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Good evening everyone and welcome to the
SO City Council meeting for Monday, July

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20th at 6:30 p.m. Before we call the
official meeting to order, we do have

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two workshop items uh that we will be
addressing. First, the first item is an

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assessing overview. And with us, we have
Assessor Shawn McCarthy.

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And with him, Deputy Assessor Kate
Karns.

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It did. Thank goodness
>> it works.

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» All right.
>> Hello everyone.

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» Good evening. [clears throat]
>> So, uh, my deputy assessor Kate Kern is

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going to start us off here and then I'll
take over in a little bit. So, Kate,

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» sure. I just want to say good evening,
city council, mayor, administrator

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Pelleter. We're just here to give you an
update on what's been happening in the

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assessing department and the values
citywide. Um,

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so what were the results of the vision,
measure, and list that we completed

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about six months ago? Um, how do we
update the values? Why did we update the

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values? And what does that mean for the
future? Those are the big topics. And

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for the measure and list, we basic

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up here. Um, for the measure and list,
um, the purpose of that was to

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go property to property and make sure
that we had good data for each parcel.

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Um, when people were home, they were
able to talk to them. Um, when they were

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allowed in, they were able to go in and
verify data that way. They took new

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photos of every property. when they
weren't able to get in but felt like

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they needed to, they would send
follow-up letters and go back. Um, so

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having done this 18month project gave us
a good foundation to go ahead and um

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have solid a solid data foundation to
start analyzing the sales and the market

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in SACO. Um, and that's what we've been
doing.

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» So a statistical update. Um there's a
few pieces of information uh that I want

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to go over before we get into the the
actual process. Right? So a few terms.

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Sales ratio. What is a sales ratio? It's
a basically a measure of how close our

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assessments are to market rate. Right?
Usually expressed as a percentage. If

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you have a $100,000 property that sells
for 80,000 or that we have assessed at

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$80,000, we would be at 80% of market
value. Just simple math terms. Um so

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it's a measure of accuracy. How accurate
are we on our assessments? Um it uh we

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use the average ratio across the city to
uh determine the amount the state

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reimbures us for exemptions. If we fall
too low, the state gives us less money

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and we have to factor homestead
exemptions, veterans exemptions, a bunch

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of things across the city. So the state
the the law is 70% to 110% is the range

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you can be in and still be within
compliance of the rules the state sets

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for us as assessors. If you drop below
91% that's when the factoring of

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exemptions starts happening. There's
also the quality rating. This is a

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measure of how far from the average
ratio any given sale is. So if the

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average ratio is 100% and you have a
sale that comes in at 110% the quality

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rating for that sale is 10, right? And
so you average that out across the whole

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sample. That's your quality rating. It's
a measure of how precise we are. Right?

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Our average could be good, but we could
have a huge cluster of sales at 150 and

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a huge cluster at 50%. I wouldn't say
we're doing a good job in that scenario,

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right? So that's what quality rating is
measuring. Um it's used to determine how

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equitable assessments are. In the case
where there's a big group at 150 and a

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group at 50, we're not equitable, right?
So that's what this is measuring. And

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the state requires a quality rating of
less than 20. That's the line for this.

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So a statistical update, how do we do
it? Um, first we collect and analyze

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sales. The assessment department gets
every single sale that happens in the

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city of SACO, assuming you record your
sale at the registry of deeds. Um, and

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now the a lot of these sales are no
good. They're not what we call qualified

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sales. If you pass down a piece of of
land to your child, that's not a qualifi

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qualified sale. If you give 500 square f
feet to your butter so they can put a

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shed on their property, that's not a
qualified sale. We want arms length

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transactions between two unrelated
parties. It's exposed to the market.

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Both parties are trying to get the best
deal for themselves, right? That's what

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we're looking for. Those are qualified
sales. We had 399 of them in the area,

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the uh time period we used to calculate
this most recent valuation update. That

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time period was July 1st of 24 to June
31st of 2025. Right? That's the time

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frame the state uses to judge us when
they audit us every year. So, it's this

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the time frame we use. Um, you can push
it out to 18 months if you want, but we

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didn't need to do that. 399 is more than
enough. Um, so you look at that, you get

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all of the sales data in, you prune out
the bad ones. Now, we need to determine

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what adjustments need to be made at all.
Right? If we're at 100%, great. Job's

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done. We don't need to do anything. Um,
that was not the case when we started

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looking at the data. So, we look at if
we have a single family home sale, we're

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going to look at that from a bunch of
different angles. We're going to look at

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what type of home is it. Is it a
colonial? Is it a Cape Cod? Is it a

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ranch? We're going to look at the square
footage. We're going to look when was it

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built? We're going to look the
neighborhood in the city that it it

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exists within. Right? And when you have
399 sales, you get a good sampling for a

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majority of the city. Not everywhere,
but for a lot of it. And in some

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neighborhoods, you'll have a lot of good
data, some less so. Right? So we start

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looking at it from all those different
angles to try to find out where our weak

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points are. So we have like a test
database. It's all of our data from the

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live database that I can go in and just
start making changes and do crazy stuff

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and it won't affect people's actual
valuations that they pay their taxes on.

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Right? So essentially we got those
sales, we saw where we were at. I start

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making changes. We change something,
look and see what it does to the data.

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analyze the results and then repeat
until we get to a place we're happy

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with. Right? You may have noticed at no
part in this did I pull comps for a

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property. At no part in this did I go in
and drill down and start really

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analyzing the minute details of what
makes this property unique. That is not

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what this is. That's not what the
assessment department does. We do what's

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called mass appraisal. And this is how
mass appraisal is performed. It is

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statistical analysis. when you're at the
level the size of the city of Sako,

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you've got 400 sales in a year. We're
not quibbling over a single sale

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necessarily. Now, there are cases where
we might we can get into that a little

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bit later. Now, this the graph I'm sure
you've seen on the screen is a measure

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of all the ratios after I made the
update of every single sale in our

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sample. And you'll notice the red line
is the average. And it might be hard to

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see cuz it's a little small, but you'll
notice at the left side of the graph,

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which is the oldest sales, it's about
95ish, maybe a little higher. And then

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as you go to the right and time goes on
and we go to 2025, it slowly trends down

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and it ends probably somewhere in the
85%ish range. That is the market

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changing over the course of the sample.
Um, I'm sure many people have a lot of

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opinions about what the market in the
city of Sako is doing. I can promise you

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it is appreciating in general. Does that
mean there are places where that may not

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may be less true? Absolutely. But in
general, on average, we're appreciating

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about 5 to 8% a year right now. I'm not
going to try to pretend to understand

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what might happen 6 months from now, but
that's where we're at today.

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So once we make those changes, I've
analyzed the results. I feel comfortable

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with what we've got. We push those d
changes to the live database. We update

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everyone's real values that they will
pay taxes on. And that's what was on the

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letter that everyone got, right? That
was the the updated data that we pushed

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to the live database.
So we made the changes. We went from

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about 77%
when I started analyzing the data back

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in February to about 91%.
And the question a lot of people have

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asked me and I'm sure some of you have
heard as well is well Sean why'd you

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bother to do anything at all? Right? You
could have just left it. You weren't

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below the 70%. You could have just
stayed there. And there's a few reasons.

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First one, factoring to a lower ratio
cost the city money directly, meaning it

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raises taxes by get us getting less
money from the state. If we were to

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factor today, if we stayed at 77%, I
calculated this using the tax rate

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calculation sheet based on our current
budget, we would lose about $277,000

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in state reimbursement for exemptions.
So, everyone's homestead's going down.

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And we'd lose about $145,000 in revenue
from personal property. Now, personal

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property isn't a huge percentage of the
budget, but $145,000 is not pocket

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change, right? Because we have to factor
personal property to be where whatever

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real estate is at. So, if we're at 77%,
they're coming down to 77% as well. So,

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that's a direct loss in revenue. There's
also a shift that occurs as your ratio

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gets lower. There's sort of a floor that
you can be at and have a home at all,

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right? And as we get lower and lower, as
our percentages get lower, that we get

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approach that floor and all the
difference between a higherend property

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and a lower-end property shrinks. And
now that's fine in theory, but it has

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very real tax bill implications. So I've
I've got a little chart here. Uh I won't

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bore you with the details, but you'll
notice at the lower-end property, if we

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go from 70% to 100% and we have, let's
say, a budget increase, so the mill rate

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doesn't absorb all of that. we go to
$850, similar to the situation we find

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ourselves in here today. Their tax bill
is about $450, but the $700,000 property

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goes from 70 to 100% and their tax bill
goes increases by $1,000. Right? The the

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less valuable property is shouldering
less of the property tax burden because

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there is a greater actual difference in
the values between the 300,000 and the

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700,000 in this example. Right? It's a
very simple explanation but I hope you

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understand that you see the theory. Um,
so we've talked a lot of theoreticals.

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What did we actually do? So we adjusted
building values first. We based it on

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industry standards. Marshall and Swift
is what we use. That's cost price per

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square foot for things. How much does it
cost to get a shed? How much does it

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cost to put a Whirlpool tub in your
bathroom? Right? That's where so we

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update the the the cost values based on
Marshall and Swift and then land values

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increase to conform with sale prices. So
what do I mean by this? So if I know

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that our cost data is good and I have
two 1500 square foot ranches built to

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the same quality, maybe even built by
the same builder, but one is in one part

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of the city and one is in another part
of the city and one sold for $200,000

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more. I don't think that the the uh
difference there is in the building.

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It's in the land. One of those places is
more desirable to live for one reason or

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another. And when we have sufficient
sales in certain neighborhoods, when I

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initially started doing this process, I
changed the sale the cost data first

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because that's the most straightforward.
And then I started look analyzing the

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data again and I noticed that some
neighborhoods were maybe at 85% and some

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maybe were at 65%. These neighborhood
values haven't been changed in more than

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a decade at this point ultimately and
the city has changed. I'm sure anyone

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who's been here over that last decade
could tell you that the city looks very

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different today than it did back in
2016. And so we updated those values so

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that the ratio of those sales comes
closer to that 91%. We're aiming for

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par. It's not an exact science, but if
we can get everyone pretty darn close to

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91%,
I feel like we've done a good job.

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So, and this it's worth noting the 91%
as I mentioned is the minimum increase

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to get 100% value of all of the
exemptions and everything else. So, the

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reason being the state lets you claim to
be within 10% of whatever your true

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ratio is. So, if we're at 91, 10% of 91
is nine. We can claim 100, right? But

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that does mean that if the market
continues to appreciate, we quickly fall

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below that minimum threshold. So there's
a balancing act to be had here. Do we go

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all the way to 100%, risk the market
collapsing, risk things changing, and

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then we have to make further
unforeseen adjustments in the future or

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do we do the minimum possible adjustment
to give make it the least abrasive for

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taxpayers
but risk having to do updates again in

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the future? I don't think any assessor
would tell you that there's a right

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answer to that question, but we chose to
go to 91%. Um, it's worth noting we went

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from 77 with a 14 quality rating to 91
with a five quality rating. So, we have

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improved the quality of the data
overall.

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So, I threw a lot at you. What has
happened so far? I'm sure you've all

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heard quite a bit about the fact that
values have changed, right? We sent out

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letters to every taxpayer with their new
valuations on them, right? uh they

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didn't land all at once such as the
whims of the USPS, but we sent them out

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and we made available an online booking
tool so that anyone could go on the

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city's website and click on a thing and
schedule some time with us. Um we've

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taken 38 of those meetings and scheduled
124 more of them. Uh I have

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unfortunately had to pull down the
booking page purely because all of the

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time slots in it were full and now
people can still call. we'll talk with

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you on the phone or we'll schedule a
time to squeeze you in somewhere, right?

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We'll make it work. We want want to meet
with as many people as possible. But the

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automated system had had fulfilled its
purpose and I think honestly I'm pretty

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I didn't think we'd get that many to be
entirely honest with you. So, I'm pretty

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pleased with that. Um, as of right now,
since the the the letters hit, we've

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taken 235 phone calls and an unknown
number of walk-ins. I wish I'd tracked

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it, but I have not. It was quite a few,
I'm sure you can imagine.

