 |
|
Town Launches Hybrid Care Program
Nicole Hall, Operations and Facilities Manager
|
 
In an effort to assist local families with additional child care needs during a hybrid-model school schedule, Community Services searched high and low for alternate locations that could be utilized for all-day child care. After much research, a nearby facility was found, and thanks to the support of Town Council and our patient child care families, we were able to secure space at 418 Payne Road (the former House of Lights building). This week, staff has been working collaboratively and swiftly to get the space ready for Grades K-5 enrollees, as we are set to open to Grades K-5 enrollees on Monday, October 5.
In this new program full days of care are provided from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm for each school cohort (2-day or 3-day options). Program participants will be in groups of 10. We will group students with the same school and grades, if numbers allow. Children will remain in the same group when in attendance. Our intention is to operate this program consistent with DOE/CDC and standard operating procedures whenever possible, but in all cases this program will operate within CDC guidelines. Our participants will also have access to daily breakfast and lunch thanks to a recent waiver passed by the USDA and the district's ability to extend our status as a "Summer Feeding Site" through December 31, 2020.
Due to space availability, we are now opening this program to Scarborough 6th grade students. Registration begins September 30, will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and is limited to 10 spaces for each school cohort. Parents may register for this program online or by contacting our office at 207-730-4150. Please click here for complete article
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
November 3, 2020 Election Information
Tody Justice, Town Clerk
|
The State General Election and the Scarborough Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, at the Scarborough High School, located at 11 Municipal Drive on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
In-person voting by Absentee Ballot will be available on Monday, October 5 during regular business hours. Currently, the Town Clerk's Office is working on filling requests for absentee ballots that were requested by voters starting back on August 3.
For more information about the upcoming election, absentee voting, checking the status of your absentee ballot and rank choice voting, please visit the Town Clerk's webpage.
For further information on Absentee Voting and Voter Registration, please contact the Scarborough Town Clerk's Office at 730-4020.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Shoreland Zoning Changes Effective October 1
Brian Longstaff, Zoning Administrator
|
Back in March, information was included in the newsletter to inform people about the mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act, which requires every town in Maine to adopt, administer, and enforce rules that regulate land use activities within 250 feet of our great ponds, rivers, freshwater and coastal wetlands , including all tidal waters; and within 75 feet of streams. The Act also requires the Town to keep its Shoreland Zoning Ordinance consistent with the State's minimum guidelines.
The Town recently went through the public process of amending the Scarborough Shoreland Zoning Ordinance to make it consistent with the State's minimum guidelines, and approved the amendments on June 3, 2020, but delayed their effective date until October 1, 2020.
For those folks that live in a coastal area or near a river, stream, or coastal wetland, there are a number of changes that you will need to consider when thinking about any development activity on your property, including vegetation removal, and accessory structures. The following changes are perhaps the most likely to have the greatest impact on Shoreland property owners.
Please click here for complete article
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
SPL Virtual Program - Rufus Porter's Curious World
Lucy Norvell, Coordinator of Programming and Communications
|
The Scarborough Public Library is pleased to offer a virtual program highlighting artist-inventor Rufus Porter's remarkable career, including his foundational Maine experiences.
Thursday, October 1 from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm, via Zoom
RUFUS PORTER'S CURIOUS WORLD: Art and Invention in Antebellum Maine and America
An illustrated talk by Laura F. Sprague, co-curator of Rufus Porter's Curious World: Art and Invention in America, 1815-1860, a recent exhibition at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. Sprague will highlight the artist-inventor Rufus Porter's remarkable career, including his foundational Maine experiences. Senior consulting curator at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Sprague co-curated the exhibition and co-edited the catalogue with Justin Wolff, professor of art history, University of Maine. The catalogue is part of the Library's collection. To request the Zoom link, email Lucy Norvell.
For additional details, please click here.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Ad Hoc Committees Accepting Applications
Colette Mathieson, Executive Assistant to the Town Manager
|
The Town of Scarborough is forming two ad hoc resident committees. The first, the Downtown Development Committee will draw upon the collective skills and expertise of committee members and to work with staff and the Developer in an effort to advise the Town Council regarding the elements and costs of the Downtown District. This work will focus on the new downtown at The Downs, but will also consider how this area can be integrated into the overall Downtown District.
