Biddeford City Council Meeting – November 6, 2025

The Biddeford City Council met at 6:00 PM on November 6, 2025, in City Hall Council Chambers and via Zoom. Mayor Grohman presided. The agenda included fire department promotions, an Extra Mile Day proclamation, a financial strategic plan, a City Hall hours discussion, a Comprehensive Plan update, public comment, several orders, and an executive session. The meeting adjourned at 10:35 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Mayoral appointment (2025.152): Council unanimously approved a citizen appointment to the Traffic Committee.
• Council Minutes of October 21, 2025: Approved unanimously.
• Conservation options for tax-acquired South Street property (2025.154): Council unanimously approved the recommendation and directed City Solicitor Harry Center to prepare a restrictive covenant limiting the property to conservation use and restricting building construction.
• Resolution on Attorney General decision regarding UNE Pier (2025.156): Approved unanimously. The City Solicitor requested an executive session on related real estate matters.
• Ad Hoc Veterans Committee extension (2025.158): Council unanimously extended the committee through June 30, 2026, so the Policy Committee could consider making it permanent.

Fire Department Promotions and Proclamation

• Fire Chief Lawrence Best presided over promotions and badge-pinning for Deputy Chief/Paramedic Steve Kiesman, Captain/Paramedic Steven Szostek, and Lieutenant/Paramedic Alexander Dorow. The Chief said the department had hired 14 new firefighters and promoted nine officers over the previous two years, with only one firefighter vacancy remaining.
• Mayor Grohman proclaimed November 1, 2025, as “Extra Mile Day 2025.”

Presentations

Financial Strategic Plan

• Finance Director Gerry Matherne described a legacy of incomplete audits, unreconciled accounts, unrecorded revenue, and staff turnover. He said the FY23 audit was completed in April 2025 with outside help, the FY24 audit was in progress, and the FY25 audit was expected to run from January to early spring 2026.
• He noted the sewer billing conversion to Maine Water occurred in November 2025 after delays and referenced about $700,000 in sewer billings. He also reported that airport leases had been invoiced for two years and that his department wanted to add a staff accountant.
• Councilor St. Cyr called for a multi-year financial model and questioned duplication between city and school finance operations. Councilor Lessard said roughly 80% of staff receiving planned 4% raises would add about 3.2% to taxes, and with recent bonds the increase could reach about 5.5%, calling that unsustainable. President LaFountain asked about audit schedules.

City Hall Hours

• City Manager Dever recommended changing City Hall hours to a consistent Monday–Thursday schedule of 7:30 AM–4:30 PM, effective after the new year. Current hours are Monday/Tuesday 7:00 AM–5:00 PM and Wednesday/Thursday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, with Friday closed.
• An employee survey found 50% support for the current schedule and 50% support for a revised schedule, according to Dever. No citizen survey was conducted.
• Council discussion was mixed: some favored consistent hours, while others questioned public outreach, data on retention/recruitment, and the cost of expanded service. No vote was taken; the City Manager said he could return with an order.

2023 Comprehensive Plan Update

• Assistant Planner Adi Iriqat presented a timeline showing the plan was adopted in June 2023, first submitted to the state in September 2023, rejected as incomplete, resubmitted, and then stalled until a July 29, 2025 resubmission. The state accepted it for full review in September 2025.
• The state identified missing natural resources, water resources, and existing land use chapters. Thirteen citizens reviewed the plan. Staff recommended completing the missing work and resubmitting by February 2026, while immediately planning a new comprehensive plan; a consultant-driven update could cost about $125,000. Staff noted the state data could be used only through April 2026.
• Council members asked about growth/non-growth maps, amendments, and possible extensions. Staff said an extension was possible if the city was actively working with the state. No formal decision was made, and the Committee of the Whole discussion was skipped after earlier discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Brad Cody (Ward 7) thanked staff but said it was disappointing when Council decisions lacked supporting data.
• A resident questioned Fire Department spending and suggested the city buy a cheaper used boat rather than spend around $104,000 on a new marine unit.
• Patrick Conlin (Ward 3) requested bike lane symbols and no-parking signs on Hill Street. City Manager Dever said Public Works planned to paint the bike paths in the spring.
• During discussion of the South Street conservation item, Peter Robbins (Ward 1, Conservation Commission) supported the covenant but asked that the property not be sold.
• During the second comment period, a resident criticized taxpayer-supported affordable housing and tax breaks for large corporations, saying tax incentives had increased his tax bill.
• A resident reported the election-day food drive collected nearly 1,700 donations.
• Patrick Conlin publicized “Cranksgiving,” a bicycle-based food drive for pantries on November 22.
• Randy Seaver (Ward 7) reported that the city broke a 30-year turnout record with 43% voter turnout, up from 30.1% in the 2023 municipal election.

Orders of the Day

• Fire Department Marine Unit bid/sale (2025.153): No action; tabled by the Finance Committee.
• Staff Accountant for Finance Department (2025.157): Approved 7–2. Councilors Lessard and St. Cyr opposed, citing tax pressure and the possibility of finding efficiencies; supporters noted past audit failures and about $500,000 spent on outside financial help. A former council member, Mr. Emerson, spoke in favor, saying the finance department had been under-resourced for years.
• Limited Parking on Lester B. Orcutt Boulevard (2025.159): Approved 6–3. Council President LaFountain, Councilor Lessard, and Councilor Gross opposed. Supporters cited pedestrian and emergency-vehicle safety; opponents argued it reduced public access and parking.

City Manager Report and Committee Updates

• City Manager Dever thanked election staff and reported that voters passed two bonds and a Charter Commission revision. Public engagement on recreation priorities would follow; nomination papers for the June 9, 2026 election would be available in March.
• Dever highlighted General Assistance workload: 35 eligible rental assistance cases, 13 preventing immediate homelessness, and 7 electricity disconnection cases involving families. The school backpack program reaches 1,545 students amid the SNAP shortfall.
• Maine Water took over sewer billing on November 1, 2025; residents were being mailed information.
• Construction updates: Elm Street completion moved to November 20; the ocean wall section from Maddox Pond Road to the tennis courts was complete; the next section was expected in 30–45 days; Alfred Street CSO work would go to bid in February.
• Councilor Belanger reported the Policy Committee was finalizing revisions to ethics rules and disciplinary processes for boards and commissions.

Closing Remarks and Executive Session

• Council President LaFountain thanked the City Clerk and election workers.
• Mayor Grohman apologized for negative comments during the campaign and congratulated Mayor-Elect LaFountain. He also encouraged public participation in food distribution.
• The Council unanimously voted to enter executive session at 8:34 PM under 1 M.R.S. §405(6)(c), (d), and (a) for real estate, labor negotiations, and employee compensation. A request to allow incoming elected officials to attend was not permitted because they had not yet been sworn in. The Council exited executive session at 10:35 PM and unanimously adjourned.