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So, what next? talked about it a little
bit. We're going to keep looking at

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sales, right? We keep getting them. I
analyze them. I look at them on a

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monthly basis. Our property appraiser
comes in and shows me ones that are

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especially out of line with our assessed
value. U but come January, February of

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this coming year, I'm going to be
looking at this again, right? Where are

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we? Because the state will be looking at
it too. And uh we need to at least have

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an idea of where we are. If necessary,
the market continues to change. will

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continue to make adjustments. That
means, I want to be clear, both up and

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down. If the market collapses underneath
us, I don't think we're foreseeing a

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2008 situation. But if it goes down, if
we lose 5% over the next year, I'll

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happily drop values 5%. Right? I want
our data to be accurate first and

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foremost. And if that means going down,
then we'll happily go down.

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This point, I know I threw a lot at you.
Any questions?

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» Thanks, Sean. Any questions? Councelor
Huitt and Councelor Edwards, when can

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people expect to see their tax bills in
the mail?

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» Sure. Um, the plan is to commit early
August. The tax bill will hit early

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September and then it is due uh October
14th.

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» Yep. Go ahead, Council Huitt. Will there
still be a discount for the historic

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district?
>> There is no discount for the historical

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district that I'm aware of.
Okay.

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» Yeah. I will say they generally
sell for less than equivalent properties

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elsewhere because of the burden placed
on them by being in the historical

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district. But there's there's not a line
item in our um assessment database for

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historical district. At least not right
now.

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» Anything else?
>> Councelor Edwards.

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» Thank you, Mayor. Um hi. So, the several
calls that I received,

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they were um of course not happy with
knowing that their houses were more, but

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um the part of the concern was the time
period and I was wondering if for their

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00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:17,679
sakes and and mine frankly um would do
you see in the future having an

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assessment maybe in five years versus
another decade?

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Um I would I think my preference would
be that these be smaller and more

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regular. Um the last big update was in
2023. Um we went up like 35% across the

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city purely because we were trying to
keep some something close to pace with

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the COVID market. We've obviously slowed
since then. U but we're still

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appreciating it. I mean 5 to 8% a year
is is quite a good clip. That's not

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usual. Um, so yeah, at least until the
market starts changing, if we start

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seeing a tailing off, uh, we can maybe
slow down updates then, but it would be

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my personal preference that we make
small updates every year so it's not

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20%. Here you go. Right. Right.
>> Thank you,

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» Council Warren.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, when you talk

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about a five or 10% assessment per year,
are you talking about pulsing that

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number of properties? What What are we
talking about with that number? So um

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when we're when I'm talking about five
to 10% I'm talking about appreciation of

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the market the values are increasing by
that amount.

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00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:28,559
» Okay. And do we just automatically bake
that in as an incremental increase to

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the assessment without going back out
and actually physically reassessing

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which is what we've done this cycle?
>> Right. So this cycle we went we sent out

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the vision data collectors to ensure our
data was accurate. Um I I don't think

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it's perfect by any means but it's
certainly better than it was before. We

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continue to look at any property that
pulls a building permit. Any property if

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a property sells and we notice that, oh,
that was well above our assessed value.

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00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:53,679
Oh, look, they have a finished basement
we didn't have. We'll update properties

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00:27:51,279 --> 00:27:58,480
that way as well. But we don't go like
set a goal to go out and say see 10% of

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the city every year. It's not
specifically anyway. We do often just by

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00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:06,880
nature of doing our jobs, following
building permits, all of that stuff. But

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yeah,
councelor Gail.

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00:28:08,559 --> 00:28:16,320
» Thank you, Mayor. Um, I guess thank you
so much for you and your staff for being

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so open and uh willing to meet with
folks and talk talk with them. That's

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super helpful and um I've heard from
some folks that that was a a good

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conversation. So, thank you.
>> Um I guess just could you go back and

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explain to me the the quality rating?
Could you go over that one more time?

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I'm not
>> Absolutely. Let's go back in time real

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00:28:37,120 --> 00:28:41,919
fast. I caught I caught that piece of
it.

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00:28:39,679 --> 00:28:46,799
» Sure. So, we determine our average sales
ratio. Let's say it's 91% for the sake

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00:28:43,919 --> 00:28:52,240
of argument. And then we get a a sale in
that sample sells for 100% of our

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00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:57,840
assessed value. It would have a quality
rating of nine because it is 9% away

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00:28:55,039 --> 00:29:03,440
from the average, right? And so the goal
is that a majority or most of your sales

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are close to the average. Right? So, if
if we have um a property and it sells

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for 200% of its assessed value, that's a
quality rating of quick math in my head,

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00:29:14,559 --> 00:29:21,200
108. Obviously, something is wrong
there, right? That I would look at that

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and say clearly our data is incorrect.
Like, I know where our our overall

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00:29:24,159 --> 00:29:30,480
valuation is at. if something is at 200%
clearly that the data going into the

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system is wrong rather than like a
fundamental problem with the way we

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00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:39,120
value a property. Um so on average so
you uh you determine the quality rating

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for every single individual sale. In our
case it was 400 and then you average

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00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:48,480
that up and the average of your quality
rating is your quality rating for your

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assessments as a whole. So in our case
after the updates it was 5.6 was what we

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00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:57,840
were at after we made all of the
adjustments. was 14 in change. I don't

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remember the decimal at before the
adjustments. So, we we brought everyone

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a little bit closer together.
>> And is there um

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I guess do you know or do you have a
sense from from other communities and

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other assessors kind of where that ranks
in southern Maine? I mean, that seems

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00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:22,320
like a pretty accurate
>> Yeah, to be honest, I don't know. Um, I

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know generally assessors don't like to
be above 10. That's kind of a line like,

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okay, you need to start making some
adjustments because something's clearly

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wrong. Um, 20, like I mentioned, is the
statutory line. That's where main

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00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:35,279
revenue comes in and says, okay, you you
need to do something different because

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00:30:33,919 --> 00:30:37,840
clearly whatever you're doing is is
wrong.

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00:30:36,159 --> 00:30:41,520
» Um, but generally they like to stay
under 10. So, I feel like if we're under

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00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:44,480
10, if we could get below five, I'd love
to see it. But, you know, small

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victories.
>> Gotcha. Yeah. And I guess just to to

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echo what councelor Edwards was
mentioning just in terms of the length

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00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:59,760
in between um just in some conversations
it feels like the shorter uh or the more

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00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:04,000
frequent but smaller increases would be
appreciated. Yeah.

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00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:08,960
» This was a big one. So
>> thank you.

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00:31:05,919 --> 00:31:14,320
» Thank you. Anyone else? Council Johnston
one point to your to your question.

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00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:20,880
Since prior to 2021,
we were appreciating like this and then

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00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:26,799
COVID hit and it went like this. And so
we haven't seen these kind of increases

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00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:30,559
in the history of the city until 21. And
that's when the market started taking

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00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:36,559
off. And that's when every year
consistently more and more and more. So

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00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:40,640
it's we've really kept up the best we
possibly could with the data. I mean,

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00:31:38,399 --> 00:31:48,159
you you can't change assessments on a
dime. you need all of the data to look

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00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:54,880
at. So the 2023 increase 24 25 here we
are again. Um and like I said you just

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prior to 21 it was pretty steady and
then it just went like this. So I think

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00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:03,360
it's impossible to really tell right
now.

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00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:08,080
» Council question.
>> Yes. Go ahead then. Councelor Johnston.

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00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:11,039
» Okay. Um I guess just a a hypothetical.
So in terms of adding additional housing

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00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:18,080
stock
>> Mhm.

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00:32:11,919 --> 00:32:24,960
» Um with the increase in in sales prices
um theoretically then it's that's

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00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:30,159
that's going to only increase the the
values, right? Unless there was some

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00:32:26,799 --> 00:32:36,399
sort of market correction and and the
the new housing stock was going below

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00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:38,320
um
below the market.

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00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:41,440
» Yeah.
>> Today does that make

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00:32:39,519 --> 00:32:44,960
» Yeah. I understand what your question is
I think and let me know if I answer it

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00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:50,080
and it's totally off in left field but
like we generally don't try to draw

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00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:53,840
conclusions from for example Omari Court
um that's a relatively new subdivision

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00:32:52,320 --> 00:33:00,240
that got put in that all the sales sold
at once. So we have good data on Amari

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00:32:56,000 --> 00:33:03,919
court. I tried my I tried to keep Amari
court in Amari court, right? It does

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00:33:02,559 --> 00:33:08,080
tell us something, right? Because
they're valued the same way any other

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00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:12,320
property in the city is valued in
theory, right? We put in we draw the

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00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:17,600
sketch, we put all the same attributes
in. So if Amari Court is selling for

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00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:23,120
well above our assessed value, that does
speak to a problem. But if I make some

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00:33:21,519 --> 00:33:26,880
updates and Amari Court is still
substantially lower than everything

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00:33:24,399 --> 00:33:30,799
else, that speaks to us needing to make
adjustments on Amari Court itself

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00:33:28,799 --> 00:33:34,399
specifically rather than on the city
generally. Yeah,

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00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:39,440
» Council Johnston,
>> thank you. Um, thank you for the

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00:33:36,799 --> 00:33:44,240
presentation. My question though is um
for the administrator

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00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:49,120
I I think most of the questions are all
good have been answered but I think the

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00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:54,080
outstanding question for most residents
remains the mill rate and could you give

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00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:57,760
us an idea of when that would be set and
with valuations increasing is it likely

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00:33:56,240 --> 00:34:00,240
that we will see a reduction in mill
rate

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00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:06,000
» it is and I've spoken to both Sean and
Kate um like they said we're going to uh

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00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:10,000
commit the 1 of August I don't want to
put a number out there now, but I will

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00:34:07,679 --> 00:34:13,359
say yes, it will drop based on what was
presented during the budget. I want them

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00:34:11,839 --> 00:34:16,960
to be able to finish their work with the
meetings with each indiv individual

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00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:20,960
resident because I know part of that is
reviewing the data with the residents as

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00:34:19,599 --> 00:34:26,320
they're coming in to make sure that
their numbers are all accurate. Um, but

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00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:30,320
my plan would be hopefully by I'm going
to be optimistic and say the August 3rd

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00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:34,159
meeting, I might be able to report that
out in my administrator's report.

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00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:38,639
» Thank you.
>> A slight addendum. Our our plan

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00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:42,480
currently is to commit August 3rd. Okay.
So, it might not be done in time for

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00:34:40,240 --> 00:34:48,359
that, but hopefully I'll do my best to
go fast.

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00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:48,359
» Thank you. Anyone else?

333
00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:54,040
» Okay, not seeing anyone. Thank you very
much.

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00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:07,800
Okay, next up we have Director Moore
with a workshop on the Smith Do Stockman

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00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:07,800
connector update.

336
00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:23,760
Good evening. So, I brought uh one of my
co-workers with me, uh Adam Bliss, the

337
00:35:21,839 --> 00:35:28,800
city engineer. So, he's going to get
into some of the technical aspects, but

338
00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:34,240
I'm just going to start off by giving an
update of where we're at uh to date.

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00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:40,000
So, kind of going to go through the
background, where where the project

340
00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:44,320
started, where we're at. Um we'll we'll
look at the design, uh talk about some

341
00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:49,680
options that we have, and then obviously
answer any questions that you you may

342
00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:54,240
have. So, first off, the background. So,
it's been a long-standing goal of the

343
00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:57,839
city to uh have a back connection to
those parcels on the east side of Route

344
00:35:55,920 --> 00:36:01,760
One, similar to what we have across the
street on the west side over by

345
00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:07,599
Hannerford and behind McDonald's and
down to Hutchkins. So, in 2021 when the

346
00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:12,400
redevelopment of the old Pizza Hut was
done in the Chipotle, Jersey Mike. So

347
00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:17,680
that's kind of where, you know, the city
got involved, the planning got involved,

348
00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:23,760
and we actually have title to a 50- foot
strip of land that is on the back side

349
00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:30,720
of that parcel. And then fast forward to
May of 22, council appropriated uh

350
00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:36,079
$75,000 for public works to begin survey
and design of what that connector road

351
00:36:32,720 --> 00:36:41,920
could look like. And then um we did
present this at the at the May 15, 2025

352
00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:48,240
uh traffic safety committee meeting. So
it has had some some public um outreach

353
00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:56,640
at this point.
So this is from the 2019 Route One

354
00:36:51,599 --> 00:37:01,119
corridor study. And this is where um
page like south is where like that

355
00:36:59,359 --> 00:37:05,520
connector road that we're going to be
talking about opposite you know page

356
00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:10,400
north that's over by the Hannerford
that's the back connection behind the uh

357
00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:13,400
McDonald's down to the Hutchinson
Street.

