, business owners, city staff, and local and federal delegates to discuss the upcoming Saco River Dredging, some of the challenges the Camp Ellis community is facing, and the progress that is being made.
Highlights from the meeting include:
Dredging
- The dredging of the Saco River will be completed this winter -- running from mid-November through March. A mechanical dredge will finish the upper part of the river whereas a hydraulic dredge will dredge the lower part of the river.
- The sand that's dredged from the lower part of the river will be pumped over to the beach near Camp Ellis to nourish the beach. The sand will make its way to the beach through a series of interconnect pipes.
- Land Owners that have received Right-of Entry for Construction agreements from the Army Corps of Engineers should return those signed agreements to City Hall as soon as possible so that the dredging and beach nourishment can commence unabated.
Beach Management Agreement
- A Beach Management Agreement has been drafted to comply with US Fish and Wildlife + Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife requirements. The City of Saco will need to sign the Beach Management Agreement if the beach near Camp Ellis is to be nourished.
- There will be piping plover and least terns nesting habitat protective measures in that agreement that will include dog leashing requirements during the summer months and the prohibition of horses on the beach, all beginning in 2019.
- Land Owners with waterfront property north of the Jetty have received or will receive a Wildlife Management Agreement that is a requirement of the Beach Management Agreement. Please sign and return those agreements to City Hall as soon as possible so that the dredging and beach nourishment can commence unabated.
Section 111 - Camp Ellis Jetty
- The Army Corps has resubmitted a report to headquarters that includes the construction of a 750-foot jetty spur.
- Our federal delegation has continued to bring Camp Ellis to the forefront and have requested an additional $5 million to be allocated through WRDA for beach re-nourishment and sand replenishment.
- The Army Corps and City of Saco will need to sign a partnership agreement once the final report is approved by headquarters.
Other Erosion Preventative Measures
- The City is utilizing funds from the locally approved bond money to construct a sea wall to help protect and mitigate continued damage to homes and public infrastructure.
The presentation from that meeting is available on our
website.
Sincerely,
Kevin L. Sutherland
City Administrator
|
|
Code Enforcement Permit Activity
If you think things have been busy in the Code Enforcement Department lately, you're not imagining things! Here are a few statistics from our records to show growth year-over year. All statistics are from January 1 to May 31.
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
| Total # of Building Permits |
186 |
206 |
230 |
| Number of Housing Units Permitted |
197* |
31 |
133
|
| Number of Single Family Homes Permitted |
26 |
25 |
43 |
| Total Construction Value |
$22,969,947* |
$11,702,604 |
$25,968,504 |
| Number of Complaints |
55 |
63 |
77 |
* Chinburg Mill Building #4 accounts for 150 of the Number of Housing Units Permitted and $12,500,000 of Total Construction Value.
|
|
HazMat Training at Saco Central Fire Station
On May 16th, agencies from York and Cumberland
Counties
joined together for hazmat training at the Saco Central Fire Station - the first regional training of its kind for these agencies. Members of the York County Emergency Management Agency and firefighters and EMTs from Saco, Biddeford, Old Orchard Beach, Portland, and South Portland participated in the training. This training included a
scenario in which the Saco Fire Department received envelopes with unknown substances (in
this case, baking soda and protein powder)
simulating a biological
agent
. The response teams practiced carrying out the methodical plan of action for responding to a hazmat situation, which includes taking vital signs and putting on protective suits and
self-contained breathing apparatus
before examining the substances. They also practiced the procedure for decontamination. Saco's Deputy Fire Chief, David Pendleton, and other officials present were enthusiastic about the partnership with Portland and South Portland, whose departments have access to more advanced technology for responding to hazmat situations.
|
|
Coffee with a Cop
On May 31st from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, Saco Police Officers and members of the
public came together at Cia Café to participate in Coffee with a Cop, a national program designed to create a friendly forum for officers and the public to get to know each other and discuss community issues. Deputy Police Chief Jack Clements fielded questions and concerns about signal lights at pedestrian crossings, the anticipated increase in traffic with summer tourism, and the ways in which the roles and duties of a police officer have evolved over time. He also offered a tour of his police cruiser to one of the youngest members of the public present.
