February 1, 2019
This year is Scarborough's 30th Annual Winterfest event, so we are pulling out all the stops with fun activities and entertainment, including a Pond Hockey Tournament and Fireworks on Friday night and Giant Indoor Bounce Zone and performances from the Axe Women Loggers of Maine on Saturday!

Kids' Bounce Zone passes may be purchased day-of event for $15 per child. All Bounce Zone proceeds benefit the Scarborough Community Services Scholarship Fund, helping local children and seniors participate in programs they might miss out on due to finances.

Click here for the full schedule of events
Augusta Delegation Open Office Hours
Senators Rebecca Millett and Linda Sanborn, and Representatives Shawn Babine, Chris Caiazzo, and Andrew McLean are pleased to announce that they will be holding open office hours at the Scarborough Town Hall on the first Saturday of each month beginning Saturday, February 2, 2019 in Council Chamber A from 10:00 am until noon. Stop by and ask questions, share concerns and suggestions, hear about what's happening in Augusta, and get to know the people that represent our community at the state level.
Learn About Wildlife this Winter
What: Winter Wildlife Walk
When: Saturday, February 9th at 10:00AM
Where: Libby River Farm Preserve, 320 Black Point Road (next to Camp Ketcha)

Join the Scarborough Land Trust for our annual Winter Wildlife Walk, where we'll explore the trails at Libby River Farm Preserve and look for signs of wildlife making their way through the winter. We're likely to see signs of deer, coyote, turkey, woodpeckers, and maybe even a bobcat!

Please prepare to be outside in the weather for a couple of hours. Bring along any drinks or snacks you'd like. If you have any concerns about whether this outing is right for you, feel free to contact our office by email or by phone at 207-289-1199 .

What Happened to the Silver Bullets?
Jami Fitch, Sustainability Coordinator
You may have seen our recent Facebook post saying that the silver bullet recycling containers were removed from the Walmart parking lot, or you may have driven by and noticed that they were gone. We'd like to explain the reason for the removal, and it's not because the Town is reducing services. The silver bullets are no longer at Walmart because the store asked for them to be removed.
 
The silver bullets are meant to collect recyclable items, but in recent months, more and more trash and bulky items have been left in and around the containers. We're talking mattresses, gas grills, and used kitty litter. It got to the point that Walmart couldn't tolerate these items left around the containers, so they asked for the silver bullets to be removed. The silver bullets were removed from Hannaford for the same reason not that long ago.

Click here for the complete article

Winter Fire Safety Tips
B. Michael Thurlow, Fire Chief
cottage.jpg
Even though we haven't had a major storm event yet this year, 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 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 waste 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

Councilor's Corner
Paul Johnson, Town Council Member
What do I love about Scarborough? During the winter months, my favorite days are those that are just warm enough to take a lengthy morning walk on Pine Point Beach with my wife, our daughter, and our golden retriever. As the weather becomes more favorable, I can often be found at Nonesuch River Golf Club with my regular foursome playing some late afternoon golf.   

Why do I love serving on the Town Council? In the three short months I've been on the Council, I have learned a tremendous amount about our government, history, and people. Above all, it became quickly apparent that everything, whether big or small, means a lot to someone. Although this presents challenges at times, it is also indicative of how Scarborough's residents truly care about the community they live in. It is this passion that makes Scarborough such a great community to live in.  

As Spring approaches, feel free to reach out to me directly. Perhaps we can schedule a quick nine holes!

Meet Your New Town Employees
Heidi McNinch, Human Resources Coordinator
On Sunday, January 6 th , Jennifer Hanson joined our Public Safety Department as the Town's newest full-time Dispatcher.
 
Jennifer began her career as a Dispatcher in 2016 by joining the team at the City of Sanford.  While there, she provided assistance to the public, communicated via telephone and radio to public safety personnel and other agencies, and provided medical protocol instructions to those in need.  Jennifer has Emergency Medical Dispatch and Emergency Fire Dispatch certification, is Maine EMS and CPR certified and is a State of Maine Notary Public. Jennifer's experience and training make her a great addition to our Dispatch family.  Jennifer is a graduate of Massabesic High School and is attending the Criminal Justice program at Southern Maine Community College.
 
On Monday, January 7 th , Christopher Gerossi joined our Public Safety Department as a full time Patrol Officer.
 
A 2018 graduate of Saint Joseph's college, Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and has just completed Phase II of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy's Law Enforcement Training Program.  Chris brings prior hands on experience to the Town, having worked as a police intern with the Westbrook Police Department and as a security officer for Fire Protection Services. Law enforcement runs in Christopher's family; both his great grandfather and great uncle spent their entire professional careers as law enforcement officers and Chris is honored to be working in the profession.
 
Both Jennifer and Christopher join a dedicated group of Public Safety members who work diligently to keep our community, citizens, and visitors safe.
 
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
Michael Thurlow, Fire Department
Kim Sperlich, Police Department Ruth Porter, Finance
Leona Oceania, Public Works Larissa Crockett, Administration
Magdalena Slawiec, SEDCO


2019 Scarborough Town Council
Peter Hayes, Chair
Katy Foley, Vice Chair
Shawn Babine
Jean-Marie Caterina
William Donovan
Don Hamill
Paul Johnson