358
00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:23,040
So to date we have 90% uh plans. Those
plans will allow us to be able to go

359
00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:27,680
forward for for permitting if if
construction is uh pushed forward. And

360
00:37:25,599 --> 00:37:31,680
then once the permitting is done, we
would uh be able to update those

361
00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:36,079
drawings for final drawings that could
be released for construction.

362
00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:40,800
Some of the remaining items that we
have, as I said, permitting, uh

363
00:37:39,119 --> 00:37:45,119
easements, there's still a few uh
easements or land acquisitions that we'd

364
00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:48,920
be looking for. And then the uh the
obvious one is funding.

365
00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:56,320
So, we have three options and I'm going
to pass it off to uh to Adam to kind of

366
00:37:54,560 --> 00:38:00,960
talk about these. But the three options
that we have is a no build. You know,

367
00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:06,240
obviously there's zero dollars involved
in that. We could construct drainage

368
00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:11,040
only. That gives us an estimate of about
600,000. And then if we construct the

369
00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:17,040
entire roadway, which would be drainage,
and the uh the connector road, that'd be

370
00:38:13,599 --> 00:38:21,520
roughly $1.1 million. So, I'm going to
pass it off to Adam and he can kind of

371
00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:24,520
talk through some of the some of the
details.

372
00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:34,079
Good evening everybody. My name is Adam
Bliss. I happily serve as your city

373
00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:39,760
engineer. Um,
so the reason we're here tonight is to

374
00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:44,560
receive direction on this project. Um,
this project we believe was

375
00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:50,720
conceptualized back in 2004 in a main
street study and then in 2019 it was

376
00:38:47,599 --> 00:38:59,040
really studied as part of the route one
saco scarboro uh corridor

377
00:38:54,880 --> 00:39:06,320
and um one of the many concepts within
that plan was this Smith Stockman

378
00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:12,560
connector. So, for orientation, um we uh
Smith Lane fronts the Chipotle and

379
00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:16,400
Jersey Mike's uh restaurants.
Um on the other side, right side of the

380
00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:18,079
page is
>> Excuse me, Adam. I'm just going to make

381
00:39:17,359 --> 00:39:19,440
sure you speak right into the
microphone.

382
00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:20,880
» Apologize for that.
>> Thank you.

383
00:39:20,079 --> 00:39:23,760
» Is that better?
>> Yes.

384
00:39:21,839 --> 00:39:28,960
» For the recording aspects, too.
>> Thank you. Um, real quickly, Smith Lane

385
00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:34,000
abuts the
uh Chipotle Jersey Mike's restaurant and

386
00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:39,839
on the right side of the page is uh
Dairy Queen, which is Stockman. So, in

387
00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:45,520
between is this Smith Stockman Connector
Road. What I've done is taken um an

388
00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:50,960
aerial photo, I've overlaid the design
of the project and I've colored it to

389
00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:56,640
illustrate the components of the project
to grasp the scope of work. So this plan

390
00:39:53,760 --> 00:40:02,800
is a an illustrative form of the scope
of work. In purple is the connector

391
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:10,160
road. That is the primary reason we are
here. The other um component to it, a

392
00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:16,960
pretty significant factor is shaded in
blue are drainage opportunities. I'll

393
00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:22,640
say the larger blue uh shape is a storm
water pond and the smaller two are more

394
00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:28,000
ancillary storm water options. It's
basically taking overland drainage and

395
00:40:25,359 --> 00:40:34,720
putting it into subsurface drainage
pipe. The orange uh shape on the right

396
00:40:31,839 --> 00:40:43,680
side is a minor sidewalk extension going
down Smith uh Smith Lane.

397
00:40:38,720 --> 00:40:48,160
So again, um roadway, drainage,
sidewalks.

398
00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:52,560
Um Travis presented three options.
There's the no build, then there's the

399
00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:58,319
full build, which is all of those
components, and then in between is just

400
00:40:54,640 --> 00:41:01,599
the drainage part. Um,
both the drainage and the roadway have

401
00:40:59,839 --> 00:41:06,319
pros and cons to them, which should be
communicated. Um,

402
00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:12,400
there's the obvious traffic. That's the
reason this idea was conceptualized was

403
00:41:08,720 --> 00:41:18,960
for access management on Route One. And
making the intersections, the signalized

404
00:41:16,240 --> 00:41:25,040
intersections at Route One more
efficient has pros and cons because

405
00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:31,839
we're diverting traffic down potentially
private or uh more quieter roads,

406
00:41:28,319 --> 00:41:37,280
certainly quieter than than Route One.
And then um so that can be a pro and con

407
00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:42,240
depending on you know your how you how
you view it. And then the drainage

408
00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:46,720
component has a has a has a pro. It's an
opportunity to capture some drainage

409
00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:54,480
that comes from mostly private
properties a little bit from US Route 1.

410
00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:59,920
Um capture that treat it detain it and
then slowly release it. But with that

411
00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:06,640
with the construction of that pond, we
have to take trees out and that that

412
00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:14,880
could that would would mean um less
buffering, less separation for in terms

413
00:42:10,079 --> 00:42:21,119
of noise, light um and visual separation
from those businesses that front route

414
00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:26,720
one. So again, pros and cons to both of
those components. And I'll take a pause.

415
00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:30,880
I think I've, you know, pretty much
illustrated the scope of work. I can

416
00:42:29,359 --> 00:42:38,079
certainly go into detail, but I'll take
a pause and let um counselors or mayor

417
00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:41,520
ask any questions you may or may have.
>> Thank you. Any questions from

418
00:42:39,599 --> 00:42:43,839
counselors? Councelor Anin, then
councelor Hwitt.

419
00:42:42,319 --> 00:42:48,520
» Thank you, mayor. Uh, just for my
edification, where did this project come

420
00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:48,520
from?

421
00:42:49,920 --> 00:42:56,319
» You want to It was when I was on
council, but I'll let Travis [laughter]

422
00:42:54,240 --> 00:43:03,560
» Yeah. So, like Adam said, this was
studied in or this was recommended in

423
00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:03,560
previous studies. And then in 200

424
00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:13,280
um 2022 was when council appropriated
the money to begin the survey and the

425
00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:18,400
design of the roadway. So, it's been in
the works or recommended for for several

426
00:43:15,839 --> 00:43:23,200
years and then we had the funding to be
able to to move forward with the design.

427
00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:27,520
So it was cons council initiated
>> and if I remember correctly when

428
00:43:24,960 --> 00:43:31,839
bitterford saco dental was built it was
supposed to have been included at that

429
00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:35,520
time correct and it did not get
completed so it carried over.

430
00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:39,800
» Yep.
>> How much land has to be purchased?

431
00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:57,680
» It's not loading. Maybe um here we go.
Um less than an acre, maybe half an acre

432
00:43:56,560 --> 00:43:59,200
roughly.
>> So

433
00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:02,400
» a little bit more than half an acre.
>> Quarter of a million dollars.

434
00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:08,240
Half a million.
>> Well, I honestly um councelor on and I

435
00:44:04,960 --> 00:44:15,680
could not put a dollar value to it. Um I
I really couldn't.

436
00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:21,680
But um uh qualitatively I would say
there are there are three land owners,

437
00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:27,280
five easements. Three of them of those
easements belong to the ledges. Um

438
00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:31,760
that's the housing development. Um and
of the three we already have one of

439
00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:38,560
those easements. The other two easements
are from Starbucks, a very small sliver,

440
00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:44,400
and then um uh 3,300 square feet from
IHOP. So

441
00:44:42,079 --> 00:44:49,280
» just that um traffic safety did review
this in 2025. So that continued after

442
00:44:47,200 --> 00:44:55,119
that as well.
>> And just uh just a note that all but

443
00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:59,920
IHOP has been engaged in this process
and there's been positive communication

444
00:44:57,520 --> 00:45:03,920
with those related to the to the
easements needed.

445
00:45:01,359 --> 00:45:10,079
» So those have been done few years ago
now but the conversations have been had.

446
00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:16,440
Council Huitt, have the abuing land
holders, they've all been notified then

447
00:45:12,319 --> 00:45:16,440
from the conversation. Okay.

448
00:45:17,200 --> 00:45:23,760
Council Gail.
>> Uh could you remind me was there going

449
00:45:21,040 --> 00:45:32,680
to be sidewalks
included in the connector road or is it

450
00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:32,680
was it just curb and drainage?

451
00:45:35,680 --> 00:45:41,240
» One second, please.
>> Yeah. Little uh little latency here.

452
00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:50,480
» I believe there were sidewalks proposed.
>> Okay. And then um

453
00:45:48,240 --> 00:45:57,040
I guess with with this connector road
then it gives us the option for access

454
00:45:53,040 --> 00:46:01,520
management on the frontage on route one
too. Correct. if we were to to look at

455
00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:06,400
that in the future
um to make things safer at that

456
00:46:04,480 --> 00:46:09,839
intersection
on that road.

457
00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:15,720
» And yes, Councelor Gail, sidewalks were
included in the project.

458
00:46:12,720 --> 00:46:15,720
» Great.

459
00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:24,920
» Anyone else at this time?
>> All right, continue.

460
00:46:21,920 --> 00:46:24,920
Um

461
00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:37,839
so some some of the finer points of this
scope of work that I presented the again

462
00:46:35,520 --> 00:46:43,200
the primary component is this connector
road shaded in purple. Um great question

463
00:46:41,359 --> 00:46:48,480
on the sidewalks. Yes, it's an
opportunity there. Sidewalk

464
00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:53,839
connectivity, neighborhood connections.
um gets pedestrians off the road. Right?

465
00:46:51,680 --> 00:46:57,599
So, we're treating this as if it's a
more of a complete street rather than a

466
00:46:56,000 --> 00:47:04,240
thoroughfare.
Um in the blue, which I've mentioned

467
00:47:00,480 --> 00:47:11,119
already, the the primary the larger blue
shape, is a storm water pond. That's for

468
00:47:07,599 --> 00:47:18,240
quality and quantity. um capturing that
runoff before it gets to uh downstream

469
00:47:14,720 --> 00:47:24,079
receiving water bodies um and treating
it. The the other drainage components

470
00:47:21,920 --> 00:47:31,040
are relatively small. One is modifying
an existing storm water pond um that

471
00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:36,400
would be behind Starbucks. And then I
mentioned on Stockman

472
00:47:33,839 --> 00:47:40,960
um while we have the opportunity
converting some overland flow and

473
00:47:38,319 --> 00:47:45,359
putting it into underground piping which
is more efficient and um easier to

474
00:47:43,760 --> 00:47:49,839
maintain.
Um I did mention the purple section

475
00:47:47,680 --> 00:47:56,000
which is extending the sidewalk along
Smith Lane. that would connect what is

476
00:47:52,240 --> 00:48:02,880
on Smith Lane to this connector road and
further down to um Settler's Way which

477
00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:09,319
is just to the uh east of this connector
road and immediately abuing

478
00:48:06,319 --> 00:48:09,319
um

479
00:48:10,480 --> 00:48:17,520
and
I've mentioned it already buffering

480
00:48:14,160 --> 00:48:22,240
that's that's you know that's uh there
there will be a loss of trees and that

481
00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:27,599
should not be taken lightly. You take
trees down and then that enters in light

482
00:48:24,319 --> 00:48:33,520
and noise and visual. Um there will be a
buffer. We did plan for landscaping. We

483
00:48:30,400 --> 00:48:40,000
did um in the design we did land uh plan
for fenced screening but still you are

484
00:48:36,559 --> 00:48:44,480
taking down mature trees. So um and I
think lastly um Travis mentioned

485
00:48:43,119 --> 00:48:51,119
permitting. We would have to go through
the Army Corps of Engineers permitting

486
00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:56,160
and the D uh permitting. Um pretty
straightforward process. It takes time.

487
00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:59,920
Um there are new rules with certain
certainly with the Army Corps of

488
00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:04,720
Engineers. Um something that should be
known by the counselors is when we get a

489
00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:09,440
permit from the Army Army Corps of
Engineers, it's good for one year. The

490
00:49:06,720 --> 00:49:14,319
new rules say it's you have an you have
a year to complete that work and if it's

491
00:49:12,319 --> 00:49:20,480
not completed, then you either ask for
an extension or you um reapply later

492
00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:27,200
down the road. So that should factor in
to your thoughts and the direction you

493
00:49:23,119 --> 00:49:33,040
give to uh Travis and and myself tonight
or some other moment um at some other

494
00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:36,599
meeting if that's if that's how you want
to handle it too.

