Council Outlook
2023 Council Goals
In January of each year, Town Councils holds a goals workshop to develop their priority initiatives for the year ahead. Their goals for 2023 are as follows:
Financial Management: Deliver a 2024 Budget, comply with our Financial & Fiscal policy and give more attention to monitoring the financial health of the Town.
Housing Choice & Homelessness: Study and determine steps to address homelessness in Scarborough, including addressing housing choice for affordable and workforce housing options
Residential Growth Management: Update our ordinances to better manage the pace and impacts of growth on the community.
Strategic Capital & Facilities Planning: Act on municipal and school facility needs to advance the new school and community center.
Sustainability, Conservation & Climate Change: Develop a plan to conserve more land in Scarborough and better integrate conservation and sustainability principles into our planning processes.
Traffic & Transportation: Support transportation initiatives that will improve traffic flow in Scarborough.
Public Engagement & Communications: Enhance our engagement with the public to facilitate decision making and build trust in our government.
Click Here to view the 2023 goals in more detail.
Town Council Corner
As the Town Council discusses relevant issues in Scarborough, learn more about their perspective and how you can join the conversation. Council Corner articles serve as a way for councilors to educate and expand upon these topics outside of the meeting setting. They often encourage public participation through sharing links to recent or upcoming meetings and inviting public comment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Scarborough Town Council.
By Nick McGee, Town Council
It has been about 9 months since I’ve become Chair of the Ordinance Committee. I sit with Councilors Caterina and Sither – and together, we have tackled quite a few important issues in the last nine months. Keeping up to date with the ongoings of our busy community is no small task – so here’s a cliff notes version for 2023 to help you get up to speed.
By Jon Anderson, Town Council Chair
The Building Steering Committee spent a year, 30+ meetings, and hundreds of hours reviewing over 46 sites in Scarborough to identify a site for the K-3 Consolidated School. Upon completion of the rigorous data driven process led by residents, school staff, Town Staff, Board Members, Council Members and experts a site located within the Down’s property was selected as the most optimal site to service the needs of the strategic school solution, while also being one of the more financially appealing sites given the readiness of the land. The Council will be taking action on the Down’s Land Deal on September 6th. The deal proposed is the best, most reasonable deal for Scarborough.
By Jon Anderson, Town Council Chair
There is urgency to find a new primary school solution to address existing programming shortfalls and inadequate facilities to meet the existing and future needs on our primary schools. Our Middle School was built too small from day one, currently housing all of 6th grade in portables separate from the main building. A strategic K-8 solution that consolidates K-3 into one new consolidated school and moves 6th grade to Wentworth is the most responsible solution that considers both school programming needs and the long-term financial impact to our community.
By April Sither, Town Council
It is not lost on me that the process to get to a potential referendum on a new school project has been a long and winding road that most residents in town have not fully traveled. There have been stops and starts, not to mention a global pandemic, since I first voted against the proposal in 2019. Like many of you, I have a deep affection for our neighborhood schools.
By John Cloutier, Town Council
The Town Council adopted its budget for Fiscal Year 2024 at our June 7th meeting. Like most things in government, establishing the budget is a balancing act. It’s a combination of preparing for what we know lies ahead, while properly funding the needs that we have today. A common theme this year related to mitigating the increasing impacts of inflation and rising interest rates while improving our fund balance position. That’s no simple task, but I’m pleased that we made some good progress.
Council Chair Reports
Every few months, the Town Council Chair provides a full update to councilors on anticipated upcoming agenda items, current and future initiatives, and a general timeline for action items on current issues. These reports give a comprehensive look at the most timely issues under Town Council review.
