It doesn't quite feel like spring yet, but there are still some signs of the season around town. Public Works will soon start up with road construction, beach season starts in May, budget reviews are underway, and more. With Earth Day on Saturday, there are also several upcoming opportunities for you to get involved in some outdoor cleanup, spending time outside, and protecting our pollinators. Read on below for additional important announcements and updates.

A lot of tree limbs and debris came down in our recent storms. Public Works is doing its best to clear Scarborough roadways; it will take time to get through all areas of town. Please note that they are not picking up debris from private residences and homeowners are responsible for their own yard cleanup.

Town Offices Closed Today (April 15)

Scarborough Town Hall is closed today, Monday, April 15 in observance of Patriots Day. Trash pickup will remain on schedule.

Watch a Quick Recap Video of the FY2025 Budget

Scarborough Town Manager Tom Hall presented the proposed municipal budget for FY2025 on March 27. The budget is now in a review process by the Finance committee, Town Council, and the public. In this video, Hall gives an overview of the budget, from the "level services" approach (no request for additional staff or programs), to the drivers that impact the budget total, and ways to stay engaged through the process.

Read the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget document and look out for our special Budget Overview newsletter next week for more details.

Submit a Budget Question

As the Finance committee begins reviewing the budget, they are keeping a running list of questions that come up. If you have any specific questions about the budget, submit them here.

Attend a Budget Roundtable

In an effort to encourage public engagement in the budget review process, the Town Council is hosting Budget Roundtable discussions with the Board of Education. It is an opportunity for them to listen, understand, and answer questions about the budget. Join us!

Saturday, April 20 10:00-11:00am (Public Safety Building)

Monday, April 22 5:00-6:00pm (Council Chambers at Town Hall)

Wednesday, April 24 5:00-6:00pm (Council Chambers at Town Hall)

School Budget Update

The second reading of the FY2025 School Budget and Board of Education approval is set for May 4. There are several additional upcoming opportunities for the community to review/comment on the FY25 proposed budget. All meetings are available in person, for viewing/participating on Zoom, or for viewing on the Scarborough Schools YouTube channel. For more information, please visit the Budget page of the School website found under the Board section.

FEMA Representatives Visit Higgins & Pine Point

A Major Disaster Declaration was issued for the State of Maine regarding the severe storms and flooding that occurred January 10-13, 2024. Cumberland County was included in this declaration and is eligible to receive federal funding. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster staff arrived in Scarborough neighborhoods on April 2 to begin meeting with individual property owners that sustained damages during the January storms. FEMA is specifically contacting individual homeowners and small businesses at this time, starting in the Higgins Beach and Pine Point Beach neighborhoods that sustained the most damage. 

FEMA assists individuals and households through Individual Assistance programs. Residents will be able to apply directly to FEMA for assistance. FEMA will also be establishing a hotline and setting up a physical presence in Cumberland County called a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) where people can go to have their questions answered, get guidance on how to apply, etc. More information will be made available soon.

Infrastructure Repair Begins at Higgins Beach

Work is beginning for the rehabilitation and re-construction of public infrastructure within the Higgins Beach area. The damages are a result of the two coastal storms that took place in January. Shaw Brothers Construction will be undergoing the repairs in five areas:

Bayview Avenue Section: Shoulder and pavement repair, concrete panel replacements, rebuilding of concrete sidewalk, resetting of the large concrete ramp, replacement of concrete sidewalk, replacement of concrete curbing. 

Champion Street Section: Sidewalk reconstruction and sand replenishment. 

Vesper Street Section: Removal of undermined pavement, replaced with new paved roadway at the seawall. 

Morning Avenue Lower Section: Removal of riprap and reconstruction of roadway. 

Morning Avenue Upper Section: Reconstruction of the shoulder of the roadway and one catch basin replacement. 

All work will be completed by Friday, May 24 (Memorial Day weekend).

Contact Public Works with any questions at pwinfo@scarboroughmaine.org or 207.730.4400.

View the New Pending Flood Maps (Coming in June)

The Town of Scarborough will be adopting an updated set of digital flood insurance rate maps (DFIRMs) and floodplain management ordinance, effective June 20, 2024. It is required for the Town to remain in good standing as a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). With the new FEMA flood maps going into effect, Scarborough must adopt an updated Floodplain Management Ordinance which references the new map date on or before June 20, 2024 in order to avoid being suspended from the NFIP.