495
00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:41,559
» Thank you. Any final comments or
questions?

496
00:49:43,520 --> 00:49:51,119
I don't know what you're necessarily
looking for this evening, but um just

497
00:49:48,079 --> 00:49:57,920
for council, I'd say that I've advocated
for this project for at at least four

498
00:49:54,160 --> 00:50:04,319
years, more like seven. Um my initial
involvement with it was in 2017 when we

499
00:50:00,640 --> 00:50:09,200
did the update to the 2011 comp plan. Uh
Don Gerard, he's a former planning board

500
00:50:06,240 --> 00:50:14,000
member, uh was on that committee with me
and had brought up the 2025 plan. that

501
00:50:12,640 --> 00:50:19,520
point, you know, you had a plan that was
12 years old and it made logical sense

502
00:50:16,880 --> 00:50:26,640
that we had traffic issues and
pedestrian issues at at that time, you

503
00:50:22,319 --> 00:50:31,440
know, in 2005. So, you know, to me, I
understand there's some ramifications

504
00:50:28,240 --> 00:50:36,880
for the neighborhoods, but this is the
only real solution we have and it's only

505
00:50:34,000 --> 00:50:41,359
going to get worse. We've seen it from
traffic safety. I can tell you that we

506
00:50:38,720 --> 00:50:47,359
consistently have, you know, complaints,
but issues with speeding, pedestrian

507
00:50:44,079 --> 00:50:53,040
issues along uh the Route One corridor.
It's it's our most traveled corridor.

508
00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:58,400
It's only going to get more as we grow.
This seems to me like a reasonable

509
00:50:54,880 --> 00:51:01,920
solution. I I will add one U caveat here
though, and it did come up at the

510
00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:06,319
traffic safety meeting, which is, you
know, the surrounding neighborhood.

511
00:51:04,800 --> 00:51:11,040
I off the top of my head don't remember
all the street names, but to the right,

512
00:51:08,640 --> 00:51:16,400
you know, there are some concerns about
cut through traffic there. And I think

513
00:51:13,280 --> 00:51:21,920
all of those neighborhoods uh don't have
any sidewalks. So, I think that's

514
00:51:18,640 --> 00:51:26,480
something we should also consider as we
potentially move this forward. How do we

515
00:51:24,079 --> 00:51:30,720
address some of the issues that those
neighborhoods already have, but or

516
00:51:28,640 --> 00:51:38,119
equally have more problems as we re
reroute traffic? Um but otherwise I just

517
00:51:33,760 --> 00:51:38,119
say I think we should move this forward.

518
00:51:38,400 --> 00:51:42,720
» Council Arnon
>> again thank you mayor I weigh in and

519
00:51:41,040 --> 00:51:46,000
just agree with your comment. I think
one of the things we want to recognize

520
00:51:44,079 --> 00:51:50,640
is that recently we just did the calming
testing on route one for exactly that

521
00:51:48,559 --> 00:51:54,000
reason right we put in the speed bumps.
We put in the pylons to see what we

522
00:51:52,240 --> 00:51:58,000
could do to throttle traffic. So I think
this is a good project. I'm just since

523
00:51:55,599 --> 00:52:03,200
new to council wanted to make sure I was
understanding where $1.1 million was

524
00:52:00,160 --> 00:52:03,200
going to go.

525
00:52:03,839 --> 00:52:10,960
Gil
>> and just one other quick question. So

526
00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:17,839
the the IHOP is that
uh are they unresponsive or are they um

527
00:52:14,160 --> 00:52:21,200
not in favor or causing issues with the
easement

528
00:52:19,599 --> 00:52:27,200
because I think we I thought I heard
that we were basically everybody was all

529
00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:30,400
the businesses were okay except for
IHOP.

530
00:52:28,880 --> 00:52:33,760
» Maybe I misinterpreted that. I believe
it was we just hadn't heard anything

531
00:52:32,400 --> 00:52:37,359
from Starbucks.
>> Oh, from Starbucks.

532
00:52:34,720 --> 00:52:40,880
» But we had heard had some positive uh
reception from uh

533
00:52:39,119 --> 00:52:45,599
» from everyone else, but it was just it's
it's from a lack of

534
00:52:43,440 --> 00:52:49,040
communication back, not necessarily that
they are going to cause an issue with

535
00:52:47,520 --> 00:52:52,160
with granting the easement.
>> Yeah. Starbucks, we're just having

536
00:52:50,480 --> 00:52:55,280
trouble getting to the right person.
>> Sure. Yeah.

537
00:52:52,880 --> 00:52:57,359
» But there's been no negative response
from them. We just haven't got a

538
00:52:56,960 --> 00:53:02,960
response.
>> Gotcha. Yeah. Yeah. I would just I would

539
00:52:59,920 --> 00:53:07,359
just add that I think um the vast
majority of these commercial properties

540
00:53:04,880 --> 00:53:11,520
will be benefiting from having this back
access. I mean you look at say Dunkin

541
00:53:09,599 --> 00:53:15,280
Donuts on any given morning and the
lines out into Main Street, this would

542
00:53:13,760 --> 00:53:21,400
give you know an alternative way to
access uh which I think would benefit

543
00:53:18,079 --> 00:53:21,400
their business.

544
00:53:21,760 --> 00:53:25,240
» Anyone else?

545
00:53:26,000 --> 00:53:32,400
» Okay. Uh, city administrator Pilot, this
will come back to council as a new

546
00:53:30,880 --> 00:53:34,400
business item or will we just bring it
back?

547
00:53:32,800 --> 00:53:37,839
» That's correct. We're gonna I mean, we
the purpose tonight was to workshop

548
00:53:35,839 --> 00:53:41,280
this. I think we may have some folks
here tonight that'll speak under public

549
00:53:39,440 --> 00:53:45,280
comment uh just so you can hear more
feedback, but this just gives staff the

550
00:53:43,200 --> 00:53:49,839
opportunity to answer any questions this
evening and we will come back.

551
00:53:47,520 --> 00:53:53,000
» Thank you. All right. Thank you both.
>> Thank you.

552
00:53:58,960 --> 00:54:05,040
Okay, that completes the workshop items
and I would like to call the official

553
00:54:02,079 --> 00:54:08,400
meeting to order at 7:15. Would like to
make note of all members present this

554
00:54:06,880 --> 00:54:12,079
evening with the exception of councelor
Doyle. And with us tonight we do have

555
00:54:10,079 --> 00:54:16,119
city administrator Pelleteer. Would you
please join me for the pledge of

556
00:54:13,119 --> 00:54:16,119
» allegiance

557
00:54:17,200 --> 00:54:20,599
to the flags

558
00:54:23,359 --> 00:54:26,359
nationisible?

559
00:54:29,760 --> 00:54:36,000
» Thank you everyone. Okay, moving on to
item number four. There is nothing under

560
00:54:33,599 --> 00:54:39,599
general this evening. Item five is
committee correspondence to council. Are

561
00:54:38,160 --> 00:54:44,280
there any committee members wishing to
share? Councelor Edwards.

562
00:54:45,119 --> 00:54:52,079
» Thank you, Mayor.
As we are in summer, many people are in

563
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:58,559
and out on vacations, but I wanted to
remind you of the events coming up that

564
00:54:55,200 --> 00:55:06,319
are sponsored in part by SACO Main
Street. Um, so, uh, this Saturday, Music

565
00:55:03,599 --> 00:55:14,640
on Maine, July 25th. This one is
supposed to be uh team focused, but

566
00:55:10,160 --> 00:55:22,559
certainly a great time for a free event
next to the old Vic and Wits. Um and uh

567
00:55:19,520 --> 00:55:26,880
you'll have fun. Also, August 1st coming
up, there's Pride in the Park. It's a

568
00:55:24,400 --> 00:55:31,839
totally free event. You can go to the
sakomainstre.org or

569
00:55:29,680 --> 00:55:38,480
uh to register if you want to be in the
color run or if you want to volunteer.

570
00:55:36,000 --> 00:55:45,119
And speaking about volunteers, they're
always looking for volunteers. And I

571
00:55:40,480 --> 00:55:50,720
understand you may not be available this
summer, but when it's time to go back to

572
00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:57,040
school and you may find yourself with
some time, feel free to peruse the

573
00:55:53,520 --> 00:56:00,640
sakcomainstre.org or web page to take a
look at volunteer opportunities. Thank

574
00:55:59,520 --> 00:56:06,960
you.
>> Great. Thank you very much. Anyone else?

575
00:56:04,799 --> 00:56:11,839
» Okay, moving on to item number six, that
is public comment this evening and I

576
00:56:09,200 --> 00:56:15,119
will start with the signup sheet. As I
call your name, please step forward to

577
00:56:13,440 --> 00:56:19,040
the podium. You will have three minutes
to address the council and we ask that

578
00:56:17,119 --> 00:56:24,760
you state your name, address for the
record. All righty. First up, we have

579
00:56:21,040 --> 00:56:24,760
Sarah Guiles Gardner.

580
00:56:33,760 --> 00:56:36,760
Okay.

581
00:56:37,920 --> 00:56:43,680
» Good evening.
>> Evening.

582
00:56:40,160 --> 00:56:47,280
» I might be falling apart, but I'm here.
Um,

583
00:56:45,200 --> 00:56:52,400
my name, Madame May, Good evening,
Madame Mayor and City Council. My name

584
00:56:49,359 --> 00:56:57,200
is Sarah Jos Gardner and I live at 17
Pinehaven Street.

585
00:56:54,720 --> 00:57:04,400
Got that out of the way. I'm speaking
tonight on behalf of the Blue Haven

586
00:57:00,160 --> 00:57:08,559
resident uh committee and many Sco
families who own their homes but not the

587
00:57:06,079 --> 00:57:14,079
land beneath them. I want to begin by
thanking Councelor Bill Doyle. He showed

588
00:57:11,839 --> 00:57:19,119
up for our community long before he was
elected. He read every email, answered

589
00:57:17,200 --> 00:57:25,599
every question, and made sure our
concerns were heard. Um,

590
00:57:22,720 --> 00:57:30,160
his dedication meant a great deal to us,
and we wish him the very best in his new

591
00:57:27,920 --> 00:57:37,760
role as town manager new roster. We
misses present on this council. Um,

592
00:57:33,520 --> 00:57:43,200
councilors, thank you also for your
work on the rent stabilization

593
00:57:39,440 --> 00:57:47,200
ordinance. So far, article one uh says
its purpose is to protect vulnerable

594
00:57:44,960 --> 00:57:51,680
residents from housing insecurity, and
we appreciate that. We are here because

595
00:57:49,839 --> 00:57:57,599
we want to continue working with you to
make sure that the final ordinance truly

596
00:57:54,880 --> 00:58:01,280
reflects this goal. Our residents have
participated in every step of the

597
00:57:59,680 --> 00:58:06,079
process
because these decisions directly affect

598
00:58:03,359 --> 00:58:12,559
our homes and our stability here in
SACO. We are not here to criticize. We

599
00:58:09,839 --> 00:58:17,839
are here to collaborate. And uh we
believe a few key changes will make this

600
00:58:14,799 --> 00:58:24,240
ordinance strong and fair. Uh we
respectfully ask that you consider um I

601
00:58:21,760 --> 00:58:30,559
will list some five things to go over.
The first one uh reduce the 15% vacancy

602
00:58:28,319 --> 00:58:36,319
increase and clearly defined lawful
vacancy. High vacancy increases lower

603
00:58:33,680 --> 00:58:41,440
resident equity and harm affordability.
affordable housing. Number two, remove

604
00:58:39,280 --> 00:58:46,720
debt service and acquisition interest so
residents are not paying the park

605
00:58:43,440 --> 00:58:52,160
owner's mortgage. Number three, extend
the rent increase hearing notices from

606
00:58:48,799 --> 00:58:58,640
14 days to 45 with certified mail.
Number four, reserve the right oh,

607
00:58:55,280 --> 00:59:04,319
excuse me, reserve at least two rent
stabilization board seats for mobile

608
00:59:00,960 --> 00:59:09,599
home park residents. And number five,
cap the rent increases at CPI or 5%

609
00:59:07,119 --> 00:59:15,520
whichever is lower and remove the plus
1% language. Councilors, we are asking

610
00:59:12,400 --> 00:59:20,160
for stability, transparency, and a fair
process. We want an ordinance that

611
00:59:18,319 --> 00:59:25,359
protects both residents and the business
side, one that prevents future crisises

612
00:59:22,880 --> 00:59:29,359
and strengthens for years to come. Thank
you for your time and your dedication,

613
00:59:27,200 --> 00:59:33,400
your willingness to work with us. Thank
you.

