It may feel like the perfect time to catch up on some rest & relaxation, but here at the Town we're gearing up for a busy few months ahead! Brace yourselves for a heavy lineup of upcoming dates to put on the calendar, with discussions ranging from the budget, school updates, community programs, and more. Behind each update are the Town staff, councilors, public safety officers, school administrators, engaged residents, and many, many more who contribute to Scarborough's success and vibrancy—we are grateful for their service and dedication. Read on for details.

Our Meals to Go Program is a twice monthly resource offered by Scarborough Community Services and the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, giving seniors 3 pre-cooked freezer meals available for pickup. Last week's included some extra comforts on these cold, snowy days: Len Libby chocolates, homemade Valentine cards by students at Scarborough Public Schools, fresh baked muffins and fruit from Project G.R.A.C.E. and School Nutrition, and volunteers from Martin's Point Health Care and the Scarborough Police Department handing out food pantry staples. It was a warm scene on a cold winter day!

Get to know the Town of Scarborough’s Public Works Vehicle Maintenance staff! This crew maintains and repairs all of the 200+ vehicles owned by the Town, plus 53 external municipal vehicles. Maintaining the fleet and managing warranty claims in-house provides significant savings for Scarborough. Additionally, maintenance and repairs on external municipality fleets provides service at a reasonable cost for neighboring municipalities as well as a revenue stream for the Town of Scarborough. Carrying this workload at our current staffing level is an exceptional feat.

The Online Mapping page of the Town website contains a comprehensive database of mapping for many purposes. This includes interactive FEMA flood maps, used to provide flood hazard and risk data to help guide mitigation actions. They are often relied upon by residents and businesses contemplating new construction, existing structure improvements, and budgeting of flood insurance premiums.

The Planning Department was expecting new flood maps to be released in 2021; however, FEMA recently announced that due to technical decisions, the new flood maps in York and Cumberland counties will not be finalized this year. This was determined in an appeals ruling by the Scientific Resolution Panel, a third party professional. Click Here to learn more about the panel decision (2020-10-18).

Map changes could lead to beneficial results for residents: If made, they will likely result in some parts of Cumberland County seeing reduced base flood elevation, making it easier and less costly to make improvements to structures that will also comply with the floodplain ordinance standards. Until then, those contemplating new construction or substantial improvement to existing buildings unfortunately will not be able to refer to a new base flood elevation. The Town can only enforce current standards based on 35-year old flood data, which could lead to higher flood insurance premiums and limited opportunities for the Town to increase flood resiliency in our buildings.

The Town will continue to monitor and update the public as more information becomes available. Please contact the Planning Department for more information on flood maps and flood zones.

Amidst all of the snow and cold, Scarborough Community Services is looking ahead to fun, sun, and outdoor adventures! They are in summer planning mode and excited to get all of the information out to you. Make sure you follow the SCS Facebook page to receive up-to-the-minute updates on programs, special events, and everything parks & recreation related.

'Like' Scarborough Community Services on Facebook and enter the sweepstakes by February 28 and be entered into a drawing for the following prizes:

Grand Prize: Priority Summer Registration Placement – Be the FIRST to secure spots in our summer day camp program & specialty camps! • Second Place: 2021 Town of Scarborough Beach Pass • Third Place: SCS Swag Bag

Members of the Conservation Commission work on a variety of projects such as environmental initiatives, educational projects, and ordinance development. They also provide guidance to staff, Town Council, and other municipal boards and committees on various

natural resource-related projects.

The Conservation Commission’s primary responsibilities are to increase awareness of the value of the Town’s natural resources, work to identify and reduce potential damage to these natural areas, and to proactively work with Town staff, committees, and local

organizations to encourage stewardship of these resources.

The Appointments Committee recently appointed two new members to this committee. If you have interest on serving on a Town board or committee, see the current vacancies and apply online.

This was made possible thanks to the instrumental work of our our Fire Inspector/Commercial Code Enforcement Officer, Captain Jim Butler. “We are thrilled to be participating in this important project,” he said. “Not only will access to the tool give us invaluable information about our community’s needs, but it’s rewarding to know that using the tool will increase its effectiveness and help other fire departments in the long run.”

Click Here to view full budget adoption schedule

The Town Council has traditionally favored stable and predictable tax bills and this year is no different. We have reaffirmed our long-standing goal of managing the budget to a mill rate increase of no higher than 3%. Short of public or staff feedback moving us off of that target, this means that you can expect the typical tax bill to go up around 3% next year. We invite you to participate in this year's process by sharing what's most important to you, and maybe a little about what you learned this past year. Your feedback will be critical to helping ensure that we maximize the benefit gained from every penny that is spent. I look forward to hearing from you.

Email Councilor Cloutier with your feedback at jcloutier@scarboroughmaine.org. Be sure to also access virtual meetings through the links in our Town Calendar.

Scarborough Town Council

Paul Johnson, Chair • Don Hamill, Vice Chair • Jonathan Anderson • Jean-Marie Caterina • John Cloutier • Betsy Gleysteen • Ken Johnson

Town Council meets the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7 PM. Visit our online calendar for links to attend and view agendas.

The spending deadline was recently extended to June 30, 2021, so staffing needs can continue to be addressed through the remainder of the school year. In the coming months, school administrators and the school board finance committee will be discussing the impact of these funds and investments on the FY22 budget.

Please reach out to the board with any questions that you may have at boe@scarboroughschool.org and stay engaged as FY22 budget discussions get underway.

The Board of Education is excited to announce the search for the district’s next superintendent following the retirement announcement of Sandy Prince.

The search will be in partnership with DDM Ed Leadership, LLC and will include input from Scarborough staff, students, and the community at large in various phases of the hiring process.

You could be part of the Interview Committee. Members must be able to attend these mandatory meeting dates:

Click Here to apply for the interview committee. Application open until March 1st. 

What do you desire and value in our next Superintendent? Fill out this brief survey to let us know.

School's out! While the Library is closed for public browsing, they are offering a number of virtual programs to keep your kids engaged and learning during vacation week.

Virtual Story Time with Guest Reader Michael Rafkin Wednesday, February 17, 2021 - 10:30am, All ages

Explanation of Comic Types Wednesday, February 17, 2021 - 6:30pm, Grades 6-8

Perseverance and Mars Friday, February 19, 2021 - 10:30am, Grades 6-12

Far Out! Distance on Astronomical Scales Saturday, February 20 - 6:30pm, Ages 8-12

Registration required. Click Here to read descriptions and access Zoom links.

Monday 10am-5pm • Tuesday 10am-5pm • Wednesday 10am-6pm • Thursday 10am-5pm • Friday 10am-5pm • Saturday 10am-2pm • Sunday Closed

The Library is temporarily open for curbside pickup only. Request materials through the catalog, by calling 883-4723, or by emailing: kids@scarboroughlibrary.org / askSPL@scarboroughlibrary.org

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