Saco City Council Meeting - November 24, 2025
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Saco City Council Meeting - November 24, 2025
The Saco City Council met on Monday, November 24, 2025, at 6:30 PM. The agenda included resolutions on long-standing contract zones, a new application process for supported entities, a quarterly finance report, a presentation on sidewalk plowing logistics, and farewell tributes to outgoing councilors Phil Hatch (Ward 5) and Mike Berman (Ward 4). Most votes were unanimous (6-0) with the exception of a playful 6-1 vote to adjourn.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes: Approved minutes from the October 27, 2025 and November 10, 2025 meetings (6-0).
- Licenses & Permits: Approved an application for a license to operate games of chance (6-0). The certification of municipal election results was pulled from the consent calendar and voted on separately as an action item.
Public Comments & Testimony
- David Plavin (36 Lower Beach Road): Acknowledged the service of outgoing councilors Hatch and Berman on coastline initiatives and beach management. Announced Army Corps project bids opening December 1st.
- Kevin Roach (18 Vines Road): Expressed general support for contract zone cleanup items. Advocated for reviewing contract zones like the Driscoll property to potentially add housing. Commended the departing councilors for their thoughtful leadership.
- Kelly Archer (185 Bradley Street): Commended Councilor Hatch for exceptional leadership and ability to maintain respect under pressure. Thanked Councilor Berman for changing her perspective on issues through thoughtful governance.
- Inga Brown (161 Simpson Road): Thanked the council for thorough preparation and professionalism, expressing optimism for the incoming council.
Discussion Items
- Committee Correspondence & Announcements:
- Councilor Hewitt: Promoted the Dyer Library Festival of Trees (Nov 28 – Dec 28) and a sensory-friendly time (Dec 7, 10am-2pm). Congratulated the Thornton Academy football team on winning the state championship.
- Councilor Johnson: Requested the Traffic Safety Committee develop stronger standards for safety infrastructure upgrades; reported a successful Main Street Safe Streets demonstration that reduced vehicle speeds by 5 miles per hour on average across the percentiles and reduced crashes, recommending permanent speed tables; updated on the Pepper Park Ad Hoc Committee.
- Councilor Edwards: Promoted the Saco Main Street “Saco Bucks” free $10 gift certificate event (Nov 29, 9am-12pm) and the Main Street Market at Thornton Academy (Nov 30, 9am-3pm).
- Resolution on Pre-2021 Contract Zones (Action Item):
- Councilor Hatch presented an order resolving the status of pre-January 2021 contract zones after several months of council review. City Attorney Leah Raishin was present.
- Councilor Johnston clarified with the City Attorney that while underlying zoning was repealed, the contract agreements remain likely enforceable. Johnston took responsibility for failing to push for a complete zoning ordinance in 2020-2021, advised future councils to act only when fully satisfied, and stated contract zones should be approved very sparingly.
- Councilor Berman concurred, noting his view on contract zones shifted significantly over his terms, advising they be reserved for truly extraordinary public benefits.
- Outcome: Order approved (6-0).
- Supported Entities Request Procedure (Action Item):
- A motion was made to approve a standardized application form for municipal social services funding to ensure correct and complete information.
- An amendment to include minor syntax edits submitted by Councilor Hatch passed (6-0).
- Outcome: Main motion approved (6-0). Councilor Johnston and Berman praised the move toward improved transparency and accountability for the public-nonprofit partnerships.
- Quarterly Financial Report (Action Item):
- Interim Finance Director Judy Belanger presented the Q1 FY2026 high-level report, stating the city is tracking well at the 25% mark of the fiscal year. Discussed timing variances for property taxes, cable franchise fees ($52,463 received later in Q2), and recreation fees. Explained a change in accounting practice for welfare reimbursement (now booked when incurred to align with expenditures). Belanger noted the budget is tracking as expected with a projected surplus, and no unforeseen issues require addressing.
- Councilor Hatch thanked Belanger for her expertise and service as a steadying force in the finance department.
- Sidewalk Winter Maintenance Presentation (New Business):
- Public Works Director Moore presented an overview of sidewalk plowing operations: the city has 61 total miles of sidewalk, currently plows 41 miles across 3 routes (downtown 15 mi, east 10 mi, west 16 mi). A new sidewalk plow costs approximately $250,000. Equipment and staffing challenges were detailed, including a 24-hour cycle for heavy storms using blowers, an 8-hour mandatory break policy, and existing vacancies.
