Starting Today, Saco Newsletter Delivered Twice Per Month

The City of Saco is a vibrant, active, and growing City.

So, Saco's Communications Department is increasing our newsletter distribution from monthly to twice per month. We're doing this to make sure we connect you with the information you need about happenings in the City in a timely manner, especially as news arises in the first few weeks of each month. Today, we welcome you to the first mid-month newsletter edition.

Newsletters will be more digestible, more timely, and just as thoughtfully crafted. We aim to continue to tell you stories of all City departments, boards and committees, supported entities, and community news with words, pictures, videos, and links to more detailed information.

We will be monitoring engagement with this new schedule to make sure the change is effective and received positively by our community of subscribers, of which you are a member. If you'd like to give direct feedback on this change, we invite you to reach out to us at SacoTV@sacomaine.org.

Do you know someone who would benefit from receiving these twice-a-month City news digests? Please ask them to go to sacomaine.org/newsletter and sign up to join our community today.

Camp Ellis HarborFest Set for Aug. 4: Seeking Volunteers, and Crab Derby Registration Open

We’re excited to say that Camp Ellis HarborFest is just a few weeks away!

The festival is a celebration of Saco's working waterfront, and we hope you'll join us for fireworks on August 3rd and the festival on August 4th at the Camp Ellis Pier. Find all the details, including information on our shuttle service, on our website: www.sacomaine.org/harborfest.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

An event like this, which brings thousands of people to experience our coast for a day of food, activities, music, crafts, and waterfront experiences, is only made possible by the hard work of dozens of volunteers.

This group of community members give their time through the year to plan the event and they show up on the festival day to ensure everyone has a good time.

We’re seeking a few more volunteers to help fill our schedule. To be a part of Camp Ellis HarborFest, submit a volunteer application today at www.sacomaine.org/harborfestvolunteers and join us at the pier on August 4th!

CRAB DERBY REGISTRATION OPEN

We're also looking forward to our second year of the Camp Ellis HarborFest Crab Derby. This activity lets children under the age of 12 interact directly with our working waterfront, catching crabs that they will enter into a race on the pier. Life jackets are required, and children must be accompanied by an adult. To register today, see the schedule and registration links on our website at www.sacomaine.org/harborfest.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection In Saco July 27

The City of Saco is partnering again with the cities of Scarborough and Biddeford to facilitate proper disposal of hazardous waste in your household. Household hazardous waste collection events will take place in our cities throughout the year.

These events are the perfect opportunity to dispose of any chemicals and materials you have in your home or garage that you may have been holding onto. Some materials collected include oil-based paints, paint thinner, pesticides, herbicides, gasoline, degreasers, wood stain, pool chemicals, drain cleaner, cleaning agents, and solvents.

Saco Public Works (15 Phillips Spring Rd) will be hosting a Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Saturday, July 27th, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.



Residents of Saco are also welcome to participate in our neighboring communities’ collection events:

• Collection in Scarborough (20 Washington Ave) will take place Saturday, May 11th, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
• Collection in Biddeford (371 Hill St) will occur Saturday, September 14th, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Please provide proof of Saco residency, such as a driver’s license, at any event you may participate in.

For a full list of accepted materials for disposal, visit our website.

School Board Vacancy - Ward 1

Ward 1 school board member, Arthur Archie, has submitted his resignation effective July 10, 2024. Following the Charter-prescribed process, the Saco School Board will accept letters of interest from Ward 1 residents who wish to serve on the Saco School Board for the remainder of Board Member Archie’s term, expiring December 2, 2024. Letters of interest will be accepted from July 17th until 3:00 PM on August 7th. 

Interested candidates must submit a letter of interest to Jen Partridge, Saco Schools, at jpartridge@sacoschools.org or at the Saco Central Office, 90 Beach St. between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and no later than 3:00 PM on August 7. The submissions from interested candidates will be reviewed and discussed publicly during the School Board meeting on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. 

The names of candidates who have submitted letters of interest will be posted on the school board's agenda page which you can view using the button below:

Bike Rodeo Returns to Saco

This past weekend at Thornton Academy, Saco’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) hosted the Saco Bike Rodeo, with support from Saco’s Planning Department and local organizations including Apex Youth Connection, Bicycle Coalition of Maine, and the Michael Goulet Foundation.

Young riders completed bicycle safety checks, had their helmets inspected and fitted, and learned about safety equipment, the rules of the road, hand signals, and signage. Kids were then allowed to practice their skills by riding on a simulated roadway course under instructor supervision.

Not only was this a fun event, but it was a wonderful opportunity for young community members to learn safe riding practices and the necessary skills to navigate public roadways. Thank you to all the partners that made this possible.

Learn more about Saco BPAC's initiatives at sacomaine.org/BPAC.

