April 1, 2021
Community News
Opening day of baseball, April showers, April Fool's Day, however you slice it, today and the month ahead is a marker of shifting into the start of a new season. You'll see all sorts of signs of spring in the updates ahead, from the beginning of budget season, save-the-dates, and more. And if the changing seasons are a time for self-reflection and goal-setting, check out the ways you can aim to be more sustainable, boost your resumé, spend more time in nature, or become more involved in your local government.
First thing's first! Don't let your friend, neighbor, & fellow Scarborough resident miss out on the latest town updates— forward this email and invite them to subscribe.
Public Works News: Spring is Here!
Street Sweeping Reminders
Street sweeping is a key part of spring operations. We start at the main roads on opposite ends of town and work our way through and around town as weather and equipment permits.

Residents used to be allowed to put yard debris into the street(s) for us to pick up with the sweeper; however, per a 2019 Town ordinance, please be aware that it is now unlawful to put any yard or wood waste into any paved street or the Town’s right of way. This includes earthen fill, soil, sand, grass, leaves, and other vegetative matter. Per the ordinance, any person who violates is committing a civil violation, which may be punishable by a civil penalty of not less than $200, and not more than $2,500 for each violation. Each day upon which a violation continues shall be considered a separate violation.
Free Yard Waste Disposal
Scarborough residents may dispose of yard waste at no charge at the Casella Transfer Station in Westbrook. Yard waste disposal includes grass clippings, leaves, and small amounts of household brush.

The Casella Transfer Station is located at 594 County Road, Westbrook. The hours of the transfer station are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8am-4pm, and Saturdays from 8am-1pm. Click Here for their website.
Public Works questions? Contact us at pwinfo@scarboroughmaine.org or (207) 730-4400
Assessing: Drive-By Site Inspections
Beep, beep! Our Assessing Department is hitting the town for annual drive-by inspections. They conduct these for permitted work or new construction. It may involve them getting out of the car to walk around the property or to measure. They will adhere to current safety and social distancing protocols and carry Town IDs on them. Vehicles have magnets with the Town logo. Vehicle information is available on the Assessing page of our website. If you have any questions, please call our Assessing Department at (207) 730-4060.
Application Deadline Extended
Due to the extension of the state of civil emergency, tax exemption applications are still being accepted. The new due date for Exemptions is May 17, 2021 (30 days after the termination of the declared emergency). This date will change if the civil state of emergency is extended.
April 3: Walk with Scarborough Land Trust
Become a land steward—head out for a spring walk with the Scarborough Land Trust to learn more! On Saturday, April 3 at 12pm, Stewardship Director Sami Wolf will lead a 1-mile walk at Sewell Woods to discuss the responsibilities of a volunteer steward, levels of participation, and introduce Scarborough Land Trust's current Land Stewards. Find registration details on their website or in their Facebook event.
It's Budget Season: How to Stay Informed
Each year, the town of Scarborough undergoes a budget review process from April to July. Our Town Manager will present the first Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) budget proposal to Town Council on Wednesday, April 7 at 7pm. The public is welcome to take part (Zoom link in Town Calendar). Meanwhile, and throughout the budget season, our Budget Portal is your go-to destination for all budget-related resources, dates, updates, and more. We welcome you to stay informed in your municipal budget.
Share Your Voice: Join a Board or Committee
Your municipal government relies on the volunteer service of residents on boards and committees. There are nearly 20 council-appointed committees that rely on the expertise and commitment of over 100 volunteers. If you are interested in serving on a committee, apply online today (applications are reviewed monthly by our Appointments and Negotiations Committee).
Recycling Outreach Program Returns
Interns will once again hit our streets to educate residents about proper recycling. We're partnering with ecomaine this spring to check recycling carts for contamination, or trash mixed with recyclables.
Ecomaine’s interns will work in Scarborough on Wednesdays in April and May. They will inspect bins and 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. They will also provide resources on recycling, trash, and proper disposal.

It Works!
This is the third time Scarborough has worked with ecomaine to provide outreach to our residents. With both previous efforts, the Town saw a drop in the amount of contaminated recycling loads delivered to ecomaine. Ecomaine processes contaminated recycling loads as trash, and these loads cost taxpayers an extra $73 per ton. It’s in everyone’s best interest, both financially and environmentally, to recycle correctly.

Why Now?
In recent months, the number of contaminated recycling loads from Scarborough has started to creep back up. Since July 2020, the Town has had 49 loads of recycling rejected by ecomaine. We hope the additional outreach will help reduce our contaminated loads and reduce fees paid by the Town and taxpayers.
2019 interns Thorvald Arnell (left) and Julie Gourlay (right) inspect recycling bins for contamination.
Questions about the program? Contact Jami Fitch, Sustainability Coordinator, at jfitch@scarboroughmaine.org or (207) 730-4035.
Now Hiring: Summer Jobs with Town of Scarborough
Know a teen or college student looking for a summer job & resumé builder? Scarborough Community Services is now accepting applications for Summer Day Camp Counselors to facilitate our summer rec programming. Apply today to join the fun!

We are additionally hiring for seasonal beach attendants, boat launch attendants, and parks maintenance workers.
April 24: Annual Passport Day
When: Saturday, April 24, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Community Services Hub (418 Payne Road, Scarborough)
To Book: Contact us at (207) 730-4158
Appointments are required to ensure social distancing. Call ahead to book your individual or family appointment.