614
00:59:30,079 --> 00:59:33,400
» Thank you, Sarah.

615
00:59:36,160 --> 00:59:40,760
Okay, next on the list we have Barb
Thomas.

616
00:59:44,960 --> 00:59:52,640
Good evening counselors and mayor. I'm
Barb Thomas. I live at Missouri Circle

617
00:59:50,079 --> 00:59:57,119
in Taco.
I started this co-op, the Blue Haven

618
00:59:55,040 --> 01:00:01,520
Resident Cooperative, with one purpose
in mind, to protect our community, keep

619
00:59:59,359 --> 01:00:06,160
it habitable, and ensure that residents
are not pushed out of their homes by

620
01:00:03,040 --> 01:00:10,880
rental increases. Over the past 9 to 10
months, we have gone through mediation,

621
01:00:08,000 --> 01:00:15,119
face the possibility of a sale, built a
cooperative, and found ourselves working

622
01:00:12,880 --> 01:00:20,319
toward an ordinance that can f finally
provide stability. This process has

623
01:00:17,839 --> 01:00:25,440
taught us that communities need backup
plans and sometimes backup plans for the

624
01:00:22,799 --> 01:00:30,559
backup plans. Yesterday, with the help
of CDI and their team, we were able to

625
01:00:28,400 --> 01:00:35,040
bring residents together and share clear
information about what has happened and

626
01:00:32,880 --> 01:00:39,040
what comes next with our cooperative and
our community. That conversation helped

627
01:00:37,359 --> 01:00:44,640
the community begin to process
everything we've been through and remind

628
01:00:41,040 --> 01:00:49,520
us this work matters. Building a strong,
informed, connected community is not

629
01:00:46,640 --> 01:00:53,760
optional. It's essential.
We also need you as a city council to

630
01:00:51,920 --> 01:00:58,640
listen to and read the information
residents are sharing with you. What we

631
01:00:56,240 --> 01:01:04,640
provide is not noise. It is critical
data that directly shapes the next in

632
01:01:01,520 --> 01:01:09,040
this process. Whether pro cooperative
ultimately purchase the park or the

633
01:01:06,559 --> 01:01:14,480
ordinance becomes the protections that
residents need. Residents input must be

634
01:01:12,240 --> 01:01:19,119
a part of your decision-making and not
an afterthought. We do not want to lose

635
01:01:17,119 --> 01:01:22,720
any more members of our community. We
have already lost one member of our

636
01:01:20,640 --> 01:01:27,200
committee during this process and we
cannot afford to see that continue. The

637
01:01:25,200 --> 01:01:33,520
stress, uncertainty, and instability
have real consequences for real people.

638
01:01:31,760 --> 01:01:38,160
Without your support and without rent
stabilization ordinance, this is not

639
01:01:35,359 --> 01:01:42,480
one-sided. We risk that is not
one-sided. we risk further harm to the

640
01:01:40,480 --> 01:01:46,480
very residents this policy is meant to
protect. We need to make sure this

641
01:01:44,720 --> 01:01:50,720
ordinance moves forward sooner than
rather than later. I also want to

642
01:01:48,880 --> 01:01:55,119
personally thank Joe Gunn and councelor
Bill Doyle for listening to residents

643
01:01:52,559 --> 01:01:59,040
and helping them navigate this process.
Their willingness to hear residents

644
01:01:56,799 --> 01:02:03,680
concerns and engage directly has made a
meaningful difference and we appreciate

645
01:02:00,880 --> 01:02:07,520
their continued support. And now it is
time for the rest of the city cel

646
01:02:05,599 --> 01:02:12,559
council to step forward to listen to
residents to meet with this community

647
01:02:10,240 --> 01:02:17,200
and to understand firsthand why this
ordinance is so very important. You

648
01:02:15,040 --> 01:02:21,920
cannot fully grasp the urgency of this
situation without hearing directly from

649
01:02:19,599 --> 01:02:27,119
the people living through it. We are
asking you to show up to engage and to

650
01:02:24,400 --> 01:02:31,359
take this next step with us.
We have done everything we can to

651
01:02:28,720 --> 01:02:35,440
organize, educate and prepare. Now, we
need your partnership, your attention,

652
01:02:33,119 --> 01:02:39,119
and your action. The ordinance is a
crucial step in protecting residents and

653
01:02:37,440 --> 01:02:46,920
ensuring that this neighborhood remains
stable and rooted in the people who call

654
01:02:41,119 --> 01:02:46,920
it home. Thank you. Thank you.

655
01:02:47,599 --> 01:02:51,720
Okay, next up is Kathy Dobbins.

656
01:02:53,040 --> 01:02:58,720
Thank you, Mayor. Uh Kathy Dobbins, 28
Miss Circle. I'm actually running on

657
01:02:57,359 --> 01:03:02,880
three hours of sleep. I just got back at
3:00 from camping, so bear with me. Um,

658
01:03:01,280 --> 01:03:06,960
we've been here, our community has been
consistently asking for one essential

659
01:03:05,040 --> 01:03:10,880
safeguard, a rent stabilization
ordinance that proves strong,

660
01:03:08,400 --> 01:03:14,960
enforcable, and future pro protections
for residents. As the Blue Haven

661
01:03:13,520 --> 01:03:18,799
Cooperative moves forward, we are
looking for backup plan after backup

662
01:03:16,559 --> 01:03:23,359
plan so that we can protect all
residents. While we recognize the work

663
01:03:21,280 --> 01:03:28,079
has gone into the current draft, the
carveouts remain unbalanced and leave

664
01:03:25,680 --> 01:03:32,160
the residents vulnerable to ownership
and park changes. Again, I sent you an

665
01:03:30,400 --> 01:03:36,160
email with all of our changes and
highlighted exactly what we would like

666
01:03:33,920 --> 01:03:39,520
to see in there. Um, across Maine,
mobile home parks are being purchased by

667
01:03:37,760 --> 01:03:43,440
out ofstate corporations that are out of
touch with Maine values. These

668
01:03:41,680 --> 01:03:48,319
communities strictly are investment
assets to those owners. When these comm

669
01:03:46,400 --> 01:03:54,319
companies take over, rent increase
sharply. um negligent property

670
01:03:51,839 --> 01:04:00,640
maintenance is not being done and
residents bear the burden. Communities

671
01:03:57,520 --> 01:04:05,760
and residents have have a voice in this
process. Uh we know exactly what happens

672
01:04:03,440 --> 01:04:09,359
when distant ownerships replace local
accountability over the nine 10 months

673
01:04:07,440 --> 01:04:14,240
that we've been dealing with this. That
is why the carveout matters. Language

674
01:04:11,359 --> 01:04:18,400
matters. Words matter. As written, they
do not guarantee stability if the park

675
01:04:16,319 --> 01:04:22,640
is sold to another out ofstate buyer.
They do not ensure protections carried

676
01:04:20,480 --> 01:04:26,400
forward. They do not protect future
owners from imposing aggressive rent

677
01:04:24,559 --> 01:04:31,039
increases and undermining the intent of
this ordinance. This is not balance

678
01:04:28,720 --> 01:04:34,880
policy. This is is is a resident
protection option. And it's not

679
01:04:33,119 --> 01:04:39,280
acceptable for the community that has
already endured instability over these

680
01:04:36,960 --> 01:04:44,160
10 months. We need an ordinance that
protects all residents and all

681
01:04:41,520 --> 01:04:49,440
populations and demographics.
Regardless who owns the park, whether we

682
01:04:46,319 --> 01:04:53,280
buy it, another buyer comes in, we need
protection.

683
01:04:50,960 --> 01:04:58,079
Today, next year, a decade from now, we
don't want to be continually here asking

684
01:04:55,039 --> 01:05:04,960
for your help. Granted, we like you all,
but I'm tired. I'm exhausted. We have

685
01:05:00,799 --> 01:05:08,000
put in the miles over the last year with
these corrections. We'll be right back

686
01:05:06,480 --> 01:05:11,520
here, like I said, fighting these same
battles. Residents are not asking for

687
01:05:10,079 --> 01:05:16,400
special treatment. We're basically
asking for security and the ability to

688
01:05:13,839 --> 01:05:22,640
remain in our homes without fear of out
of state investment companies coming in

689
01:05:18,720 --> 01:05:26,319
to destabilize our over lives overnight.
Your authority and the responsibility to

690
01:05:24,720 --> 01:05:30,400
correct the ordinance. We're asking to
you to strengthen the language and

691
01:05:28,160 --> 01:05:35,160
letting us have a voice in that process.
Thank you.

692
01:05:31,920 --> 01:05:35,160
» Thank you.

693
01:05:36,400 --> 01:05:40,839
Okay. Next up is Brian Lar Roach.

694
01:05:43,599 --> 01:05:49,359
Good evening, Madame Mayor, council
members. My name is Brian Larash. I live

695
01:05:47,039 --> 01:05:53,200
at 19 Reserve Circle over in sunny,
beautiful Blue Haven.

696
01:05:51,599 --> 01:05:55,839
Uh, before I get into this, I we
actually have a letter that we're going

697
01:05:54,240 --> 01:05:59,440
to read to Council Doyle. So, it's a
personal letter. Um, so I'm going to

698
01:05:58,000 --> 01:06:03,599
read through it and make the changes on
the fly. So, if it gets a little hooky,

699
01:06:01,200 --> 01:06:08,640
I apologize. So, let's give it a shot.
We just want this noted on behalf for

700
01:06:05,839 --> 01:06:12,079
his record. Uh, dear councelor Doyle, it
is with great sadness and tremendous

701
01:06:10,240 --> 01:06:16,720
honor that I am here tonight to speak on
behalf of the residents of Blue Haven

702
01:06:13,680 --> 01:06:20,160
Mobile Home Park to express our deepest
and most sincere gratitude for

703
01:06:18,240 --> 01:06:23,760
everything that council Doyle has done
for us and our community. When our

704
01:06:22,480 --> 01:06:28,480
neighbor faced the devastating
resignation of our dear friend,

705
01:06:25,599 --> 01:06:33,119
councelor Joe Gun, a heavy wave of
uncertainty hit our park. Joe had a

706
01:06:31,119 --> 01:06:37,359
fierce was a fierce ally and his sudden
departure left many of us completely

707
01:06:35,039 --> 01:06:41,839
stranded. and if we had entirely lost
our voice on the city council. It was a

708
01:06:39,680 --> 01:06:45,680
frightening time for our community and
the fear of being forgotten or left

709
01:06:43,280 --> 01:06:50,160
without presentation was a very very
serious reality. Yet in that exact

710
01:06:48,319 --> 01:06:54,480
moment of vulnerability, Council Doyle
stepped in to give us a hand. Through

711
01:06:52,559 --> 01:06:58,640
his time serving our city, he
consistently demonstrated an unwavering

712
01:06:56,400 --> 01:07:03,039
support for Blue Haven. When we felt
most silenced, he did not simply watch

713
01:07:00,799 --> 01:07:06,960
from the sidelines. He stepped up. He
listened to our concerns and he

714
01:07:04,880 --> 01:07:12,559
advocated fiercely for our community,
our well-being, and our security.

715
01:07:09,920 --> 01:07:16,799
His dedication gave us our voice back
when we needed it most. And we are

716
01:07:14,559 --> 01:07:20,799
profoundly grateful for the stability
and the peace of mind his efforts have

717
01:07:18,480 --> 01:07:25,039
helped us secure for our families. And
we know that he will always be there

718
01:07:22,319 --> 01:07:29,119
anytime we need him in the future. What
sets his service apart is his immense

719
01:07:26,960 --> 01:07:33,200
professionalism. He brought that into
every interaction.

720
01:07:31,680 --> 01:07:37,520
He has always approached our community
with respect, transparency, and a

721
01:07:35,440 --> 01:07:41,520
relentless work ethic. No matter how
complex the issue, Council Doyle

722
01:07:39,359 --> 01:07:45,920
navigated them with integrity and
competence that earned the deepest

723
01:07:42,960 --> 01:07:50,960
respect from everyone in our community.
He proved to us that true leadership is

724
01:07:47,760 --> 01:07:54,400
defined by accountability and action.
Beyond his official duties, we also want

725
01:07:52,799 --> 01:07:58,400
to acknowledge a genuine friendship that
he extended to us.

