September 15, 2018
Reminder! Reminder! Reminder!
Leona Oceania, Public Works
Scarborough residents are eligible to participate in Biddeford's Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day today Saturday, September 15th, 2018 from 8:00 AM - Noon. The drop off location will be 371 Hill Street, Biddeford. No fees! (Proof of Scarborough residency is required)
 
Please click here for more information.
 
And remember, if you are ever not sure how to dispose of an item, check out ecomaine's Recyclopedia! Recyclopedia is an easy and useful resource: simply search the database for the item in question, and receive information as to how best recycle or dispose of the item.
 
Gorham Rd Reconstruction Project Begins 9/17
Mike Shaw, Director of Public Works
Shaw Brothers Construction of Gorham is scheduled to start work on the Gorham Road (Route 114) reconstruction project beginning the week of September 16th. The project will run from September until winter weather forces a temporary shut down until the spring of 2019. Once the project commences in spring it should be complete in mid-June.
 
This project is the first of a five phase plan to reconstruct Gorham Road from Oak Hill to Payne Road. Master planning was completed in fiscal year 2016. During the master planning phase, the Town held two public meetings so engineers and town staff could better understand the issues of property owners along the corridor as well as learn what residents hoped to achieve with the project.
 
Once the master plan was completed, staff went to work on detailed design for the first phase of the project during fiscal year 2017. Full width road reconstruction will start at Wentworth Drive and continue to Maple Avenue. The pavement will be milled down and replaced with a new wearing course of pavement. Public meeting feedback included a need for pedestrian and bicycle amenities. To that end, a sidewalk will be constructed from the corner of Route One near Walgreens to Maple Ave. This will include a new crosswalk and island at the intersection of Sawyer road and Gorham Road, in addition to shoulders for bicyclist use. This design is part of a Complete Streets policy for road reconstruction that uses the town's right of way for multiple modes of transportation instead of strictly motorized vehicle use.

Click here for the complete article

TIFs and CEAs 101
Are you interested in learning more about Tax Increment Financing districts (TIFs) and Credit Enhancement Agreements (CEAs)? Please join Town staff for an information session and question and answer session on either Tuesday, September 18 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at the Town Hall in Council Chambers A or on Monday, September 24 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the Scarborough Public Library. Each session will start with a brief presentation about the basics of TIFs and CEAs. The rest of the time will be guided by attendee's questions.
 
There is also a new web page that provides an easy way to watch all of the Town Council and Planning Board meetings that have taken place since February about TIFs, CEAs, and the Scarborough Downs project. You will also find accompanying documents that were either part of the recorded meetings or that we think add to the conversation as informational resources.
 
Still looking for more answers to your questions? Please give us a call, send us an email, or stop by the Town Hall. We are always eager to share the information we have available and to help residents become as informed as they wish to be.

Tax Rate to Stay Steady for FY2019
The last part of the budget process finished up on Thursday, September 13 when the Town's Assessor completed the tax commitment. This year's tax rate will remain unchanged from last year's, staying steady at $16.49. Tax bills will be mailed the week of September 17 and the first tax payment is due on Monday, October 15, 2018. 

Interest Rate Change on Unpaid Property Taxes
Ruth Porter, Finance Director
Each year, the Treasurer for the State of Maine, sets the maximum rate of interest for municipalities per Title 36, MRSA Section 505.4. From 2009 to 2017, the interest rate charged for unpaid property taxes has remained consistent at seven percent (7%).
 
For the taxable year 2018, the State of Maine has set the maximum interest at eight percent (8%). Municipalities may then vote to determine the rate of interest that shall be charged on property taxes that are unpaid or delinquent during a particular taxable year until those property taxes are paid in full.
 
At the Scarborough Town Council meeting on May 16, 2018, the Town Council, approved order number 18-028, setting the interest rate to accrue upon taxes due and unpaid after each due date at the rate of 8.00% per annum.
 
Property tax due dates for this fiscal year are Monday October 15, 2018 and Friday, March 15, 2019.
 
More information can be found on the State of Maine's website.

Are You in a Flood Zone?
Brian Longstaff, Zoning Administrator
FEMA Map Video
FEMA Map Video
As many of you know, FEMA is creating new and updated flood maps for York and Cumberland Counties, which includes Scarborough. So our old paper flood maps will soon be replaced by new digital flood insurance rate maps.

Many properties that were not in a special flood hazard area will find that they now are in a special flood hazard area. Some properties that were in one type of flood hazard area will find that they are now in a different type of flood hazard area, and still others will find that they are in the same type of flood hazard area but now have a different and sometimes higher base flood elevation assigned to that area. We are working to analyze which properties are going to be affected by these types of changes in hope that we can notify them individually. Until that analysis is completed, here's a quick and pretty easy way for individuals to check the status of their property if you have access to a computer and the internet.

Click here for the complete article

Go Green to $ave Green - RECYCLE!
Jami Fitch, Sustainability Coordinator
We all know that recycling is the right thing to do for the planet. Do you know it's also the right thing to do for your wallet?
 
The Town pays $70.50 for every ton of garbage that goes to ecomaine's  Waste-to-Energy facility, where it is burned and turned into electricity. But, it's free to recycle with ecomaine. Recycling is a win for the environment and a win for our budget!
 
We need your help to keep our curbside recycling program free! People often place items that cannot be recycled in their recycling carts. At some point, ecomaine may start charging for these "contaminated" loads. Do your part to keep our recycling costs low. Check out ecomaine's Recyclopedia  if you have questions about what can be recycled, and follow the Recycling Rules of Thumb above!

Comprehensive Plan Survey Results are In
The Town of Scarborough is updating its 2006 Comprehensive Plan. The Update is intended to guide the Town's decisions about how the Scarborough community should and should not grow and develop and what is important in that process of change.
 
We invited residents and business representatives to fill out the Comprehensive Plan Survey. The survey questions were developed based on input from a series of public meetings during the Summer of 2017 and a week long planning workshop, known as the Planapaloozaâ„¢ in September 2017. You can find the results of the survey by clicking on this link.
 
To follow and participate in the update for 2018, go to ScarboroughEngaged.org.

New England Cottontails Need Your Help!
Come out for a big push to help the New England Cottontails survive the quickly approaching winter . New England Cottontails live in dense, thicketed habitats that are not plentiful. We are helping them by planting 2,500 native plants at Libby Field in Scarborough on National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 29th from 9:00am - 2:00pm.

Volunteers will be parking at Uncle Don's Spurwink Country Kitchen located at 150 Spurwink Rd, Scarborough and will be shuttled be refuge staff to the planting area. Volunteers need to bring: water, a lunch, snacks, sunscreen, a hat and bugspray. All planting supplies are provided by the refuge. Supplementary water, snacks, sunscreen and bugspray will also be provided by the refuge.
 

About the Scarborough Town Newsletter
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
Audra Keenan, Community Services Sean Bushway, IT
Heidi McNinch, Human Resources Brian Longstaff, Codes & Planning
Kelly Johnston, Scarborough Public Schools
Chief Michael Thurlow, Fire Department
Kim Sperlich, Police Department Ruth Porter, Finance
Leona Oceania, Public Works Larissa Crockett, Assistant Town Manager
Magdalena Slawiec, SEDCO


2018 Scarborough Town Council
William Donovan, Chair
Chris Caiazzo, Vice Chair
Shawn Babine
Jean-Marie Caterina
Katy Foley
Peter Hayes
Will Rowan