Saco City Council Meeting – January 5, 2026

The Saco City Council met on January 5, 2026, at 6:30 PM with all members present except Councillor Johnston (excused). The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, acknowledgments of a new city administrator and outgoing interim, public comments, approval of minutes, consent items, three action items (public hearing on a special entertainment permit, election of a parliamentarian, and ordinance readings), an administrative update from the new administrator, and council discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kelly Archer (185 Bradley Street) welcomed new City Administrator Ryan Pelletier on behalf of engaged residents. She stressed the importance of strict compliance with local, state, and federal laws, and called for a culture of accountability under the city charter. She expressed support for Pelletier’s leadership.
• Phil Hatch (19 Evergreen Drive) expressed support for Action Item C (administrative code updates) and thanked former Councillor Johnston for his work. He also welcomed Pelletier, praised his predecessor John Bohenko, and thanked Deputy City Administrator Emily Cole Prescott for her interim service.
• Inga Brown (161 Simpson Road) spoke on two topics. First, she criticized inconsistent processes for site plan amendment applications, citing a November 4, 2025 Planning Board meeting where an anemic application was deemed complete. She called for standards and a separate application for revisions. Second, during the public hearing on the Riverwinds special entertainment permit, she argued that the 2021 contract zone amendment was invalid because the 1985 zoning ordinance (and all contract zones) had been inadvertently repealed in January 2021. She stated the current permit should only cover uses valid under the 2017 contract zone. She also asked about the completion date of a plumbed bathroom and noted six unaccounted self-sponsored events on public websites.
• Kelly Archer (second round) echoed Inga Brown’s concerns, urging a comprehensive legal review of all 50 contract zone agreements before council or planning board action. She emphasized that many agreements were not properly executed and that continuing to ignore legalities would cost taxpayers.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: Minutes from December 1 and December 8, 2025, were approved 5-0.
• Consent Items: Both items were approved 5-0: (A) Appointment of a vacant Ward 3 warden and ward clerk for the January 13, 2026 special election; (B) Confirmation of the mayor’s appointment of Ryan Pelletier to the Maine Municipal Association Legislative Policy Committee.

Discussion Items

• Action Item A – Public Hearing for Riverwinds Special Entertainment Permit Renewal: Beth Austin (River Wind Farm & Estate, dba RW Events) applied to renew a special entertainment permit concurrent with the liquor license. The clerk advertised the hearing and received no concerns from city departments. In public testimony, Inga Brown and Kelly Archer questioned the validity of the underlying contract zone amendment (2021) due to the 2021 repeal of the zoning ordinance. Councilor Edwards moved to approve the permit “for events as per the River Winds contract zone agreement.” Councilor Edwards and Councillor Hewitt acknowledged the legal concerns but cited the business’s successful, complaint‑free operation and expressed intent to craft legislation to resolve the issue. The motion passed 5-0 at 6:46 PM.
• Action Item B – Election of Parliamentarian: Councilor Parks moved to elect Councillor Nathan Johnston as parliamentarian for a one-year term, per Rule 38. The motion passed 5-0.
• Action Item C – Final Reading of Administrative Code Updates (Chapter 4, Article 5): Councilor Parks presented the updates, which had been revised over several meetings and incorporated public hearing comments from December 15, 2025. Councilor Gale thanked the council and staff for the engagement. The motion passed 5-0.
• Action Item D – First Reading of Recreational Vehicle Ordinance Amendment (Chapter 169): Councilor Edwards moved to approve the first reading and schedule a public hearing for January 26, 2026. Councilor Arnon raised a concern about the requirement for self-contained electrical service (generators) for RVs; Code Enforcement Director Toomey stated the language would be corrected in the next version to ensure safe, proper electrical connections. Councillor Hewitt asked about allowing unplanned overnight stops; Toomey said verbal permits can be issued after the fact for emergencies. The motion passed 5-0.
• Administrative Update – City Administrator Ryan Pelletier reported:
  • Appointment of Kevin Duras as Deputy Fire Chief of Logistics, effective immediately. Duras began his career in Saco in 1996 and returns after serving in Biddeford and Scarborough.
  • Updated downtown snow emergency parking ban exemptions: Main Street (Cutz Ave to Gooch St), Cutz Ave, Thornton Ave, Pleasant St, Store St, and Water St (Main St to Elm St) are exempt from 7 AM to midnight during storms.
  • Code Red emergency notification system test scheduled for January 15, 2026, at 11 AM.
  • Local Beach Management Plan listening session on January 8, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Saco City Hall Auditorium.
  • Civic Software RFP for a cloud‑based permitting and citizen engagement platform; proposals due February 3, 2026.

Key Outcomes

• All votes were 5-0 on every motion (minutes approval, consent items, all four action items, and adjournment).
• The Riverwinds special entertainment permit was renewed despite public testimony questioning the validity of the underlying contract zone amendment. Council pledged to work with legal counsel to address lingering contract zone issues.
• Councillor Nathan Johnston (absent) was elected parliamentarian for 2026.
• The administrative code updates were adopted as final.
• The recreational vehicle ordinance amendment passed first reading; the public hearing is set for January 26, 2026. Staff will revise the electrical service language.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:16 PM.