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Record of Proceedings

Biddeford City Council Meeting Summary - February 17, 2026

City Council & Committees — Tuesday, February 17, 2026
BodyBiddeford, Maine
SessionCity Council & Committees
DateTuesday, February 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

5:44

Good evening.

5:45

I will call the February seventeenth, twenty twenty-six City Council meeting to order.

6:02

First order of business is the roll call.

6:05

City Clerk.

Speaker 2

6:06

Council President Beaupre.

Speaker 1

6:08

Present.

Speaker 2

6:08

Councillor Lisard.

6:10

Councillor Vadness.

6:11

Councillor Boston.

6:12

Present.

6:13

Councillor Woods.

6:14

Present.

6:14

Counselor Jody.

6:16

Councillor Kirks.

6:17

Present.

6:17

Councillor Pearson.

6:18

Present.

6:19

Counselor Cody.

Speaker 1

6:20

Present.

6:22

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

6:44

Thank you.

6:44

Adjustments to the agenda.

6:46

There will be one right after the reading of the Black History Month Proclamation.

6:50

We'll have a moment of silence for the Reverend Jesse Jackson, a civil rights leader who passed away today.

6:59

Whereas Black History Month, previously known as Negro History Week was founded by Dr.

7:04

Carter G.

7:05

Woodson and first celebrated on February first, nineteen twenty six.

10:01

We have Jessica Meuse.

Speaker 2

10:42

Okay, now it's up and you can roll through.

Speaker 3

10:52

Click out of it.

10:53

There we go.

10:54

All right.

10:55

Thank you.

10:57

Thank you everyone for having me.

10:59

My name is Jessica Meuse, and I'm the chair of the Biddeford Public Art Commission.

11:03

I'm also a resident of Ward 4 here in Biddeford.

11:07

So I'm excited to share with you and update the commission's first presentation to City Council.

11:15

So tonight I want to cover our purpose, our work to date, what our goals are, and what we're working on coming up.

11:23

Since this is a new commission that was just formed in March 2025, I just want to orient us around our purpose as a commission, which is to administer a public art program that will ensure the enhancement of art in the city, promote the access and enjoyment of the arts, improve public buildings, facilities, and outdoor spaces through artistic endeavors, and respond to Biddeford's diverse community and imagination.

11:58

I think many of you recognize the public art that we already have in Biddeford.

12:03

And I hope like for myself, these works have provided an opportunity for contemplation for connection and community building.

12:13

And I'm so thrilled that the city has affirmed its commitment to the arts and recognized how important the arts have been in driving Biddeford's community vitality and economy by again forming this commission, adopting the ordinance in March 2025.

12:33

We had our first meeting in July 2025.

12:37

And from there, we really dove into the ordinance and the work laid out there for us, which were to define our goals as a commission, and then come up with a master plan.

12:48

And that's really this the big guiding document with all of our policies and procedures that are going to allow us to move forward and implement what we know residents are looking for.

12:59

And we've just submitted that along to the policy committee and city staff for the next steps in that process.

13:07

So our goals for the year, I'm going to get into each one of them specifically.

13:16

So our first goal is to complete the public art master plan and move through all the required stages to adopt.

13:24

So how did we approach this big document?

13:28

We really wanted it to be informed by data, so data we already had and information we've heard from partners and residents, something that invites temporary as well as permanent work.

13:39

We wanted to have this concept of community work, so really defining the values and the guidelines by which the city would decide to put funds towards and clarifying what those projects are.

13:50

And of course, drawing from best practices and policies in similar communities.

14:21

And from that, we have our top five priorities laid out for what are the kinds of work people want to see when we say public art, what does that mean?

14:30

So for Bitterford, that means community murals and street art, public events and festivals, art in our parks and trails, interactive art, something you can participate in, and also cultural heritage project projects.

14:46

And I wanted to just highlight a project that I think is exemplary of those priorities.

Unassigned speaker

14:52

That's How's It Growing Sunshine, The Mural on Hill Street by Forging Commons, Rebecca Cody, who's on our commission, and also I think some of you in this room helped paint some of that.

Speaker 3

15:05

It was a color by number community process to create

Unassigned speaker

15:09

that.

Speaker 3

15:11

And just to share all of the different public art plans that we looked at in coming up with our draft, we worked a lot with the city of Portland.