Scarborough Community Services accepts passport applications by appointment on Tuesdays-Thursdays, 9am-3pm, on an ongoing basis. Since hours are limited to weekdays for regular appointments, we also offer a special Saturday Passport Day event each year.

For more information on what is required to apply for a passport, please call Scarborough Community Services at (207) 730-4150, or visit the official state website.
For more information, including forms and fees, please visit Travel.State.Gov.
Town Council Corner: Downtown Committee Update
By Councilor Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson & John Cloutier are the Town Council liaisons to the Downtown Development Committee
The Ad-Hoc Downtown Development Committee, partnering with the Crossroads Development team, is making progress in their work to establish a vision of the downtown area of the Downs. One area that the committee recently evaluated was whether to keep or remove the Grandstand. A recommendation to retain the existing grandstand structures, renovate them, and maintain as a focal point of the Downtown development was provided by a subcommittee. They expressed a strong sentiment that the final use of the structure ought to: draw users, be high-energy, be primarily non-residential and provide an opportunity for people to gather both indoors and outdoors.
They identified several projects across the globe where old industrial spaces were modernized to meet the new needs of a town, like this example in Tilburg Netherlands, where an industrial space was converted into a library. The subcommittee views the Grandstand as an icon of the past that will hopefully connect the Downs to Scarborough’s rich history and maintain authenticity. With a careful, well-planned renovation, the subcommittee felt it could become the crown jewel of the downtown, connecting the future of Scarborough with its past while providing an element of authenticity to anchor the new development that will surround it.
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.
How to Participate in the Downtown Committee
The Downtown Development Committee meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 6:30PM EST. The next meeting is scheduled for 4/13. If you would like to provide your input to the committee, you can contact them via the Committee website by clicking “Questions or Comments” or submitting a form here. Additionally, you can email the entire committee or please feel free to reach out to your Town Councilors with input and questions.
Head to the Downtown Committee page of our website for minutes, resources, and contact information.
Scarborough Town Council
Paul Johnson, Chair • Don Hamill, Vice Chair Jonathan Anderson Jean-Marie Caterina John CloutierBetsy GleysteenKen 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.
School Update: 2021-22 Kindergarten Pre-Registration
We are eager to welcome our newest Kindergarten students to Scarborough Public Schools! We are currently planning for Fall 2021 and will be able to release more information about what school will look like later this spring. If you have a child who turns 5 on or before Oct. 15, 2021 and you are considering sending them to school in the fall, please complete this form. Formal registration packets will be available on the school website in the near future.
The information you provide is important for accurately planning the number of classrooms, teachers and materials we will need in the fall. Please complete the form so we can contact you through email with updates and news about the 2021-2022 school year as the situation evolves and decisions are made. We will hold registration appointments at each school later in the spring.
School Budget Underway
School staff and administrators have been diligently crafting the FY22 budget. The next step in the budget development process is the budget presentation to Town Council on April 7. It will be presented jointly by the Town Manager and School Superintendent. Attend virtually through the links in the Budget Calendar.
Please reach out with any questions or comments at boe@scarboroughschools.org.
Project GRACE Thanks Scarborough for Generosity
As we mark the return of robins and red-winged blackbirds, we’re also looking hopeful for signs that we will get back to normal soon. Our hunger for community and connection is great, and our compassion for one another is still strong. Perhaps that’s why our fuel rally was a terrific success this year. We were astonished to have raised more than double our goal, but we were not at all surprised by the town’s generosity and willingness to come together. On a raw winter’s morning, our neighbors showed up, glad to pitch in. Together we raised more than $30,000 – that buys more than 11,000 gallons of oil, k1 or propane. We owe our thanks to all who helped with this year’s Rally. We have a wonderful and generous community.
Project GRACE Executive Director Steffi Cox shares her gratitude for the town of Scarborough in this heartfelt message.
Scarborough Public Library Goes Fine-Free
The Scarborough Public Library Board of Trustees has unanimously adopted a fine-free policy to begin April 1, 2021. We will no longer collect late fees for materials and all outstanding fines will be forgiven. This ensures that all people have access to library books and materials, our primary purpose as a public library. You are still responsible for returning what you borrow—we do want all items back to share with others!
Why Fine-Free?
This decision is based on a philosophy of equal access and a non-punitive approach to service that is being embraced at libraries across the country. We are committed to providing free and equal access to services, materials, and programs to the people of Scarborough as they pursue educational, career, life, and family goals. Fine-free means no daily late fines on overdue items. You are still responsible for the replacement cost of unreturned or damaged materials.
Library Hours
Monday 10am-5pm • Tuesday 10am-5pm • Wednesday 10am-6pm • Thursday 10am-5pm • Friday 10am-5pm • Saturday 10am-2pm • Sunday Closed
Upcoming Virtual Program:
Vegetable Gardening 101
Video Series & Two-Part Panel Discussion
Thursday, April 15 at 6:30pm & Thursday, June 24 at 6:30pm
Join a two-part virtual panel discussion based on a series of short videos for Mainers growing their first vegetable garden made by University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Horticulture Professional Pamela Hargest and volunteer Master Gardeners will lead two panel discussions to address questions (April 15 & June 24). Watch the first four fifteen-minute videos (episodes 1-4) prior to the first panel discussion and episodes 5-8 before the second. Find the eight videos here. Learn more and register here.
A number of virtual programs are happening this spring. See them all here!
Stay Connected
Click on the calendar event to view Town Council meeting Zoom links
Find us on Facebook! Get the inside scoop from the Town of Scarborough on your newsfeed. Give us a like today.
About Our Newsletter
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!