Council Goal-Setting

Council Goal-Setting

By Bill Donovan, Town Council

The Town Council met in January for its annual “goals” session to identify the issues and projects it intends to focus on for the coming year. This effort not only establishes the matters it intends to address but also sets the stage for the spring budget analysis that leads to a new budget on July 1, 2026. The process of goal setting is based on the analysis that both Councilors and Town Departments have undertaken, all with input from the public. This public outreach involves not only activities such as forums and town newsletters but also a recently concluded town-wide survey to obtain public input. I am also pleased to say that the Public Comment opportunity provided at the outset of each Town Council meeting has been successfully utilized by the public to bring important matters to our attention.

Growth. As you might (and should) expect, “Growth” in Scarborough is the #1 issue gaining the Council’s attention. We have heard it from the podium, letters, data, and more. At our Goals session the entire panoply of options was identified. They are many and varied. We have new State legislation that the Council strongly opposes because it limits our ability to restrain growth as it limits home rule. A Moratorium is always considered a viable tool to restrict growth but by law it is a temporary tool. When it ends the problems is likely still there. So additional steps must be taken. Discussing them further here would draw us in to the weeds of municipal planning and law (which as a lawyer I would enjoy but you, not so much). Much more on this will be publicly debated in the months ahead.

Transportation and Traffic. It is probably a toss-up for the next most significant issue the Town Council needs to address. Closely related to growth are Transportation and Traffic. Those of you who travel throughout Scarborough know that the principal corridors such as Route 1, Payne Rd, Black Point Rd, Gorham Rd, and Spurwink Rd can all present a challenge. Again, a number of options need to be addressed to do justice to solving these problems. Leave it to say that we will look at road widening, traffic light coordination (already recently undertaken on Rt. 1) sidewalks, public transportation, and more.

Sustainability. A personal favorite of mine is the topic of what we need to do to save the planet (you think?) or at least that tiny portion occupied by Scarborough. “Sustaining Scarborough” is a newly created Council initiative designed to target supportive goals and strategies, staffed by citizens like us. Details can be found on the Town’s website.

Affordability. Just as closely related to Transportation and Traffic is “Affordability”. You can look at this from several perspectives. A look at tax rate data over the last decade tells you that the Town has done a good job of managing our property tax burden. But management of our roadways and future potential “coastal” capital costs presents a capital budget challenge in the decade(s) to come. And Affordability is often referenced in the context of buying a home (and given the desirability of living in Scarborough with all its beauty and natural resources prices are likely never coming down).

I could go on and on with the Council’s Goals but I will leave for others to report on further developments as the year unfolds.

To conclude, on a personal note, having been on the Council off and on for a considerable time I can say without question this Council spares no effort in working hard to support our community. But these efforts cannot be performed in a vacuum. Fortunate for the Council, it has many volunteers for the numerous committees that evaluate all of the problems and issues that can arise in a municipality (and a special thanks to the plover monitors at our beaches like mine at Higgins). And lastly, worthy of a special thank you is the Town's exceptional administrative staff led by Town Manager, Tom Hall, and Assistant Town Manager, Liam Gallagher, all of which makes it an honor to serve the Town of Scarborough.

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.