Meanwhile, Officer Robyn Stankevitz and Sgt. Bruce Cote worked beh
ind the counter serving coffee while Officer Megan Tibbetts delivered pastries to customers and discussed her role as a School Resource Officer for grades K-8. Mayor Lovell was also serving coffee and holding friendly conversation. Tune in to 207 later this
month to see coverage of the event and watch interviews with Mayor Lovell, the police officers, community members, and Cia Café owner Jeanie Dunnigan.
|
|
June 12th Election
Absentee ballots are available now.
Election Information:
The 2018 Primary election will be held on Monday, June 12th. Citizen voting will take
place at the Community Center, located at 75 Franklin Street, from 7:00am to 8:00pm.
Ranked Choice Voting:
Ranked-choice voting allows voters to "rank their choice" of candidates for each race. Learn more about Ranked-choice voting and take a look at sample ballots by clicking on the button below.
|
Construction Notice: Main Street and Industrial Park Road
The Maine Department of Transportation will be overseeing the paving of Main Street and Industrial Park Road in Saco over the next few months. Public Works staff will be in close contact with the staff at Maine DOT and the paving contractor. Since these are busy traffic corridors, you can expect delays and detours. We appreciate your patience during the construction activities and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience during that time.
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS
Check out the Community Calendar for upcoming meetings and events.
|
Bark in the Park - A K9 Celebration
June 2, 2018
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Saco Dog Park, 10 Park Avenue
|
Saco Main Street
Sidewalk Art Festival
June 23, 2018
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saco's Historic Downtown
|
Electronic Recycling Event
June 2, 2018
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
351 North Street
Contact Mark Brown at (207)423-0154
|
Saco Route 112 /Exit 36 Area Transportation Study
Public Meeting
June 14th - 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Saco City Hall Auditorium
Solutions For Saco's Route 112 Traffic Congestion To Be Evaluated
Public Feedback Needed At June 14 Meeting At Saco City Hall Auditorium
|
Smoke Alarm Installations
The Saco Fire Department has partnered with the American Red Cross to install FREE smoke alarms on
Saturday, June 16th.
To sign up for a FREE home visit
Smoke alarms reduce your chances of dying in a fire by nearly 50 percent.
Fire Safety teams will install
FREE smoke alarms and help you create an emergency escape plan.
|
|
Upcoming Committee Meetings
City Council Meetings and Workshops
June 4, 11, and 18 at 6:30 PM
City Council Chambers
Planning Board Meetings
June 5 and 19 at 5:00 PM
City Hall Conference Room
Saco Valley Land Trust
June 7 at 7:00 PM
Saco City Hall
Coastal Waters Commission Meeting
June 12 at 7:00 PM
Transportation Center Conference Room
School Board Meetings
June 6 and 20 at 7:00 PM
Saco City Hall
Conservation Commission Meeting
June 25 at 5:30 PM
City Hall Conference Room
Energy and Sustainability Committee Meeting
June 26 at 10:45 AM
City Hall Conference Room
|
 |
|
|
Left to right: Emma and Allie |
Name:
Emma Cota and Allie Richards
Title:
Summer Interns
What they do to help Saco
:
Emma and Allie were placed with the City of Saco through the University of Maine's Margaret Chase Smith Program which matches students with positions in local and state government based on their interests, experience, and education.
Emma has a degree in political science and English, and has an interest in local government and real estate law. This summer, she hopes to learn more about municipal government and aid in the rezoning project and community engagement efforts.
Allie graduated from Clark University with a Bachelors in International Development and Social Change and a minor in Geography. Allie has a passion for community development and supporting vulnerable populations. She hopes to learn more about the Saco community and aid in the city planning and public engagement efforts happening in the city this summer.
More about Emma and Allie:
Emma graduated from Mount Holyoke College this May, and will be attending Boston University School of Law in the fall. She enjoys cooking and baking, kayaking, and traveling.
Allie plans to attend Clark University in the fall to complete a Master's in Community Development and Planning through their accelerated degree program. Allie likes live music, biking, and eating pier fries.
Welcome to Saco!
|
|
