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A MESSAGE FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR
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Dear Saco Citizens,
The sooner our project gets approved by the Army Corps Headquarters, the sooner we end up on the Chief's work-plan. Our project is anticipated to be included in the work-plan next winter/spring (2019) and part of the ACOE work-plan that is submitted to Congress for the Fiscal Year 2020 budget (October 2019).
If those conditions hold, and Congress passes a budget with the project intact, we could be looking at this project happening in 2020!
Thank you to our federal and local representatives, and community leaders for keeping this on the forefront.
We will update
our website as more information becomes available.
Sincerely,
Kevin L. Sutherland
City Administrator
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Independence Day
On Wednesday, July 4th, City offices will be closed in observation of Independence Day. We will resume regular business hours on July 5th.
There will be regular trash and recycling collection on the 4th, so please follow the usual schedule for your street and place your carts out the evening before in case they run ahead of schedule.
We have received several inquiries regarding the American flags and banners displayed on light poles along Main Street. To protect the flags from being damaged, Saco Main Street will install the flags once construction on Main Street has finished. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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Route 112/Exit 36 Area Transportation Study
The Saco Route 112 / Exit 36 Area Transportation Study was launched in April 2018 and will conclude early in 2019. This study will evaluate short and long-term solutions to the morning and evening traffic congestion that occurs on Route 112 and surrounding roads. Study recommendations will also include bicycle and pedestrian improvements at key locations.
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Fire Prevention Coloring Contest
Last month, Saco's second and fifth-grade elementary school students
participated in a drawing/coloring contest to win a ride to school in a fire truck. Second graders from Young and Fairfield Schools submitted over 100 pictures. The Fifth graders from Burns School designed a fire prevention poster as their submission for this contest. The members of the Saco Fire Department reviewed the entries and selected a winner from each school. The winning students could bring a friend for their ride to school with the friendly Saco Fire Department! Congratulations to the winners: Maliyah (Fairfield School), Lillian (Young School), and Polina (Burns School)!
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Ceremony
for New Hires and a Promotion at the Fire Department
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Left to Right: Deputy Chief Martin, Adam Rogers, Captain David Hamel, Jessica Dorgai, Chief Duross, and Deputy Chief Pendleton
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On June 29th, a ceremony was held to welcome two newly hired employees and congratulate a recently promoted Captain. All three were sworn in by Deputy City Clerk, William Rankin, joined by their family, friends, and colleagues at the Saco Central Fire Station.
The newest members of the Saco Fire Department are Jessica Dorgai (Firefighter/Paramedic) and Adam Rogers (Firefighter/AEMT). David Hamel was also recognized for being promoted to Captain.
Congratulations and welcome to Saco!
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City of Saco Adopts a New Logo and Tagline
Following months of research and collaboration with residents and businesses, the City
of Saco is excited to launch our new logo and tagline, "Friendly by Nature."
The city collaborated with residents, business
owners, and elected officials to find the perfect logo and tagline to represent the community best. Marshall Communications and designlab, both Maine-based businesses, partnered with the logo design team to create this new brand for the city. We are delighted with the outcome!
Thank you Marshall Archer (City Councilor, Ward 1), Bette Brunswick (business owner and Chairwoman of the EDC), Julie Smyth (Curriculum Director for Saco Schools), Erika Dube (Deputy Director of Recreation), and Emily Roy (Marketing and Communications Specialist) for being on the design team!
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Saco hires Zach Mosher as the new City Planner
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The City of Saco is excited to announce the hiring of Zach Mosher as the new City Planner. Zach most recently worked as the City Planner for the City of Auburn where he reviewed projects for subdivision, site plan, and local and state ordinance compliance. He was also the primary staff liaison to the Auburn Planning Board.
Zach has also previously served as Community Development Specialist at the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission in Wiscasset, providing planning and GIS
assistance to the towns of Lincoln County. He has a master's degree in Communit
y Planning from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine, with specialization in Geographic Information Systems and applied research and evaluation methods.
Denise Clavette, Saco's
Planning and Development Director recently said, "Zach is experienced in bringing developers, city staff, and other stakeholders together to identify the strengths, issues, or concerns of an application early in the planning process. This creates an efficient, transparent, and smooth experience for all parties involved. We are excited to have Zach join our team and are looking forward to his collaborative approach to planning."
