Fall is upon us, with the bright foliage and earlier sunsets to prove it! We hope you have been making the most of the season by enjoying our town's many trails, beaches, and scenic sights. Now is also the time to plan ahead: make a voting plan on or before November 3rd (Election Day), consider your family's health & safety with Halloween activities, register for upcoming virtual learning programs at the library, and more. Read on for details and helpful links.
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Early Voting & Absentee Ballots |
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A reminder that Election Day is on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, with voting at the Scarborough High School, located at 11 Municipal Drive, from 7am to 8pm. In-person voting by Absentee Ballot is available at the Town Hall this month during regular business hours. If you do not want to mail your absentee ballots back, you can drop them in the “Absentee Ballot Drop Box” located to the left of the front doors of Town Hall or you bring them into Town Hall and drop them off with staff in Council Chambers.
Click Here for information about voter registration. For further information on Absentee Voting and Voter Registration, please contact the Town Clerk's office at (207) 730-4020.
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For more information about the upcoming election, sample ballots, absentee voting, checking the status of your absentee ballot, and rank choice voting, please visit the Town Clerk's webpage.
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Get Creative With Your Acorns |
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It is yet another year of abundant acorns. While they can be annoying, loud, and even painful, there are many creative options for acorns! Here are a few:
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- Compost them.
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Gather them up (use a rake, leaf vacuum, or catch them in a tarp) and dispose of them for FREE at the Casella Transfer Station (594 County Road).
- Leave them be, and replace your lawn with an oak forest.
- As much as you might want to throw them at your mortal enemies, don't do it. It's not nice.
- Burn them, carefully and responsibly.
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- Feed them to your pet squirrel. (Just kidding, go put that squirrel back where you found it. Give it a few acorns for its trouble.)
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Eat them. No, not straight off the tree. With proper preparation, they can be ground to make flour for bread, pancakes, pastries, and cookies (gluten free!).
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Get crafty! Make an acorn wreath. Use them as a vase filler. Paint them, add some glitter, and proudly display them in a nice bowl. Make acorn ornaments. Take the macaroni off the frame that your kindergartner made for you, and glue acorns on there instead. (Do not eat the macaroni, it has glue on it. Yuck.)
In all seriousness, the oak trees and the acorns they produce are an important part of our ecosystem. We do realize that they can be unpleasant to deal with when they end up on the sidewalks and roadways. The good news is, with some patience they eventually disperse.
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Find the latest news on paving, trash pickup, & more from Public Works |
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Halloween is Right Around the Corner
Be Prepared!
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Check out these tips from our Sustainability Coordinator to limit your environmental impact: |
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Check thrift stores for a costume, borrow one from a friend, or make one out of what you already have.
Throw candy wrappers in the trash, not the recycling bin.
Compost your jack-o-lantern in your home compost pile or at one of our drop off locations:
- Pine Tree Waste: 87 Pleasant Hill Rd
- Public Works: 20 Washington Ave (behind The Holy Donut)
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And a reminder from our Police Department to make plans ahead of time to ensure health & safety this season amidst the Covid-19 pandemic: |
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What's Question 1 on My Ballot?
Ladder Truck Referendum
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By Fire Chief B. Michael Thurlow
Your ballot contains referendum Question 1 asking Scarborough voters if they are in favor of authorizing up to $1,200,000 in bonds to fund the cost of a replacing one of our ladder trucks. It is my duty to provide as much accurate information as possible so that the electorate can make an informed decision when they cast their ballot.
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There are three primary reasons that drive the replacement of fire apparatus:
1) Current truck condition, notably the age, shape and reliability of the truck.
The purchase of a replacement ladder truck will allow for the retirement of the 1998 E-One model ladder assigned as Ladder 1 at the Dunstan fire station. It will be 24 years old, with 130,000 miles, and over 10,100 engine hours when it is finally retired from service.
2) Cost of maintenance which generally increases with age, usage, and availability of replacement parts.
In 2019, the Fire Department updated a formal apparatus replacement plan to analyze ongoing maintenance expenses with cost of ownership including purchase price, replacement cost, and projected resale value. It is also used to avoid reactive, unplanned expenses after a failure of a critical piece of apparatus mid-budget.
3) Safety of the public and our personnel.
The 1998 ladder truck lacks many of the safety components that are today standard in nearly every vehicle. When Ladder 1 was purchased, stability control and air bag restraint systems weren’t available options. Horizontal reach is also limited with the current ladder truck and the 100' length of a new ladder would remedy this. The growth of our community since 1998 when our current ladder truck went into service means there are more modern lot setbacks, landscaping, and parking lots. Ladder trucks need to set up many feet from the building, so the entire 100’ length of the aerial is often used.