15:20

They have a really robust and established program.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████13%
Parks and Recreation████████████12%
Public Procurement███████████11%
Community Development Block Grants██████████10%
Fiscal Sustainability█████████9%
Arts And Culture████████8%
Public Engagement████████8%
Community Engagement█████5%
Homelessness█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Biddeford City Council Meeting Summary - February 17, 2026

The Biddeford City Council convened on February 17, 2026, for a meeting that featured a public hearing on the city's six-million-dollar recreation bond, debates over fee structures in the shellfish ordinance, the adoption of a formal investment policy, and a failed resolution supporting state emergency shelter funding. Council President Beaupre and Mayor LaFountain delivered extensive reports covering city operations, community events, and strategic priorities. The meeting concluded with executive sessions for contract negotiations and personnel matters.

Consent Calendar

  • Appointments: Unanimous approval of mayoral committee appointments.
  • Minutes: Approved unanimously for the February 3, 2026 meeting.
  • Code Enforcement Fees (Order 2026.21): The second reading passed unanimously.

Presentation

  • Public Art Commission: Jessica Muise, Chair, presented the commission's draft master plan. Goals include completing the plan, establishing a budget, and defining public outreach. Priority projects identified include community murals, street art, festivals, and cultural heritage projects. Councilors inquired about art on the Merck Tower and integration with school programs.

Public Hearings & Testimony

8.a CDBG Public Hearing

  • No public comments were received.

8.b Recreation Bond Public Hearing

  • Diane Sear (Ward 7/6): Advocated strongly for prioritizing repairs to the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center, citing heating issues, leaks, and its role as a year-round inclusive hub.
  • Kayla Lewis (Ward 3): Supported funding the Cultural Center and the new skatepark, noting the community's persistent advocacy.
  • Holly Collatin (Ward 6): Requested specific earmarking for the skatepark at Rotary Park and upgrades to the Rotary Park clubhouse kitchen.
  • John Collins (Ward 6): Described the skatepark as crucial for marginalized youth and urged its prioritization in the bond.
  • Ann Thompson (Ward 1): Stated the skatepark provided a unique unstructured space for teens.
  • Jane Booth (Ward 1): Emphasized the skatepark's value for all ages and independent accessibility.
  • Neva and Samantha Lance (Ward 5): Argued the city made a commitment to rebuild the skatepark, urging the council to honor that promise.
  • Mike Sugolowski (Ward 6): Supported the skatepark and requested improved public access to the hockey rink and bicycle trails.
  • Stephen Gachinsky (Ward 7): Stated the skatepark should be the top bond priority due to the city's failure to maintain the original.
  • Matt Guile (Ward 3): Highlighted the strong public mandate for the skatepark and supported Cultural Center repairs as fiscally prudent.

9. First Public Addressing the Council

  • Kathy Griffin (Ward 7): Requested equipment for clearing narrow sidewalks. Noted Saco's moratorium extension on mobile home park fees.
  • Ken Griffin (Ward 7): Expressed concern over the Comp Plan deadline and the need for completed city audits before bond issuance.
  • John Collins (Ward 6): Offered a public art idea for the Merck Tower and encouraged council to view a video of Jesse Jackson on SNL.
  • Niva & Samantha Lance (Ward 5): Noted City Hall's inability to host weddings as a missed financial and community opportunity.
  • Holly Culliton (Ward 6): Urged the council to consider an eviction moratorium to protect immigrant neighbors.
  • Sam Peacor (Ward 7): Questioned art project expenses relative to basic needs, requested public audio for all committee meetings, and argued sidewalk issues stem from manpower allocation, not equipment.

12.e Public Comment on LD 2124

  • County Commissioner Dutremble: Testified in opposition, arguing the resolution would decrease county revenue and shift tax burdens to municipalities.
  • Sam Peacor (Ward 7): Testified in support, thanking the sponsor and arguing the fiscal impact on the county is negligible.

Discussion Items

11.b Shellfish Ordinance Amendment (Order 2026.22)

  • A significant debate occurred over fixing license fees in the ordinance versus relying on a future master fee schedule. Councilor Beaupre moved to amend the ordinance to specify concrete fee amounts. City Manager Dever noted staff is working on a master fee schedule.
  • Supporters argued fixed fees provide immediate transparency.
  • Opponents argued fixed fees create bureaucratic inefficiency.
  • Vote: The amendment passed 6-3. The ordinance as amended passed 6-3.

12.d Investment Policy (Order 2026.28)

  • The council debated adopting an investment policy. Concerns included vague language on human rights, lack of internal controls, and staff capacity.
  • A motion to postpone failed. An amendment to require a council review by June 30, 2026 failed unanimously (0-9).
  • Vote: The policy passed 8-1, with Councilor Cote voting against.