726
01:07:56,720 --> 01:08:02,960
He never treated Blue Haven as a line
item on a council agenda or just a block

727
01:08:00,559 --> 01:08:07,280
of votes. Instead, he took the time to
know us as people, neighbors, and

728
01:08:04,799 --> 01:08:11,760
friends. His warmth and his
approachability, his nature, and his

729
01:08:09,760 --> 01:08:15,039
empathy left a lasting impression in our
hearts.

730
01:08:13,359 --> 01:08:20,319
We thank you, Councelor Doyle, for your
exceptional service, your steadfast

731
01:08:17,839 --> 01:08:23,920
defense of our park, and your enduring
friendship. He is a true champion for

732
01:08:22,400 --> 01:08:28,719
the residents of Blue Haven and we are
incredibly proud proud to have him in

733
01:08:26,640 --> 01:08:32,719
our corner. We wish him the very best in
his future endeavors. With warmest

734
01:08:31,040 --> 01:08:36,799
regards the residents of Blue Haven
mobile home park. Uh thank you. I

735
01:08:35,279 --> 01:08:41,520
appreciate this opportunity to speak
before you. And if I can use these last

736
01:08:38,960 --> 01:08:46,159
few seconds as our uh our colleagues
have have uh noted that we would love a

737
01:08:43,839 --> 01:08:51,359
seat at the table during these ordinance
stabilization meetings. Uh if possible,

738
01:08:49,199 --> 01:08:56,239
we can talk somebody into being on that
committee and I would nominate myself to

739
01:08:53,440 --> 01:09:00,080
volunteer my services and my time for as
long as it takes to get this thing

740
01:08:57,600 --> 01:09:04,679
realized and and approved. Thank you so
much for your time. Good night.

741
01:09:01,440 --> 01:09:04,679
» Thank you.

742
01:09:05,440 --> 01:09:09,880
» Okay, next up we have Lisa D. Roer.

743
01:09:13,040 --> 01:09:21,759
Lisa D. Roa, 18 Pine Haven.
I'm here to advocate

744
01:09:19,359 --> 01:09:24,759
for the importance of this rent
increase.

745
01:09:24,880 --> 01:09:33,759
The ordinance will provide stabilization
for our community and it will also

746
01:09:30,400 --> 01:09:39,279
prevent trauma from unjustified rent
increases.

747
01:09:35,920 --> 01:09:43,839
I feel it is the responsibility of our
town councils to provide this protection

748
01:09:41,679 --> 01:09:48,960
for our rights.
We have been asking for this to take

749
01:09:46,000 --> 01:09:56,320
place for some time now.
This will not go away or get better.

750
01:09:53,359 --> 01:10:05,159
It's only going to get worse.
And our lot rent has doubled since.

751
01:10:00,239 --> 01:10:05,159
Thank you. Thank you.

752
01:10:07,040 --> 01:10:11,800
Okay. Next up, we have Zack Ashley.

753
01:10:14,400 --> 01:10:19,840
Uh, good evening. Um, today I'm just
standing sorry name and address for the

754
01:10:19,600 --> 01:10:22,960
record.
>> Okay. Uh, Zachary Ashley. Um, 24th

755
01:10:22,080 --> 01:10:24,800
Theion Avenue.
>> Thank you.

756
01:10:23,360 --> 01:10:30,480
» And I just want to thank you for being
responsive to our emails concerning the

757
01:10:27,199 --> 01:10:36,159
valuations. Um, we've been I've been
communication with my neighbors and all

758
01:10:33,199 --> 01:10:42,320
of us are with the new valuation hikes.
If there's not a change in mill rate, um

759
01:10:39,920 --> 01:10:46,880
all of us on our street, Theion Avenue,
are expecting a thousand dollar tax

760
01:10:45,280 --> 01:10:50,880
increase.
Um

761
01:10:48,560 --> 01:10:55,760
for many of us, we can weather it, but
for many of my neighbors, this is going

762
01:10:52,880 --> 01:11:01,840
to push them over the edge financially.
Um and we're a workingass street. I

763
01:11:00,159 --> 01:11:08,320
don't know if you've ever traveled down
Theion Avenue. Um,

764
01:11:05,360 --> 01:11:12,880
it's improving, but it's not it's
definitely not Beach A or the

765
01:11:11,040 --> 01:11:18,320
neighborhoods heading down towards Camp
Dallas. It's very much a working-class

766
01:11:15,280 --> 01:11:25,120
neighborhood. We and it's a tight
community, but

767
01:11:21,360 --> 01:11:29,520
um throughout this evaluation process,
we did receive each of my neighbors and

768
01:11:27,600 --> 01:11:35,920
I did receive letters from the
assessor's office, but we did not

769
01:11:31,760 --> 01:11:40,480
receive a personal walkthrough
and I was not reached out in regards to

770
01:11:38,960 --> 01:11:43,480
one.
So,

771
01:11:44,400 --> 01:11:54,000
I would
like the console just to consider that

772
01:11:49,760 --> 01:12:00,239
um in regards to this whole process um
because I've done some work in my house,

773
01:11:56,320 --> 01:12:07,120
but I'm not sure if I've done $93,000
worth of work. So,

774
01:12:03,920 --> 01:12:12,640
that's all I have.
>> Thank you.

775
01:12:10,159 --> 01:12:15,840
Okay, that completes the signup list. If
there are any other members of the

776
01:12:14,000 --> 01:12:18,800
public wishing to speak, please step
forward, state your name and address for

777
01:12:17,360 --> 01:12:22,679
the record, and you will have three
minutes to address the council.

778
01:12:24,000 --> 01:12:30,640
» Good evening. Uh Sandra G 52 Camil. Um
this won't take three minutes. I'm just

779
01:12:29,280 --> 01:12:34,640
I wasn't really planning on speaking
tonight, but I just did want to briefly

780
01:12:32,480 --> 01:12:38,960
talk about the connector road Smith and
Stockton. Um, I was on the planning

781
01:12:36,400 --> 01:12:43,360
board in 2004 when this first came up.
Um, I was on the planning board in 2011

782
01:12:41,440 --> 01:12:49,120
and on the comp plan committee at the
time when it came up again. It's come up

783
01:12:45,679 --> 01:12:53,679
consistently, I think in 2015. It's been
discussed um for a long time. I believe

784
01:12:51,440 --> 01:12:59,199
that the Kentucky Fried Chicken, which
was improved probably around 2005, 2006

785
01:12:56,560 --> 01:13:04,080
or something, was required to provide an
easement, I believe, behind there for

786
01:13:01,199 --> 01:13:08,560
that connector road. Um, it was a great
idea then. It's a great idea. Now, I

787
01:13:06,159 --> 01:13:12,960
hope the council moves forward with it.
And I just want to say um there are no

788
01:13:11,360 --> 01:13:17,280
sidewalks on Stockman where it's going
to connect into. However, there's so

789
01:13:15,120 --> 01:13:21,600
many cars right now that turn right at
uh the Dairy Queen and then cut off in

790
01:13:20,080 --> 01:13:25,520
one of those roads to the left in order
to cut out the lights when they're going

791
01:13:23,520 --> 01:13:29,360
heading down toward the beach. Um so
that's already sort of an issue. I walk

792
01:13:27,360 --> 01:13:32,880
up that way and bike up that way a lot
and there's already quite a bit of

793
01:13:30,719 --> 01:13:38,159
traffic there. This will probably add
some to it, but it's already an issue.

794
01:13:35,760 --> 01:13:41,400
That's all I have to say. Thank you.
>> Thank you.

795
01:13:44,960 --> 01:13:52,560
» Good evening, Madame Mayor, members of
the council, my former colleagues, and

796
01:13:49,920 --> 01:13:57,960
my friends. I am Joe Gun, currently at
22 Boonbrook Road, W 2.

797
01:13:58,159 --> 01:14:06,960
Uh 10 months ago, uh faced with the
unfortunate circumstances that led to my

798
01:14:03,920 --> 01:14:12,880
uh resignation from the council,
um I called up uh former mayor Bill

799
01:14:09,920 --> 01:14:16,400
Doyle after I saw the other two uh
candidates, well intentions as they

800
01:14:14,640 --> 01:14:20,640
were, who offered themselves in the
special election. and other

801
01:14:18,480 --> 01:14:25,840
circumstances with the issues facing the
citywide. Not to mention in my former

802
01:14:23,199 --> 01:14:30,640
ward with these wonderful people behind
me at Blue Haven who taught themselves

803
01:14:28,400 --> 01:14:36,960
the art of politics, persuasion, and
public advocacy in a matter of 10 months

804
01:14:34,400 --> 01:14:43,199
and doing the hard work that comes with
that. I said to Bill, I said, I know

805
01:14:41,040 --> 01:14:48,560
that you are getting ready for your next
uh professional chapter trying to be a

806
01:14:46,080 --> 01:14:52,719
town or city manager somewhere and the
responsibilities and the time that will

807
01:14:49,920 --> 01:14:56,640
come with that. But your ward uh needs
you right now. And I asked him in

808
01:14:55,199 --> 01:15:00,000
December when there was no other
candidates willing to poke their heads

809
01:14:58,320 --> 01:15:05,199
up, please come out of political
retirement and uh do the hard work for

810
01:15:03,280 --> 01:15:09,760
as long as you can take. And after some
persuasion, he agreed to stand for

811
01:15:06,800 --> 01:15:16,640
election and the people of my w former
ward returned him to office. And I am

812
01:15:13,040 --> 01:15:20,080
extremely thankful for his brief return.
And I certainly hope that uh the

813
01:15:18,719 --> 01:15:24,320
counselors who did not have the
privilege of serving with him during his

814
01:15:22,480 --> 01:15:28,640
previous stance as mayor as counselor
were able to glean from him uh the

815
01:15:26,560 --> 01:15:35,040
knowledge and experience that he brought
to the table during his tenure um in

816
01:15:32,400 --> 01:15:40,560
previous office. and are especially on
the issues of affordability and housing

817
01:15:37,600 --> 01:15:45,520
that he uh improved the debate and
improved your perspectives that you all

818
01:15:42,960 --> 01:15:51,360
had to deal with not only with the folks
in my former ward though but citywide as

819
01:15:48,239 --> 01:15:57,440
this becomes a statewide issue.
And I certainly want to also pay tribute

820
01:15:53,600 --> 01:16:02,480
to um the recent dedication of the uh of
the of the jetty expansion down in Camp

821
01:16:00,400 --> 01:16:07,920
Ellis. And they say victory has a
thousand mothers and fathers. And many

822
01:16:05,040 --> 01:16:16,000
years ago, it was Mayor Doyle who was
pivotal in marshalling the votes

823
01:16:11,520 --> 01:16:19,600
that got us that that um that jetty. So
while there are many mothers and fathers

824
01:16:17,679 --> 01:16:24,239
of that, he definitely deserves to be at
the front of that list as finally

825
01:16:20,960 --> 01:16:30,159
getting that long odyssey done. And I
simply want to simp uh thank him for his

826
01:16:26,960 --> 01:16:34,800
years of service. And while he is the
Sako's loss, it is New Gloucester's

827
01:16:32,080 --> 01:16:40,320
gain. He is helping that select board
help a thriving and growing city uh grow

828
01:16:38,320 --> 01:16:45,360
by leaps and bounds. And I know he's
having the time of his life up there. So

829
01:16:42,800 --> 01:16:51,199
I wish him all the best as my friend for
over three decades. And I simply want to

830
01:16:48,400 --> 01:16:57,760
encourage any and everyone behind me in
Ward 3 uh to step up as I did as a

831
01:16:54,880 --> 01:17:02,400
regular citizen. The city needs you. The
city needs your input and hopefully we

832
01:17:00,480 --> 01:17:08,159
can have a new qualified member of the
council very soon. And I also look

833
01:17:05,040 --> 01:17:13,120
forward to your debate on charter
amendments because I think any of them

834
01:17:09,840 --> 01:17:17,760
will be fruitful and necessary um as it
relates to future uh vacancies on the

835
01:17:16,000 --> 01:17:20,560
council. Thank you for your time, madame
mayor, members of the council, city

836
01:17:19,440 --> 01:17:23,719
administrator.
>> Thank you.

837
01:17:24,239 --> 01:17:33,280
Anyone else wishing to speak?
Yep.