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Read Fire Chief Thurlow's full article above. If you have questions or would like to personally see our apparatus, please don’t hesitate to email Fire Chief Thurlow or call (207) 730-4201.
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Keeping Staff & Students Healthy at School |
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Like all school municipalities, we are striving to do our part to help limit and prevent the spread of COVID-19 among our staff and students. In an effort to keep our staff and students healthy and safe, Scarborough Schools has created an FAQ regarding COVID-related questions to help families understand the necessary requirements and guidelines for students. This document is continuously updated as new information is shared by the CDC. We also request that all staff and students complete a self-assessment each day prior to coming to school using the COVID-19 Pre-Screening Tool for School Attendance produced by the Maine Department of Education.
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Scarborough Public Schools now has a weekly district newsletter! |
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Town Council Corner
By Councilor Ken Johnson
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Peter Hayes' Service to the Town
I would like to thank Peter Hayes for his service to the Scarborough citizens for the past 6 years as a member of the Town Council. Peter always had the best interest of the community at the forefront in every discussion and decision during his tenure. I was fortunate to have Peter as a guide and mentor in my first year as a councilor and will be forever grateful. As councilor Hayes departs the council there are 5 candidates campaigning to join or remain on the Town council this election year.
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Know Your Candidates
As Peter stated in his parting words, "Our elected officials are investing hundreds of hours, and countless evenings away from their families, in trying to understand issues and do what they think is in the best interests of the Scarborough community". So who are these individuals that have decided to step up and step in to serve the community where they live?
With a little more than 2 weeks remaining until the votes are tallied, we encourage you to explore the positions of each candidate. Please take the time to be informed and make your voice heard by voting in this election.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Scarborough Town Council. |
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Scarborough Town Council
Paul Johnson, Chair • Don Hamill, Vice Chair • Jean-Marie Caterina • John Cloutier
Betsy Gleysteen • Peter Hayes • Ken Johnson
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Now Hiring! Work for the Town
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The Town of Scarborough is now hiring for the following positions:
- Part-Time Assessing Administrative Assistant
- All Day Hybrid Care Counselor
- Building Service Worker/Custodian
- Firefighters
- IT Support
- Patrol Officer
- Seasonal Plow Truck Drivers
The Town of Scarborough is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Your New E-Newsletter Editor |
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We are pleased to announce the hiring of Allison Carrier to the new position of Communications & Community Engagement Coordinator. One of Allison's primary responsibilities will be the manager and editor of the Town's E-Newsletter. Prior to joining the Town of Scarborough, Ms. Carrier worked in multiple communications and outreach roles with Wolfe's Neck Center in Freeport, most recently as the Marketing & Communications Manager. Allison brings a tremendous amount of experience in digital media, design, outreach and communications strategy to Scarborough. Welcome Allison!
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Scarborough Public Library |
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Friends of the Library Week
Beginning October 18 is National Friends of Libraries Week! The Friends of the Scarborough Library is a nonprofit, members-based organization that provides support to the nonprofit Public Library in a number of ways: philosophical, fundraising, programming, and volunteerism. If you borrowed a pass to the Portland Museum of Art, the Children’s Museum, or Maine Wildlife Park, thank the Friends. If you enjoyed one of the Monday Movie matinees, thank the Friends. If you plugged into the electric vehicle charger or sat on one of our colorful lawn chairs, thank the Friends. If you pick-up an issue of Book Page each month… you know the rest.
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Every organization appreciates a cheering section and the Friends have rallied when we needed them most. |
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Upcoming Event: Talk with Jere Michelson, Author of Deadly Account
Tuesday, October 27 at 6:30 pm, Zoom
The Scarborough Public Library is hosting a virtual author talk with Jere Michelson, Scarborough resident and author of Deadly Account, a crime thriller and coming of age story set in Portland. Learn how Michelson, a very busy professional and community leader, found time to write this novel and hear a little about the others that will follow. Click Here to request a Zoom link.
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Scarborough Public Library has a wealth of virtual events for adults, teens, and children. From read alouds, book discussions, a lecture series, & more, tune into enriching content all season long.
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Click on the calendar event to view Town Council meeting Zoom links |
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Find us on Facebook! Get the inside scoop from the Town of Scarborough on your newsfeed. Give us a like today.
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Our mission is to keep you informed about town events and activities. |
Your Newsletter Team
Tody Justice, Town Clerk • Lucy Norvell, Public Library • Jill Deering, Community Services • Donald Begin, IT • Magdalena Slawiec, SEDCO • Brian Longstaff, Codes & Planning • Kelly Johnston, Scarborough Public Schools • Michael Thurlow, Fire Department • Kim Sperlich, Police Department • Ruth Porter, Finance • Leona Oceania, Public Works • Allison Carrier, Communications
Please note our website is the central repository for information on Town government.
If you have ideas for stories, please email us!
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