The second, the Charter Review Committee, will review the provisions of the Town Charter and make recommendations to the Town Council on any amendments necessary or appropriate. If you are interested in serving on either of these committees, please follow the appropriate links above to fill out the application form.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
FREE Pesticide Collection Beginning October 19
Jami Fitch, Sustainability Coordinator
|
Safely dispose of old weed and bug killers or other pesticides at a collection event offered by the Maine Board of Pesticides Control and Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The collection will take place the week of October 19 in Portland.
Disposal is FREE, but pre-registration is required by October 9.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Trauma Intervention Program Making An Impact
B. Michael Thurlow, Fire Chief
|
For a number of years now the Scarborough Police and Fire Departments have been working with an outstanding group called the Trauma Intervention Program or TIP. TIP is a national volunteer program that was founded in 1985. The local chapter was established in Portland in 2005 and Scarborough joined them a few years later.
TIP works in collaboration with, and at the request of Scarborough and several other greater Portland area first responder agencies, as well as Maine Medical Center, to provide emotional support services to victims and families during the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event.
Following a traumatic event like a serious car accident, traumatic injury, or cardiac arrest, the persons involved often feel helpless, confused, and in emotional shock. During these times of high stress they are suddenly confronted with a situation for which they are totally unprepared. That's where TIP volunteers really shine. Their volunteers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provide emotional first aid until survivors are able to depend on family, friends, or neighbors for comfort and support. TIP is a program of Maine Behavioral Healthcare and there is no cost to those who are served.
Please click here for complete article
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Behind The Curtin: Town Council Communication
Paul Johnson, Town Council Chair
|
When it comes to local government, it is oftentimes a bit of a mystery how items get on our agenda on how elected officials communicate with each other. As the current chair of the Scarborough Town Council, I'll attempt to bring some understanding to the process.
The first question worth answering is, how do items get on the Town Council's agenda? Many of the Council's agenda items come from one of two places; staff recommendations or from municipal committees, most commonly Town Council standing committees. If you really would like to be informed about a particular topic, I suggest participating in, or viewing, the appropriate committee meetings. You will find the structure of these meetings are much less formal and allow ample opportunity for discussion. For example, our Tax Increment Financing and Credit Enhancement Agreement (TIF/CEA) policy has been the subject of Finance committee discussion and work for quite some time. Or, perhaps you are interested in the Ordinance Committee's recent discussion on the Growth Management Ordinance.
A great deal of work is also completed during full Town Council workshops are often very informative and comprehensive. We typically hold workshops prior to the regular Town Council meeting. The Council's most recent workshop was regarding the Charter Review Committee and Ad-Hoc Downtown Development Committee.
Please click here for complete article
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Recycling Outreach Program To Return
Jami Fitch, Sustainability Coordinator
|
Interns will once again hit our streets to educate residents about proper recycling. We will partner with ecomaine this fall to check recycling carts for contamination, or trash mixed with recyclables.
Ecomaine's interns will work in Scarborough on Mondays in October and November. The interns will inspect bins and will issue green tags for a job well done, yellow tags for loads that have one or two items that are not recyclable, and red tags for loads with too many items that cannot be recycled - including trash. The bins with red tags will not be collected that week. The tags will identify item(s) that do not belong in the recycling cart.
Scarborough worked with Ecomaine and neighboring communities to pilot a similar program in 2019, which produced great results. From July 2019 through June 2020, the town had 50 loads of recycling rejected by Ecomaine because of contamination levels. More than 340 loads were rejected between July 2018 and June 2019. Please click here for complete article
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Scarborough Public Schools Launches Newsletter!
Kelly Johnston, Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools
|
Scarborough Schools is excited to share their new communication tool with all Scarborough community members! This newsletter is being distributed to all families each week.
This easy-to-read newsletter highlights all of the latest happenings around our schools, it shares very important and timely information to staff, students and parents, and offers resources and materials for all to review, especially as we all navigate these unprecedented and changing times. Each edition of the communication will be archived on our website for easy access.
In addition, in the near future, each of our 6 schools will be using this same format for their weekly electronic news. These will be inserted directly into the district newsletter each week - to view them, simply click on the school's picture on the bottom of the newsletter to check out individual school news.
We hope you find this information a useful and helpful tool that will keep all members of our community updated on the latest happenings at our schools!
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
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.
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 | Liam Gallagher, Administration |
|
| |
|
|
Paul Johnson, Chair
| |
Don Hamill, Vice Chair
| |
Jean-Marie Caterina
| |
John Cloutier
| |
Betsy Gleysteen
| |
Peter Hayes
| |
Ken Johnson
|
|
| |
|