Pending FEMA flood maps are now available to view on our website—use it to identify properties in the flood zones (access from this page). Properties can also be searched by Owner Name, Street Address, and Assessors Parcel Number.

This page includes a link to the updated FEMA flood maps for Scarborough

May 13: Flood Map Open House for Cumberland County

Monday, May 13, 3:00-7:00pm

South Portland City Hall, Council Chambers, 2nd Floor

25 Cottage Rd, South Portland

The Maine Floodplain Management Program and FEMA will jointly host a public open house in Cumberland County about the new FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). If you think you may be in a flood zone or are unclear how you may be affected, you may choose to attend the open house. No formal presentations will be made and no appointment is necessary. Drop by any time from 3:00-7:00pm.

Representatives from FEMA, the State, mapping partners, and grants staff will be available to answer flood risk, insurance, and grant questions. Staff can also help property owners identify and understand how their risk may be changing. Property owners are encouraged to bring their elevation certificates and/or flood insurance policies to the event in order to get the best information about how their flood insurance rates may change as a result of the new mapping and legislative insurance reforms.

If you are unable to attend an open house and you need assistance, please contact your local code official or the Floodplain Management Program at the Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry: Sue Baker, State Coordinator (207) 287-8063 or sue.baker@maine.gov and Janet Parker, Planner, (207) 287-9981 or janet.parker@maine.gov.

Summer Program Brochure Out Now!

Scarborough Community Services has an impressive lineup of programs for kids, teens, and adults. They just released their summer program brochure and registration is now open (programs are available for residents and non-residents). For a print copy, stop by the Scarborough Public Library or Community Services Hub at 418 Payne Road.

May 4: Spring Fling Family Formal Dance

Saturday, May 4, 5:30-8:30pm

Wentworth School

$8 per person

Community Services is coming back with a popular event from last year! You are cordially invited to our annual Spring Fling Family Formal Dance. Come dressed to impress for this year’s “Glow Ball” theme as we transform the Wentworth School cafeteria into a dance to remember. Light, bright, or neon dress clothes are encouraged. Professional photography offered on site, as well as a selfie station for those fun and silly poses. Music provided by local radio DJs Joe Lerman and Rob Steele. Light refreshments and snacks provided.

Beach Passes Available in May

Is it beach season yet? Not quite, but we've received a lot of questions about our beach parking passes. These will be available for purchase in the Town Clerk's office beginning May 1st. In the meantime, learn more about our Beaches and pass fees for residents and non-residents on our website.

Please also note, there are some restricted areas on our town beaches where dogs aren't allowed (Higgins and Ferry/Western) or need to be leashed (Pine Point), which went into effect on April 1. Please pay attention to the signs that mark restricted areas. View the maps of restricted areas on all of Scarborough's town beaches on this page of our website.

"Gulls at Higgins Beach" by Ted Haider, from our 2023 summer photo contest

The Assessing office is conducting a town-wide property revaluation to meet State compliance and ensure fairness in the tax burden distribution. While the Town has been anticipating this for many months, we are now nearing the stage of finalizing new property valuations. We expect to mail notification letters to property owners by the end of May.

Our Town Assessor Nick Cloutier hopped on camera to clarify a common myth we’re hearing about the revaluation that’s underway (view video on Facebook). MYTH: “My house is already at fair market value because that’s what I paid for it.” Here’s why that’s not true: A revaluation updates all property values in town to reflect the current real estate market. This helps create an equal distribution and fairness in town, because some bought their properties more recently at a different market value than others. More myth busters to come...

There will be a Revaluation Workshop on Wednesday, April 17 at 5:30pm. The Assessor has presented about the revaluation in a Town Council workshop and finance committee meetings already, but this workshop will be more specific. He will provide estimates of anticipated outcomes and estimated tax bill impacts. The workshop is open to the public and will also be available to watch on the Town's YouTube page.

Councilor Jean-Marie Caterina will be joining Scarborough Assessor Nick Cloutier at the North Scarborough Fire Station on Tuesday, April 23 at 7:00pm to give a presentation on the revaluation. The North Scarborough Station is located at 16 Saco Street, near the intersection of County Rd. and Gorham Rd. All are welcome. 

Contact the Assessing office with any questions at (207) 730-4060 or assessing@scarboroughmaine.org.

Saturday, May 11, 8:00am-Noon

Scarborough Public Works, 20 Washington Avenue

Scarborough Public Works has scheduled collaborative, multi-town opportunities to safely dispose of your household hazardous waste materials. This is a free service to residents of Scarborough, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, and Biddeford for all three events (proof of residency is required).