838
01:17:29,760 --> 01:17:38,239
You can choose who comes up first.
>> I've been up here. Oops. Excuse me. I've

839
01:17:35,120 --> 01:17:45,040
been up here on this uh what I need to
say. Richard Goslin, Southern Missouri

840
01:17:41,360 --> 01:17:51,280
Circle at Blue [clears throat] Raven Mo
Home Park.

841
01:17:47,600 --> 01:17:59,280
I want council to know they would really
appreciate the more returns we've had.

842
01:17:55,360 --> 01:18:07,440
That help to some extent. But come
December 31st, 2027,

843
01:18:04,159 --> 01:18:12,239
our rent's going to be $660 a month
versus my 515

844
01:18:09,920 --> 01:18:19,679
that it had been.
So with that said, the majority of the

845
01:18:15,520 --> 01:18:23,840
residents in the park are on limited
social security

846
01:18:21,679 --> 01:18:30,320
and a lot of them I I don't know what
they're going to do. It's tough and

847
01:18:27,520 --> 01:18:36,719
don't believe that there's any financial
help that the city or organization would

848
01:18:33,760 --> 01:18:40,560
pay for half their taxes.
So, with that said, and I've said this

849
01:18:38,880 --> 01:18:48,560
before,
we've got midterm elections coming up

850
01:18:45,360 --> 01:18:52,800
and [clears throat] there are some
communities,

851
01:18:50,080 --> 01:19:01,920
but our next door neighbors will larger
beach

852
01:18:54,480 --> 01:19:07,520
voted in a 5% maximum raise per month
or per year, I'm sorry, at the mobile

853
01:19:04,640 --> 01:19:12,880
home park. and one of them is steel
loan.

854
01:19:09,360 --> 01:19:19,199
So hopefully the council does have the
power to put that on the agenda for the

855
01:19:16,640 --> 01:19:23,760
general public to at least have a choice
to vote for that.

856
01:19:22,080 --> 01:19:26,920
» Thank you very much.
>> Thank you.

857
01:19:31,120 --> 01:19:40,080
» Hi, my name is Pamela Sears. I'm at
eight settlers away. Just wanted to

858
01:19:36,400 --> 01:19:49,440
thank you all for being here and um just
wanted to talk about the um Stockman

859
01:19:44,080 --> 01:19:55,360
Smith connector. Um I live right behind
Starbucks and my concern is about the

860
01:19:52,800 --> 01:20:02,320
wetland area and the runoff that's
coming from the commercial properties

861
01:19:58,239 --> 01:20:07,600
and Route One. Um, it's been there's
been some significant

862
01:20:05,040 --> 01:20:13,840
runoff and poor drainage within that
wetland and it's caused a lot of settle

863
01:20:10,800 --> 01:20:19,520
settlement or erosion in that area and
it's actually affected my driveway. Um,

864
01:20:17,360 --> 01:20:26,400
and it's also affecting the whole length
of my property. Um, so I'm just asking

865
01:20:22,800 --> 01:20:31,840
that the council consider um if they're
not interested in a connector to also

866
01:20:29,199 --> 01:20:39,800
consider the drainage option that's in
there as well. And I sent some photos I

867
01:20:33,840 --> 01:20:39,800
think as well. Thank you. Thank you.

868
01:20:41,600 --> 01:20:45,640
Anyone else wishing to speak?

869
01:20:46,480 --> 01:20:53,040
Okay, not seeing anyone seeking
recognition. Moving on to item seven,

870
01:20:50,800 --> 01:21:01,400
that is the approval of the minutes for
July 6, 2026. Is there a motion?

871
01:20:57,520 --> 01:21:01,400
» So moved. Councelor Huitt.

872
01:21:01,520 --> 01:21:07,760
» Motion made by councelor Hwitt. Any
discussion or comment on the minutes?

873
01:21:05,920 --> 01:21:11,360
» You want a second?
>> Yes, please.

874
01:21:08,640 --> 01:21:16,239
» I'll second it.
>> Second by councelor Edwards.

875
01:21:14,800 --> 01:21:20,719
All right. Now, any discussion or
question on the minutes?

876
01:21:18,800 --> 01:21:24,239
Hey, roll call vote. Councelor Edwards,
yes. Councelor Parks, yes.

877
01:21:22,320 --> 01:21:26,400
» Councelor Anin, yes. Councelor Gail,
yes. Councelor Hwitt, yes. Councelor

878
01:21:25,840 --> 01:21:30,480
Johnston,
>> yes.

879
01:21:26,800 --> 01:21:35,040
» Motion passes 6.
>> Item eight, consent items. There are two

880
01:21:32,719 --> 01:21:38,960
and that is item A is the annual report
filing extension and item B is to

881
01:21:37,440 --> 01:21:44,239
confirm the mayor's appointment to the
shoreline commission of Yana Josephin.

882
01:21:41,840 --> 01:21:47,840
Is there a motion?
So move.

883
01:21:45,040 --> 01:21:50,000
» Motion made by councelor Johnston.
Is there a second?

884
01:21:49,120 --> 01:21:53,800
» Second.
>> Second by councelor Anen.

885
01:21:53,920 --> 01:21:58,679
» Any item that you wish to have moved?

886
01:21:58,719 --> 01:22:02,000
» Okay, not seeing anyone. Roll call vote.
Councelor Edwards,

887
01:22:01,679 --> 01:22:03,199
» yes.
>> Councelor Parks,

888
01:22:02,880 --> 01:22:05,280
» yes.
>> Councelor Anin, yes.

889
01:22:04,239 --> 01:22:06,400
» Councelor Gail, yes.
>> Councelor Huitt,

890
01:22:06,159 --> 01:22:07,679
» yes.
>> Councelor Johnston,

891
01:22:07,280 --> 01:22:12,480
» yes.
>> Motion passes 6.

892
01:22:10,880 --> 01:22:17,840
» Okay, moving on to item nine that is
action items. And item A tonight is the

893
01:22:15,199 --> 01:22:21,280
one reading for the accept acceptance of
councelor Doyle's resignation and that

894
01:22:19,840 --> 01:22:25,600
is councelor Parks.
>> Thank you madame mayor. Councelor Doyle

895
01:22:23,520 --> 01:22:30,639
has submitted an email of resignation
and if accepted by council the position

896
01:22:28,000 --> 01:22:34,639
will be vacated immediately. Be it
ordered that the city council accepts

897
01:22:32,880 --> 01:22:39,760
the resignation of councelor William
Doyle effective immediately.

898
01:22:38,000 --> 01:22:44,560
» Motion has been made by councelor Parks.
Is there a second?

899
01:22:40,960 --> 01:22:49,280
» Second. Second by councelor Edwards.
Any discussion on the item?

900
01:22:48,000 --> 01:22:53,600
Councelor Hwitt.
>> Just want to thank um councelor Doyle

901
01:22:51,679 --> 01:22:58,719
for his continued support of the city
and the efforts he made um with all the

902
01:22:56,480 --> 01:23:05,040
counselors.
>> Thank you, councelor Gail. Yeah, I just

903
01:23:00,880 --> 01:23:11,280
second that and and um um Councelor
Doyle um uh really helped me and and

904
01:23:09,679 --> 01:23:16,880
encouraged me to run for school board
many years ago and that got me um really

905
01:23:14,560 --> 01:23:20,719
involved in the city. So, I thank him
for his commitment to the city and and

906
01:23:18,400 --> 01:23:27,199
all his hard work and wish him well and
his u his next endeavor here.

907
01:23:24,239 --> 01:23:31,679
» Thank you. Anyone else?
Council Johnston.

908
01:23:28,320 --> 01:23:39,040
» Thank you. Um likewise I have served
with Bill or Councelor Doyle through all

909
01:23:34,880 --> 01:23:43,280
of his service to the community. Um
I thought it was you know noble of him

910
01:23:41,520 --> 01:23:49,280
to step up and fill the role when
councelor Gun was you know inadvertently

911
01:23:45,520 --> 01:23:54,719
or uh forced out. So I just would like
to thank him personally for serving ward

912
01:23:52,000 --> 01:23:59,520
three. Thank you.
>> Thank you.

913
01:23:56,480 --> 01:24:01,199
Okay. Roll call vote. Councelor Edwards,
>> yes.

914
01:24:00,000 --> 01:24:02,480
» Councelor Parks,
>> yes.

915
01:24:01,600 --> 01:24:03,679
» Councelor Arnan,
>> yes.

916
01:24:02,800 --> 01:24:04,719
» Councelor Gail,
>> yes.

917
01:24:03,920 --> 01:24:05,920
» Councelor Hwitt,
>> yes.

918
01:24:05,040 --> 01:24:09,440
» Councelor Johnston,
>> yes.

919
01:24:06,320 --> 01:24:12,719
» Motion passes 6.
>> Okay, moving on to item B. That is one

920
01:24:11,360 --> 01:24:15,679
reading of the fee schedule
clarification, and that is Councelor

921
01:24:14,480 --> 01:24:19,600
Parks.
>> Thank you, Madame Mayor. It has been

922
01:24:17,440 --> 01:24:25,120
brought to staff's attention that the
fee schedule adopted on budget night did

923
01:24:22,080 --> 01:24:31,920
not reflect the correct and current fee
for outside police assignments officer

924
01:24:28,480 --> 01:24:37,840
with cruiser. The correct fee is $90 per
hour, but the fee schedule adopted in

925
01:24:34,560 --> 01:24:43,520
May inadvertently reflected $80 per
hour. Because that is a request to

926
01:24:40,719 --> 01:24:49,840
clarify the correct fee amount. Staff
respectfully asks that this be completed

927
01:24:46,639 --> 01:24:54,639
through the one reading process.
Be it ordered that the Sco City Council

928
01:24:52,320 --> 01:25:02,000
approves the fee schedule clarification
to correctly reflect the $90 per hour

929
01:24:58,400 --> 01:25:06,560
for outside police assignments officer
with cruiser. I move to approve the

930
01:25:05,280 --> 01:25:08,960
» Thank you. A motion has been made by
councelor Parks. Is there a second? Yes.

931
01:25:08,400 --> 01:25:14,960
Second.
>> Second by councelor Edwards.

932
01:25:11,520 --> 01:25:17,920
Comment or discussion on this item.
>> Okay. Roll call vote. Councelor Edwards.

933
01:25:17,520 --> 01:25:19,280
» Yes.
>> Councelor Parks.

934
01:25:18,880 --> 01:25:20,480
» Yes.
>> Councelor Anin.

935
01:25:20,159 --> 01:25:21,600
» Yes.
>> Councelor Gail.

936
01:25:21,280 --> 01:25:22,639
» Yes.
>> Councelor Huitt.

937
01:25:22,400 --> 01:25:23,840
» Yes.
>> Councelor Johnston.

938
01:25:23,520 --> 01:25:29,360
» Yes.
>> Motion passes 6.

939
01:25:27,280 --> 01:25:34,080
» Okay. Item C is a public hearing for the
proposed ordinance amendment to chapter

940
01:25:31,360 --> 01:25:38,560
60, ambulance service to provide for an
annual educational funding allocation

941
01:25:36,560 --> 01:25:43,360
and an annual ambulance division
equipment reserve fund. And that is

942
01:25:40,080 --> 01:25:47,280
councelor Parks.
Fire Chief Hamill has requested the

943
01:25:45,280 --> 01:25:52,880
creation of annual reserves for
educational funding allocation and

944
01:25:49,600 --> 01:25:57,679
ambulance division equipment, both to be
funded from the ambulance fund. To

945
01:25:55,360 --> 01:26:02,239
specify that the existing ambulance fund
can be used for these purposes, staff

946
01:26:00,480 --> 01:26:06,320
has compiled the attached ordinance
amendment for city council's

947
01:26:04,320 --> 01:26:11,280
consideration.
I move to open the public hearing on the

948
01:26:08,960 --> 01:26:15,280
proposed ordinance amendment to chapter
60 ambulance service.

949
01:26:13,679 --> 01:26:20,159
» Thank you. Motion has been made to open
the public hearing. Is there a second?

950
01:26:18,880 --> 01:26:23,960
» Second.
>> Second by councelor Gail.

951
01:26:24,800 --> 01:26:28,000
» Roll call vote. Councelor Edwards.
>> Yes.

952
01:26:27,199 --> 01:26:29,520
» Councelor Parks.
>> Yep.

953
01:26:28,400 --> 01:26:31,520
» Councelor Anin. Yes.
>> Councelor Gail. Yes.