- Councilor Johnson advised focusing resources on core dense areas before expanding into subdivisions and requested the council develop a formal sidewalk plowing policy rather than relying on the school bus transportation policy to define service areas.
- Councilor Hewitt emphasized public safety benefits of downtown plowing and requested the policy map be placed on the city website.
- Councilor Hatch praised the crews' professionalism, noting the complexity of the job and the need for public understanding of logistical constraints.
- Rescheduled Public Hearing (Action Item):
- Outcome: Unanimously approved rescheduling the public hearing on the proposed updates to Administrative Code Chapter 4, Article 5 (Departments and Divisions) to December 8, 2025 (6-0).
Key Outcomes
- Contract Zones Resolution: Adopted (6-0). The order clarifies the city’s stance on pre-2021 contract zones.
- Supported Entities Form: Standardized application process for social services funding adopted (6-0).
- Financial Report: Q1 FY2026 report accepted; city finances tracking as expected.
- Ward 3 Special Election: City Administrator Prescott confirmed the special election to fill the vacant Ward 3 seat will be held January 13, 2026. Candidates who qualified are William P. Doyle and Robert G. Henry.
- Sidewalk Plowing: Discussion held on service expansion, equipment costs, and the need for a formal city policy.
- Council Farewells: Departing councilors Mike Berman (Ward 4) and Phil Hatch (Ward 5) were honored with tributes from staff, public commenters, and fellow councilors. Hatch outlined outstanding issues for the next council, including the Lucia Kimball Deering Trust, Chapter 4 Administrative Code Article 7, the city purchasing policy, and continued zoning ordinance updates.
- Next Meeting: December 1, 2025, at 6:30 PM (reception at 5:30 PM) for the swearing-in of new councilors and annual training.
Meeting Administration
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:06 PM after closing remarks and a 6-1 vote on the motion to adjourn.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Soccer City Council meeting for Monday, November twenty fourth, twenty twenty-five at six thirty PM. Like to make note of all members present this evening, including Interim City and Manager Emily Cole Prescott. And would you please join me for the Pledge of Allegiance? Thank you, everyone. All right, item number four this evening is general, and we do not have anything under that item. Item number five is committee correspondence to council. Are there any committee members wishing to speak? Councilor Hewitt. Um I just want to thank the Dyer Library for their pre preview gala this week. They did a fabulous job. The Festival of Trees is opened. It'll be open November 28th to December 28th. And on December 7th, they're having a sensory family friendly time from 10 a.m. till 2. Thank you. Anyone else? Council Johnson. Thank you. I've got several items. So the traffic safety committee in BPED met last Thursday. It was a rather full agenda, as they seem to be quite often lately. And majority of the request, as they have been, have been for safety infrastructure upgrades. I expressed at that meeting that it's become kind of increasingly difficult to uh administer or apply an arn arbitrary approach to again approving these. I think Councillor Hatch, you were previously on traffic safety with me when we had begun to look at developing policies. So I kind of had advocated for taking that back up with staff this winter, hopefully, to come to real strong standard that we can actually implement. But I just want to keep council aware because I know counselors themselves are getting a lot of these requests and they're trickling down to us. And unfortunately, you know, we had an instance where we had to table half the agenda. Um then uh an update for the demonstration on Main Street. I won't go into all the data there, but that was a 2025 Safe Streets uh demonstration in front of TA. Uh that was administered from a grant, Safe Streets for All, which was GP Cog that was the lead agency. It was installed in July and removed in October. Uh overall, the the data showed that it there was a reduction in crashes. There was only one crash. Uh it reduced vehicle speeds by five miles per hour on average across the percentiles. Uh improved safety for bikes and pedestrians, and it was uh a successful implementation of a new traffic calming treatment, which is those speed bumps or pumps or tables, whatever you want to call them. Uh and then the overall recommendation was to consider installing permanent speed tables as well as other lane channel infrastructure. Again, going back to my prior comment. We're gonna kind of work to develop the standards for that. Uh the other thing was the Pepper Park uh ad hoc committee had met also last week. It's the second meeting. And they've really just been overall, you know, 35,000 foot view of you know, pretty much the presentation that council has previously received. There was a lot of I thought um useful feedback from from residents that attended, and I just bring it up because there is a we will be meeting monthly, and they are open to the public. So again, anybody that has suggestions or is interested in that development, I would encourage to attend uh because it's it's a pretty monumental undertaking. Um that's it. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Council Edwards. Thank you, Mayor. This weekend uh coming up is going to be fantastic if you are into shopping.
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