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Community Garden for All Ages
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On June 29th, Age Friendly Saco and Saco Parks and Recreation held a ribbon-cuttingceremony to officially open the Multi-Generational Community Garden, a new program intended to connect Saco residents of all ages through gardening. Mayor Lovell cut the ribbon with assistance from kinder camper Stella Scamman, and members of Age Friendly Saco, campers, and Saco Parks and Recreation staff began planting the first flowers in the raised garden beds.
The Community Garden for All Ages was made possible due to a grant that Age Friendly Saco received from the Maine Charity Foundation Fund of the Maine Community Foundation. This program addresses the specific needs of older adults by developing raised garden beds and inter-generational programming. In addition to the generosity of Maine Community Foundation, this new programming was also made possible by the combined efforts of City of Saco Public Works, City of Saco Parks & Recreation, Rotary Club of Saco Bay, Wallingford Farm in Kennebunk, Solari Landscaping, Learning Works, and many volunteers.
For more information, visit Saco Parks and Rec's Gardening Blog below.
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New School Resource Officer Selected and Elder Services Officer Reinstated
The Saco Police Department has assigned School Resource Officers (SRO's) to Thornton Academy and grades K-8 since 1996 and 2003, respectively. The SRO program is a community-oriented policing assignment in which an officer serves as the liaison between the Police Department and School Department, providing law enforcement services and ensuring a safe school atmosphere for students and faculty. The greatest advantage of the SRO program is the immediate availability of the officer to all faculty and students in the school community. Presently, there is one Saco Police Officer assigned to Thornton Academy on a full-time basis and another officer assigned full-time for grades K-8. The police department typically assigns an SRO for a two year term.
Officer Megan Tibbetts has been the K-8 SRO for two years and is scheduled to rotate back to patrol. Prior to the SRO assignment, Officer Tibbetts was the Saco Police Elder Services Officer, and she will be reinstated as the Elder Services Officer upon returning to patrol.
Officer Stankevitz, a seven-year veteran of the Saco Police Department, will be the new Pre-K-8 SRO. She is very excited for the opportunity to continue the great collaborative relationship between the Saco Police Department and the Saco School System.
Read the Employee Spotlight below for more information about Officer Tibbetts, Officer Stankevitz, and the other female officers in Saco.
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New Parking Enforcement Program at Saco Police Department
The City of Saco has experienced a significant amount of growth over the last five years, which has resulted in an increased demand on the Saco Police Department. With calls for service requiring multiple officers and staffing levels remaining static, it has been a challenge for the Police Department to address parking concerns in the downtown and beach areas. However, the Police Department is always committed to providing the most exceptional service to the community.
The Police Department can address parking concerns, while still allowing for patrol officers to handle calls and conduct traffic enforcement, by hiring a full-time parking enforcement officer. This idea was proposed to the City Council by Police Chief Demers and approved as part of the 2018-2019 fiscal year budget.We are currently seeking candidates for this position.
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UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS
Check out the Community Calendar for upcoming meetings and events.
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Upcoming Committee Meetings
Planning Board Meetings
July 10 and July 17 at 5:00 PM
City Hall Conference Room
City Council Meetings and Workshops
July 9, July 16, and July 23 at 6:30 PM
City Council Chambers
Conservation Commission Meeting
July 23 at 6:30 PM
City Hall Conference Room
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 23 at 7:00 PM
Train Station Conference Room
Energy and Sustainability Committee Meeting
July 31 at 10:30 AM
City Hall Conference Room
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Saco Main Street Car Show
July 28
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Adirondacks on Main
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Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting- OTTO
July 5 at 10:45 AM
Grand Opening - Evolution Athletix
July 12
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
The Employee Spotlight for the July edition
features the Women of Law Enforcement
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These Saco Police Officers have shared a little bit about what they do to help Saco and who they are outside of work. Thank you for all you do!
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Name:
Amanda Condon
Title:
Patrol Officer
What she does to help Saco
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Amanda has been working for the City of Saco since
2016.