The dates for the 2024 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days are:

• Saturday, May 11 (8am-Noon), Scarborough (20 Washington Ave)

• Saturday, July 27 (8am-Noon), Saco (15 Philips Spring Road)

• Saturday, September 14 (8am-Noon), Biddeford (371 Hill Street)

These are a collaborative cross-town events: Disposal is free for residents of Scarborough, Saco, and Biddeford at all three events. Please reference the flyer for a list of accepted materials and paints.

Questions? Contact us at pwinfo@scarboroughmaine.org or 207.730.4400.

The community-led School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC) continues analyzing old and new information as they seek new potential solutions for Scarborough’s school deficiencies. Members have divided into subcommittees focusing on different aspects of school needs, including Enrollment, Building & Infrastructure, Benchmark & Programming, Finance, and Communications. Current work includes better understanding and updating enrollment projections, building deficiencies, top programming space needs, and the 2025 school budget.

The new School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC) wants your opinion! The Town of Scarborough is mailing surveys to a randomized sample of addresses across Scarborough covering a variety of topics related to our public school buildings. The survey will also be open to the public for additional input. When results from the town-wide survey are available, SBAC members will use this data to inform their analysis and recommendations for a school solution. Your voice is important for a community solution to our schools.

SBAC meeting minutes and materials are available on the 2024 School Building Project page. Additional content is forthcoming, including an FAQ document and a form for community members to submit questions and comments. Stay tuned for more updates, including a social media refresh and interviews with committee members. In the meantime, please fill out the new school survey! Your voice is important for a community solution to our schools. 

Wednesday, April 24

3:00pm - 7:00pm (Drop by anytime to share your thoughts and feedback)

Wentworth School Cafeteria

Please join the Scarborough Ad-Hoc Community Center Advisory Committee and their consulting team to learn more about the community center development process and provide feedback. The Advisory Committee has been meeting since September 2023 reviewing past data, survey information, and community feedback in an effort to design a facility that best meets the needs of our community, is financially sustainable, and creates a place to bring the entire community together. 

Areas for feedback include, but are not limited to: facility program (spaces/size), operational expenses and revenue analysis, site preference, and look and feel of the proposed facility.

Draft Utile Feasibility Study presented at February 29 meeting. See all meeting materials on the committee webpage.

Learn about the project and upcoming opportunities for input.

Scarborough is not only a great place to live and recreate, but also to work! We offer a variety of positions across departments and new jobs are posted throughout the year—check back often. Here are our current openings:

Full Time

Public Safety Dispatcher

Patrol Officer

Public Works Driver/Laborer

Building Service Worker/Custodian (Full- and Part Time)

Active Adults Coordinator

Parks Maintenance Worker

Part Time/Seasonal

Plans Reviewer

Firefighters (Call Company & Per Diem)

Reserve Officers

Gym Supervisor (for Summer Camp)

Beach Attendants

Town employees Stacie Hartley and Allison Carrier represented the Town of Scarborough at the "Work With ME" Career Expo in Portland last week.

If you have any questions, email hr@scarboroughmaine.org

Scarborough encourages residents to practice “No Mow May” again this year. What is No Mow May, you ask? It’s a grassroots effort that encourages people to delay mowing for the benefit of pollinators. When bees emerge in the early spring, it can be difficult for them to find food. The flowers in our lawns are often the bees’ only sources of pollen and nectar. Allowing lawns to grow longer and flowers to bloom provides early-season food that bees thrive. 

No sure if you can live with a meadow for a month? No problem! Consider these options that will still benefit bees and other pollinators:

• Practice “Low Mow May” by mowing only once or twice in the month. Mowing less should still allow flowers to bloom. 

• Designate a “No Mow May” section of your lawn. Keep the portion of your lawn close to your home trimmed for play areas and pest control while allowing other areas to grow up.

Mowing less in the spring helps pollinators, but it’s not the only thing that bees and butterflies need. Here are other ways to improve pollinator habitat on your property all year:

• Grow a bee lawn by adding white clover, creeping thyme, and self-heal to your grass seed mix. These low-growing flowers can be mowed like grass but provide pollen and nectar for pollinators. 

• Stop using weed and bug killers. These products kill both pests and the beneficial bugs in your yard. They can also harm kids and pets and pollute our water. 

• Add native plants to your landscape. The best food source for native bees is native plants. As an added bonus, native plants often need less water and fertilizer than ornamentals because they’re adapted to Maine’s climate. 