Zero Gravity Cannabis Opens Storefront in Saco Industrial Park

On July 15, City officials and Biddeford Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry celebrated with Zero Gravity Cannabis as they unveil their new medical storefront. Located in the Industrial Park, Zero Gravity Cannabis has a combined 30+ years of experience in Maine medical marijuana and craft cannabis.

Their location in Saco serves as a cultivation and processing center, where they provide products to dozens of dispensaries throughout Maine. This past weekend, they held a grand-opening celebration for the new storefront located within their facility.

To see their offerings, find dispensaries with their adult-use & medical products, or learn about their new Saco storefront, visit zerogravitycannabis.com.

Jubilee Island Music Series Continues on Sundays

The 2024 Jubilee Island Music Series is underway for the season!

We kicked off Saco Parks & Recreation and Saco Main Street's summer weekend concert set on Saturday, July 6, with a performance from the 195th Maine Army National Guard Band. On Sunday, July 14, we heard from Tristin Lee Music.

Coming up, we have shows from these local artists, all on Sundays at 5:00 PM:

• July 21: Fiddle Fever
• July 28: Don Mills
• Aug 4: Rob Pellerin

Jubilee Park is a beautiful green space surrounded by the Saco River and accessible through the covered pedestrian bridge on Water Street in downtown Saco. There are a few benches and picnic tables, but we encourage you to bring your own seating and snacks. The wide, paved path across the bridge makes this park very accessible to all.

Parking is available nearby in the short-term lot at the Saco Transportation Center, in the public parking lot on Free Street behind the post office, and in the City Hall lot on Cutts Ave.

RSVP invite your friends here: Jubilee Island Music Series Facebook Events

New Public Meeting Management System Online

City Staff from various departments have been working on improvements to the City’s meeting management system. The updated system allows our residents to interact with public meeting tools such as the meeting agenda, packet, and recording (where applicable) in one centralized location. The management system will also allow for search optimization, easier access to meeting materials, and more standardized documentation across the City’s various Council, Board, and Committee meetings.

We have migrated our meeting tools to this new platform as of July 15th. Previously dated materials are still available in an archived format. Although there are improvements to the system, Council and Planning Board meetings will continue to be live-streamed as normal.

Saco's Planning Board has been using the new system for the two most recent meetings as a "soft launch." As more meetings take place this month, the interactive tool will become more populated with meeting materials from other advisory bodies. View the global meeting management tools on the City's board and committee webpage.

I Love Saco Sign Installed at First Location on North Street

Saco Parks & Recreation's traveling sign has officially made it to its first location of the season! You can find the sign on the lawn at Young School, directly across from the Saco Fire Department Central Station.

We hope you enjoy this colorful community piece as you travel down North Street! Please feel free to tag us in any social media posts on Facebook at Saco Parks & Recreation or on Instagram at @sacoparksandrec. Stay tuned as the sign is relocated around town periodically this summer.

National Night Out at TA on 8/6

Coming Soon!

Saco Police Department is hosting its National Night Out 2024 on Aug. 6th, in partnership with the City of Saco.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign promoting police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.

The event will take place on Tuesday, August 6th, 2024, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Thornton Academy (438 Main St.) in Saco.

Please join us for free food, drinks, games, and a number of free activities such as bounce houses, an obstacle course, and children's games, to name a few. There will also be a "touch a truck" display and meet and greets with public safety and City employees. Don't forget to save the date!

Anyone with questions, or a business/organization interested in participating in National Night Out, is welcome to contact Saco Police Department Administration at 207-282-8214 and speak with the Administrative Assistant.

RSVP and invite your friends and family on Facebook.

Click each item for more information, if available.

City Council Meetings

• July 22, 2024
• August 5, 2024
• August 19, 2024
• City Council agendas are available at www.sacomaine.org/councilagendas. Sign up for e-mail alerts when meeting materials are published at www.sacomaine.org/enotify.

Planning Board Meetings

• August 13, 2024
• August 20, 2024

Other Advisory Body Meetings

• Visit the City calendar here for more.

Saco Parks & Recreation Programs

• Visit www.sacorec.com for a full list of upcoming SPR programs for all ages!

Mayor's Office Hours

• Tuesdays from 4:30 to 7:00 PM on the second floor of Saco City Hall. Please check our calendar for any cancellations before attending.

Would you like to hear from us more than once a month?

Sign up for e-notify to receive custom e-mail notifications on important City happenings, such as the release of new City Council and Planning Board agendas, RFPs, and more.

If you encounter any issues with this system, please reach out to the Saco Communications Department at sacotv@sacomaine.org.

Apply Today to Join Our Team

The City of Saco has open positions.

We encourage you to take a look at the job opportunities currently available with the City of Saco on our Careers page. There is so much important work that goes in to keeping the City running, often behind the scenes.

If nothing is a great fit for you, consider passing the listings along to friends and family who might be looking for a satisfying and important career.