12.e Resolution in Support of LD 2124

  • The resolution, supported by the Mayor's Coalition, would back a state act using real estate transfer tax revenue for emergency shelter funding.
  • Councilor Doughty recused himself from the vote (granted 8-1).
  • The vote was tied 4-4. Mayor LaFountain cast the deciding vote against it, causing the motion to fail.
  • Yeas: Cote, Kurtz, Woods, Beaupre. Nays: Lessard, Vadnais, Pierson, Boston. Abstain: Doughty.

Reports & Updates

  • City Manager Truc Dever:
    • Comp Plan: Natural Resources section submitted to the state; staff working towards April deadline.
    • Audit: FY24 audit delayed by school docs; expected early March.
    • Hiring: Deputy Director of Finance and Accounting Assistant filled. Deputy City Manager recruitment open (46 applicants).
    • Fire Dept: Two incidents (kitchen fire, water damage) costing $25,000 each in deductibles.
    • UNE: Expressing interest in extending natural gas line to campus.
  • Council President Beaupre:
    • Raised concerns over the Comp Plan progress, centralization of city policies, lack of public restrooms, critical staffing gaps, and fire department safety protocols.
  • Mayor LaFountain:
    • Celebrated BHS Girls Basketball playoff win, Winterfest, middle school play, cardiac save event, and meetings with state leaders.

Key Outcomes & Votes

  • Appointments & Minutes: Unanimous Approval.
  • Code Enforcement Fees (2026.21): Unanimous Approval.
  • Shellfish Ordinance (2026.22): Amended and Passed (6-3).
  • CDBG Plans & Budgets (2026.25, 2026.26, 2026.27): Unanimous Approval.
  • Investment Policy (2026.28): Passed (8-1).
  • Resolution LD 2124 (2026.29): Defeated (4-4, Mayor Nay).
  • Recusal: Councilor Doughty recused from LD 2124 vote.

Next Steps

  • Staff to update council on Comp Plan and FY24 Audit completion.
  • Ward meetings on Recreation Bond priorities to be scheduled.
  • Master Fee Schedule draft for Policy Committee.
  • Policy Committee to discuss centralizing policies.
  • Finance Committee to review fire station repair expenditures.
  • Charter Revision Commission nomination papers available March 2.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I will call the February seventeenth, twenty twenty-six City Council meeting to order. First order of business is the roll call. City Clerk. Council President Beaupre. Present. Councillor Lisard. Councillor Vadness. Councillor Boston. Present. Councillor Woods. Present. Counselor Jody. Councillor Kirks. Present. Councillor Pearson. Present. Counselor Cody. Present. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. Adjustments to the agenda. There will be one right after the reading of the Black History Month Proclamation. We'll have a moment of silence for the Reverend Jesse Jackson, a civil rights leader who passed away today. Whereas Black History Month, previously known as Negro History Week was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson and first celebrated on February first, nineteen twenty six. We have Jessica Meuse. Okay, now it's up and you can roll through. Click out of it. There we go. All right. Thank you. Thank you everyone for having me. My name is Jessica Meuse, and I'm the chair of the Biddeford Public Art Commission. I'm also a resident of Ward 4 here in Biddeford. So I'm excited to share with you and update the commission's first presentation to City Council. So tonight I want to cover our purpose, our work to date, what our goals are, and what we're working on coming up. Since this is a new commission that was just formed in March 2025, I just want to orient us around our purpose as a commission, which is to administer a public art program that will ensure the enhancement of art in the city, promote the access and enjoyment of the arts, improve public buildings, facilities, and outdoor spaces through artistic endeavors, and respond to Biddeford's diverse community and imagination. I think many of you recognize the public art that we already have in Biddeford. And I hope like for myself, these works have provided an opportunity for contemplation for connection and community building. And I'm so thrilled that the city has affirmed its commitment to the arts and recognized how important the arts have been in driving Biddeford's community vitality and economy by again forming this commission, adopting the ordinance in March 2025. We had our first meeting in July 2025. And from there, we really dove into the ordinance and the work laid out there for us, which were to define our goals as a commission, and then come up with a master plan. And that's really this the big guiding document with all of our policies and procedures that are going to allow us to move forward and implement what we know residents are looking for. And we've just submitted that along to the policy committee and city staff for the next steps in that process. So our goals for the year, I'm going to get into each one of them specifically. So our first goal is to complete the public art master plan and move through all the required stages to adopt. So how did we approach this big document? We really wanted it to be informed by data, so data we already had and information we've heard from partners and residents, something that invites temporary as well as permanent work.

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