• Wait to clean out your gardens in the fall and spring. Many species of bees and other beneficial insects will hibernate in dead plant stems and seed pods. Leaving plants in place over the winter and later in the spring is important for these critters. 

Let your friends and neighbors know that you’re planning to participate in No Mow May! We have a limited number of free yard signs available. Stop by the Planning Department in the basement of Town Hall during business hours to pick up your sign. One sign per person is available on a first-come-first-served basis while supplies last. 

Join the Scarborough Marsh Earth Day Clean Up on Saturday, April 20, 9:00am-Noon, held at the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center (92 Pine Point Road). This is always a fun day for the family and a great way to do your part for the planet and our local community. Be sure to save the date for this annual Earth Day activity!

Town Council Corner: It's Time for a Change

By Don Hamill, Scarborough Town Council

“The more things change, the more they remain the same.” “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.”  

We are grappling again with our school and town budget. It has been complicated by leadership turnover in our schools and multiple crises from a local to national level. We have evolved from local control of education and curriculum to being a social services provider and much of our funding has gone away.  

We have built a “tax and spend” empire heavily dependent on debt. Voters continue to demand we “Stop Spending” and “Slow Growth.” It has fallen on deaf ears. There will be a harsh reckoning.  

On April 3, the Council approved a 6.4% first reading net budget following a long run of relatively modest mil rate increases in recent years. The FY2025 budget increase will be compounded by the revaluation and reassessment, our second in over 10 years. The citizens who will be hardest hit are our oldest long-term residents who benefited from the one-year senior tax freeze. The development boom has helped some, but many others will confront a tough choice of selling homes to pay tax bills with no affordable housing options in Scarborough. 

We need to share the tough news of the assessment, ASAP. The ‘pie in the sky’ benefits of deficit spending to drive development have not come true for most of our citizens and the average resident. Let’s rebuild our fund balance and financial reserves, reduce spending and buying on credit, and go from there. 

Scarborough Town Council

Nick McGee, Chair • April Sither, Vice Chair • Jonathan Anderson • Jean-Marie Caterina • Don Cushing • Don Hamill • Karin Shupe

Town Council meets the first and third Wednesday of each month. Visit our Town Calendar for links to attend and view agendas.

Scarborough Public Library: Upcoming Programs

Scholarship Workshop with Maine Community Foundation

Wednesday, April 17

4:00-5:00pm

Register

MaineCF awards are based on academic performance, financial need, involvement in extracurricular activities, work experience, and do not take into consideration an applicant’s citizenship or immigration status. Join us to learn about scholarship opportunities, where to find them, and how to apply. 

"Earth Day Everyday!" Programs

Ongoing; See all

The Library is offering nature themed events for both kids and adults. Kids can do our Earth Day Challenge, a seed planting workshop and a movie with the Scarborough Land Trust, and other nature programs throughout School Vacation Week. Adults can attend lectures through April and May on bird migration, insects, the popular repeated From Land to Landscapes program, and a documentary and discussion about plastic pollution.

Walking Group Kick-Off Event

Saturday, April 27

10:00am-4:00pm

We're celebrating our AARP Challenge Grant 2023 that allowed us to improve our walking path with the purchase of additional benches. A big shout out to AARP, Scarborough Community Services, and Age-Friendly Scarborough for helping us with this project!

Meet at the library entrance for guided walks at 10am, 11am, 12pm, and a big walk after the Wentworth Chorus performs from 2-2:30pm! We'll have water and granola bars, and a few other little walking group related things. Wear comfortable walking shoes and join in! This is ALL AGES. We have a walker and a wheelchair we can loan out if needed.

About Our Walking Group

As part of Age-Friendly Scarborough, let's go for a walk! This all-ages program has two goals in mind: let's get outside for a walk, and let's chat while we do it! Check out the other dates here for special moments, like a walk lead by a local physical therapist, a walk with a kids story walk in it, a short-story discussion, or focused on a topic to get conversation moving. There will be plenty of scheduled walks that are for exercise and chit-chat, no extra stuff involved. There's a booklet to keep track of your walks, and easy geocaching along the Green Trail to keep young kids engaged. 

Monday – 9am to 5pm • Tuesday – 9am to 7pm • Wednesday – 9am to 7pm • Thursday – 9am to 7pm • Friday – 9am to 5pm • Saturday – 9am to 5pm • Sunday – Closed