Biddeford City Council Meeting - March 3, 2026

The Biddeford City Council met on March 3, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers and via Teams. The meeting included employee recognition, a proclamation for Black Balloon Day, several appointments, a presentation on the Lester B. Orcutt survey, approval of the CSO Alfred Street Phase 3 bid with a contested vote, adoption of an updated EMS ordinance, public comments on procurement and fiscal transparency, and multiple committee updates.

Consent Calendar

• Employee Recognition: Mayor LaFountain recognized seven new employees and highlighted a recent successful resuscitation by the Fire Department.
• Proclamation: March 7, 2026 was proclaimed Black Balloon Day. Ryan Page of Access Direct Recovery Network spoke about the event.
• Appointments (2026.33): Council unanimously approved Mayor's appointments to various committees, including the Harbor Commission, Cable Television Committee, Recycling and Waste Management Commission, Shellfish Commission, Wastewater Management Commission, and Harbor Commission (recreational boater).
• Consideration of Minutes (Feb 17, 2026): Approved unanimously.
• Approval of Public Works Non-Supervisor Negotiator (2026.32): Unanimously approved. Council solicited two volunteers for upcoming labor negotiations.

Public Comments & Testimony

• First Session (3-minute limit):
  • Delilah Poupore (Ward 5 resident, Heart of Biddeford Executive Director) announced employee appreciation activities for National Employee Appreciation Week, including discounts at 20 downtown businesses and a coupon for city employees. She also promoted Restaurant Week (March 15-22) and a "Food Collider" event.
  • John Collins (Ward 6) discussed the gap between city infrastructure needs (estimated $100 million in deferred maintenance) and available resources, noting the Ward 6 meeting about the recreation bond. He drew parallels between wealth inequality and local tax burdens, urging a rethinking of how the city taxes to encourage greater contributions from those with more resources.
• Second Session (5-minute limit):
  • Ken Griffin (Ward 7) criticized the city's procurement process, asserting that construction projects should have funding in hand before advertising bids, and urged clearer policies.
  • Sam P. Gold (Ward 7) expressed disappointment with the council's decision to use future CIP funds for the CSO project, calling it "robbing Peter to pay Paul." He argued that the council needs to be more transparent and accountable about the city's financial situation, and that taking accountability requires difficult choices.
  • Jeff Demers (Public Works Director, speaking as a resident at 371 Hill Street) explained the interim funding plan for the CSO project, promising 30-day reports similar to past projects and recommending a possible suspension of the project if funds are not secured.

Discussion Items

• Presentation on Lester B. Orcutt Survey Work (7.a): Public Works Director Jeff Demers reported that the city selected a surveyor (second-lowest bidder for local knowledge) to mark boundaries; no excavation is planned. Notifications were sent to affected property owners, and a meeting is scheduled for March 4 to gather input on the next phase.
• CSO Alfred Street Phase 3 Bid Approval (2026.19): City Engineer Craig Chekan reviewed the project, a DEP-required CSO separation. The low bid ($3.1 million) came from Gorm Sand and Gravel, which is under budget and was included in a $20 million bond approved by voters in November 2024. However, delays in the FY24 audit prevented a bond rating; the city cannot draw the bond until the audit is complete (estimated end of March/early April) and then 4-6 weeks for bond issuance. The council approved the bid with a contingency plan: use $1.6 million in sewer permit fees as a bridge, and if needed, up to $1.5 million from unallocated FY27 CIP funds. The vote was 7-1, with Councillor Boston opposed due to concerns about the city's cash position and lack of clarity on the fund balance. Councillor Beaupre, while expressing reservations, supported the measure after updated financial projections.
• Revised Emergency Medical Services Ordinance (2026.31): Fire Chief Best presented updates to city code Sections 30-26 through 30-30. Changes include removing obsolete references to a Fire Commission, updating mutual aid language to reflect state law, and establishing annual ambulance fee adjustments based on Medicare caps (FY26 increase of 0.5% for base rates, 2% for mileage). The council discussed fee comparisons with neighboring communities (Biddeford is middle-to-upper third) and revenue generation ($1.6-1.8 million annually). The ordinance passed unanimously.
• City Manager Report: Truc Dever provided updates: Comprehensive Plan submission deadline extended to June 29; team working with SMPDC; MOU coming March 17. Correction on previous report: housing section submitted earlier, natural resources section under planning board review. Maine Water sewer billing: 15,820 bills sent Nov-Feb, $2.83 million billed, $2.13 million collected; billing is being caught up. Property owners within 1,000 ft of treatment plant/CSO outfalls will receive certified mail for permit renewal. Saco River dredging using Marblehead boat launch. Compensation/classification study for non-union employees underway; data requests to 20 towns. Budget calendar finalized.
• Committee Updates: Policy Committee: Mobile home park ordinance to come March 17; solar ordinance tabled due to missing information; EV charging ordinance tabled over mandatory requirement concerns. Traffic and Veterans Committees cancelled due to weather. Ward meetings held on recreation bond (Doughty, Boston, Kurtz, Cote gave updates). Institutional Zone Review Committee progress reported; public input email available.

Key Outcomes

• CSO Alfred Street Phase 3 (2026.19): Approved 7-1. Funding primarily from $20 million bond; interim use of sewer permit fees and potential FY27 CIP funds if necessary. Project expected to start April/May.
• EMS Ordinance (2026.31): Unanimously approved. Updated code language and ambulance fee structure.
• Public Works Negotiator (2026.32): Unanimously approved; council seeks two volunteers for negotiations.
• Executive Sessions: Entered at 7:35 PM for personnel (1 MRS 405 6(a)) and legal (1 MRS 405 6(e)) matters; exited at 8:56 PM; motion to extend meeting to 10:00 PM passed; re-entered executive session for legal matters at 8:56 PM; exited at 9:26 PM. Meeting adjourned at 9:26 PM.
• Next Steps: Finance Committee to monitor cash flow; City Manager to provide monthly CSO project updates; Personnel Committee to continue compensation study; Policy Committee to bring mobile home park ordinance March 17.

Additional Notes

• Council President Beaupre suggested using OWL technology and alternative sites to enable multiple committee meetings with remote participation.
• Mayor LaFountain reminded residents of Charter Revision Commission nomination papers (due in April) and provided Maine Water billing phone number (800-287-1643).
• Councillor Kurtz wished a good Ramadan and noted the next meeting falls on March 17 (St. Patrick's Day).
• Clock change reminder to spring forward on March 8.