Her responsibilities include patrolling her assigned zone, responding to medical emergencies, investigating possible crimes, and interacting with the public. Amanda is a Certified Car Seat Technician responsible for educating parents and caregivers of proper car seat installation techniques to keep the smallest members of the Saco Community safe. She is also the only female member of the department's Honor Guard, performing at various funerals and ceremonies.
More about Amanda:
"Originally from the West Coast, my family and I moved to Maine in 2015. I am married with 2 kids. I have been a member of the Air Force Reserves for 11 years. In my off time, I enjoy spending quality time with my family, taking road trips, and searching for every ice cream stand in the area".
Have a question for Amanda? Send her an email.
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Name:
Monica Fahy
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Title:
Patrol Corporal
What she does to help Saco
: Monica has worked for the City of Saco Police Department for 13 years, with a total of 21 years of experience. Before moving to Maine, she worked in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She was promoted to Corporal here at the Saco PD in February of 2018 and is currently the 3rd shift Corporal. Her duties include both patrol duties as well as supervisory duties including traffic stops, arrests, assisting the patrol officers with calls, and working her zone in the city. In addition to patrol duties, she approves reports, works with the Sgt. to promote shift unity, and leads by example.
During her tenure she has served in multiple roles: School Resource Officer at Thornton Academy, a Detective with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Field Training Officer, Evidence Technician, SUDS Team. Additionally, she has assisted Dispatch, and the Court Officer and Data Entry offices when necessary.
More about Monica:
"Outside of work I like to go camping (the primitive kind - none of that camper stuff) hiking, fishing, kayaking, 4 wheeling and spending time with family. I love to travel but don't get to do as much as I would like. I try to get back to Michigan to visit family every year. I love photography and call it my hobby, but I am far from professional. I love landscape, older buildings, barns, and other "non-people" photos. It is peaceful and gives me time to decompress. I live with the love of my life, my son, and his two sons."
Have a question for Monica? Send her an email.
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Title:
Patrol Officer and (Fall 2018) School Resource Officer for kindergarten through eighth grade
What she does to help Saco
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Robyn has worked for the City of Saco for almost seven years. Her typical duties include traffic enforcement, motor vehicle accidents, and animal complaints. She also responds to criminal and civil complaints of varying nature.
Robyn is excited about the School Resource Officer position and the opportunity to be a mentor to the children in the community. Robyn will be utilizing her training and experience to educate and ensure the safety of the staff and children at our Pre-K-8 Schools.
More about Robyn:
"My personal joys in life are my family and practicing a healthy lifestyle. I am a huge animal lover and have three "big" dogs: Opal, Aldo, and Ranger (our retired police K-9), three cats, and many free-range chickens and ducks. When I am not at work, you will find me tending to my farm and enjoying what this beautiful life has to give."
Have a question for Robyn? Send her an email.
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Title:
Patrol Officer/Elder Services Officer
What she does to help Saco
: Megan has worked for the Saco Police Department for 20 years. In addition to her patrol duties, she is an Elder Services Officer. She has previously served as a School Resource Officer and has also been assigned to Bike Patrol during her tenure.
More about Megan:
"I
have 3 boys, one of which is currently serving in the Air Force and is stationed in Japan, and 2 step-kid, who are all incredible. I
love the outdoors-hunting, fishing, hiking, and I have a Maine Coast Water Guide License and 100 ton Master Captain's license. I like spending time in my garden, and spending time with my wonderful family and friends. I also have two dogs and a cat".
Have a question for Megan? Send her an email.
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Title:
Patrol Officer
What she does to help Saco
: Officer Wentworth is responsible for keeping the public safe (along with her fellow officers). Her typical duties include traffic enforcement, patrolling her assigned zone, responding to medical emergencies, and investigating possible crimes.
More about Olivia:
Olivia was hired by the Saco Police Department approximately six months ago. She came to the Saco Police Department from North Carolina,
where she was a Deputy Sheriff with the Wake County Sheriff's Department in Raleigh for four years. Prior to her entry into the field of law enforcement she spent five years with the United States Coast Guard. During her time in the Coast Guard Officer Wentworth worked in small boat operations all the way up to piloting a Coast Guard Cutter.
Have a question for Olivia? Send her an email.
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