954
01:26:30,480 --> 01:26:33,040
» Councelor Hwitt. Yes.
>> Councelor Johnston.

955
01:26:32,400 --> 01:26:37,679
» Yes.
>> Motion to open the public hearing at

956
01:26:34,800 --> 01:26:40,719
7:47. passes 6.
If there are any members of the public

957
01:26:39,199 --> 01:26:46,120
wishing to speak, please step forward,
state your name and address for the

958
01:26:41,920 --> 01:26:46,120
record, and you will have three minutes.

959
01:26:50,080 --> 01:26:57,600
Okay, not seeing any members wishing to
speak. Councelor Parks,

960
01:26:54,960 --> 01:27:03,360
» I move to close the public hearing and
further move to schedule the second and

961
01:26:59,840 --> 01:27:07,440
final reading on August 3rd, 2026.
>> Thank you. A motion to close the public

962
01:27:04,960 --> 01:27:09,520
hearing and move the item to August 3rd.
Has been made by councelor Parks. Is

963
01:27:08,880 --> 01:27:12,800
there a second?
>> Second.

964
01:27:09,920 --> 01:27:17,840
» Second by councelor Edwards.
Any discussion from counselors?

965
01:27:15,920 --> 01:27:19,360
» Okay. Roll call vote. Councelor Edwards.
>> Yes.

966
01:27:18,239 --> 01:27:20,880
» Councelor Parks.
>> Yes.

967
01:27:20,000 --> 01:27:21,920
» Councelor Anen,
>> yes.

968
01:27:21,199 --> 01:27:22,960
» Councelor Gail,
>> yes.

969
01:27:22,239 --> 01:27:24,320
» Councelor Huitt,
>> yes.

970
01:27:23,199 --> 01:27:26,800
» Council Johnston,
>> yes.

971
01:27:24,800 --> 01:27:30,440
» Motion passes 6 to close the public
hearing at 7:48.

972
01:27:33,280 --> 01:27:38,320
Okay, moving on to item D. That is a
public hearing for the renewal

973
01:27:36,639 --> 01:27:41,600
application for special entertainment
permit for the Golden Rooster. And that

974
01:27:40,480 --> 01:27:46,560
is Councelor Johnston.
>> Thank you, Madam Mayor. Chris Rizakos

975
01:27:44,639 --> 01:27:50,719
doing business as Golden Rooster
Restaurant, 236 Main Street, has applied

976
01:27:48,880 --> 01:27:53,840
for a renewal of the establishment's
special entertainment permit. The permit

977
01:27:52,880 --> 01:27:56,960
would be concurrent with the
establishment's liquor license. The

978
01:27:55,360 --> 01:27:59,520
applicant has paid all applicable permit
fees and the clerk has properly

979
01:27:58,320 --> 01:28:05,199
advertised the public hearing in
accordance with SACO city code chapter

980
01:28:01,280 --> 01:28:08,480
93 entertainment 93-2. The clerk has
also checked with code enforcement, the

981
01:28:06,880 --> 01:28:12,400
finance department, fire department, and
police department. And there were no

982
01:28:10,400 --> 01:28:14,400
concerns. I move to open the public
hearing.

983
01:28:13,040 --> 01:28:16,960
» Thank you. A motion has been made to
open the public hearing by councelor

984
01:28:15,760 --> 01:28:19,920
Johnston. Is there a second?
>> Second.

985
01:28:17,440 --> 01:28:22,159
» Second by councelor Gail.
>> Roll call vote. Councelor Edwards.

986
01:28:21,760 --> 01:28:23,360
» Yes.
>> Councelor Parks.

987
01:28:23,040 --> 01:28:26,320
» Yes.
>> Councelor Anen, yes. Yes. Councelor

988
01:28:24,800 --> 01:28:27,679
Gail. Yes. Councelor Hwitt. Yes.
>> Councelor Johnston.

989
01:28:27,199 --> 01:28:32,159
» Yes.
>> Motion to open the public hearing passes

990
01:28:29,840 --> 01:28:35,280
6 at 7:49.
>> If there are any members of the public

991
01:28:33,600 --> 01:28:40,840
wishing to speak, please step forward,
state your name and address for the

992
01:28:36,560 --> 01:28:40,840
record, and you will have three minutes.

993
01:28:43,920 --> 01:28:48,719
Okay. Not seeing anyone seeking
recognition. Councelor Johnston,

994
01:28:46,960 --> 01:28:52,320
» I move to close the public hearing. It
be ordered that the city council grant

995
01:28:50,719 --> 01:28:55,600
the renewal application submitted by
Chris Rizakos doing business as Golden

996
01:28:54,400 --> 01:28:58,239
Rooster Restaurant for a special
entertainment permit to be concurrent

997
01:28:56,880 --> 01:29:02,719
with the establishment's current liquor
license. I move to approve the order.

998
01:29:01,280 --> 01:29:04,320
» Motion has been made by councelor
Johnston. Is there a second?

999
01:29:03,840 --> 01:29:08,199
» Second.
>> Second by councelor Edwards.

1000
01:29:08,320 --> 01:29:13,080
» Any discussion or comment on the item
from councilors?

1001
01:29:13,120 --> 01:29:16,560
» Okay, not seeing anyone. Roll call vote.
Councelor Edwards.

1002
01:29:16,239 --> 01:29:18,719
» Yes.
>> Councelor Parks.

1003
01:29:17,520 --> 01:29:20,000
» Yes. Councelor Anin,
>> yes.

1004
01:29:19,040 --> 01:29:21,840
» Councelor Gail, yes.
>> Councelor Hwitt, yes.

1005
01:29:20,960 --> 01:29:24,880
» Councelor Johnston,
>> yes.

1006
01:29:22,320 --> 01:29:29,480
» Motion to close the public hearing and
approve the order passes at 75060.

1007
01:29:32,000 --> 01:29:37,760
» Okay, moving on to item E that is the
first reading for the Dire Library

1008
01:29:36,080 --> 01:29:43,760
funding request and that is councelor
Hwitt.

1009
01:29:40,560 --> 01:29:48,320
During the fiscal year of 2026
budget process, the city council

1010
01:29:45,840 --> 01:29:53,120
allocated funding for the Dyer Library
for capital improvement projects. As

1011
01:29:51,360 --> 01:29:57,679
part of that discussion, the Dire
Library was asked to present project

1012
01:29:55,600 --> 01:30:02,480
information to the city council and
formally request authorization to use

1013
01:29:59,920 --> 01:30:08,080
these funds. After this first reading,
the final step of the process is to is a

1014
01:30:05,600 --> 01:30:12,239
final reading.
Be it ordered that the SACO city council

1015
01:30:10,159 --> 01:30:16,960
approve the first reading of the Dire
Library funding request in the amount of

1016
01:30:14,800 --> 01:30:23,040
$75,000
and further moves to schedule the final

1017
01:30:19,520 --> 01:30:26,480
reading on August 3rd, 2026. I move to
approve the order. Thank you. A motion

1018
01:30:24,800 --> 01:30:29,120
has been made by councelor Hwitt. Is
there a second?

1019
01:30:28,639 --> 01:30:33,000
» Second.
>> Second by councelor Edwards.

1020
01:30:33,199 --> 01:30:39,199
Any discussion or comment on these
items?

1021
01:30:36,159 --> 01:30:45,600
Councelor Hwitt.
Hello. Um, I'm aware of this project and

1022
01:30:42,560 --> 01:30:49,360
have seen it. Um, as someone who's been
at atteing

1023
01:30:47,600 --> 01:30:53,679
kids being brought in classroom after
classroom into the children's room, it's

1024
01:30:51,600 --> 01:30:58,800
a tight space sometimes. You've got
families with young children. You have

1025
01:30:55,840 --> 01:31:04,000
some um other people. They're trying to
use the same space. And as times are

1026
01:31:01,760 --> 01:31:09,199
getting economically tough for families,
the library is somewhere that people can

1027
01:31:05,840 --> 01:31:15,280
go and enjoy their resources at no
charge. So, I know right now hearing the

1028
01:31:12,000 --> 01:31:19,840
tax valuations, I'm cringing at any asks
in the budget as a counselor. Um, but I

1029
01:31:18,080 --> 01:31:26,320
also want everybody to consider the
benefits that the the library gives us.

1030
01:31:23,679 --> 01:31:30,800
Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. Okay. And
I do believe we have Director Smith with

1031
01:31:28,960 --> 01:31:37,960
us and she had a small presentation she
was going to give.

1032
01:31:34,000 --> 01:31:37,960
Good evening. Hello everyone.

1033
01:31:40,880 --> 01:31:45,239
See if my computer works this time.

1034
01:32:09,600 --> 01:32:14,480
Unfortunately, my computer is not
agreeing with the um software for the

1035
01:32:13,040 --> 01:32:17,199
click shore. So, I do apologize that you
won't see it on the screens, but I

1036
01:32:15,760 --> 01:32:21,920
believe you all received my presentation
as part of the packet for this meeting.

1037
01:32:19,600 --> 01:32:25,120
Um so, anyway, uh good evening, Mayor
McFale, and members of city council. Um

1038
01:32:23,679 --> 01:32:29,040
I'm here tonight to present Dire
Libraryies youth services renovation and

1039
01:32:26,719 --> 01:32:33,760
expansion plan. Right now, the youth
services department operates an

1040
01:32:30,560 --> 01:32:37,040
extrained 1,250 square foot space.
Increased family attendance has pushed

1041
01:32:35,760 --> 01:32:41,920
our children's room beyond its
functional limits. Strollers block block

1042
01:32:39,760 --> 01:32:45,760
pathways, tween film Tik Toks next to
babies chewing on board books, and noise

1043
01:32:43,920 --> 01:32:50,320
conflicts compromise both programmatic
quality and public access. Our solution

1044
01:32:48,639 --> 01:32:53,760
is a targeted expansion providing
maximum impact with minimal

1045
01:32:51,679 --> 01:32:57,600
interruption. Designed in partnership
with the architecture firm Woodh Hall,

1046
01:32:55,440 --> 01:33:01,840
we are adding an additional 650 square
feet from an underutilized adjacent

1047
01:32:59,600 --> 01:33:05,600
meeting room. While the final
furnishings are under development, um

1048
01:33:03,600 --> 01:33:10,320
the model in your plan demonstrates how
our we're using age targeted zones to

1049
01:33:08,400 --> 01:33:13,840
best serve our community. There will be
an early childhood area with space for

1050
01:33:12,080 --> 01:33:17,600
dedicated readaloud, creative play, and
stroller parking. Beginning elementary

1051
01:33:16,080 --> 01:33:21,120
readers will have a cozy area for
developing their literacy skills and

1052
01:33:19,280 --> 01:33:24,880
tween will find targeted space for
homework help and maker space.

1053
01:33:23,520 --> 01:33:28,320
Importantly, we'll also proide
comfortable space for parents and

1054
01:33:26,320 --> 01:33:33,040
caregivers to connect and socialize
while supporting early literacy.

1055
01:33:31,520 --> 01:33:36,800
After all a lot of work on this project,
the budget came in much higher than

1056
01:33:34,239 --> 01:33:40,239
anticipated at $113,000.
We are funding it through the anchor

1057
01:33:38,239 --> 01:33:44,000
funding that was set aside in the fiscal
year 26 budget. Um, and we're not

1058
01:33:42,400 --> 01:33:49,360
changing the ask from the city. That's
$75,000 is all that we're looking for.

1059
01:33:46,560 --> 01:33:53,679
We're looking to um we've scoped this
project to fit as well as possible

1060
01:33:50,960 --> 01:33:56,719
within the funds that we had um allowed.
The remaining construction balance will

1061
01:33:55,199 --> 01:34:00,960
be taken from a restricted endowment
that was left very spec narrowly for by

1062
01:33:59,120 --> 01:34:06,719
the Daring family who left the house to
the library um for just this future, you

1063
01:34:04,639 --> 01:34:11,040
know, where an unusual change had to be
made to to make the house into a

1064
01:34:08,239 --> 01:34:16,000
functional space. The other um costs for
furnishing the space will be done by

1065
01:34:13,040 --> 01:34:19,600
targeted fundraising. Um our anticipated
schedule, assuming everything is

1066
01:34:17,760 --> 01:34:25,120
approved and our f funding comes
through, um is to begin all of the early

1067
01:34:23,440 --> 01:34:29,840
steps now with the hope of starting
construction in early 2027 with an

1068
01:34:28,000 --> 01:34:32,560
anticipated completion of late spring
2027.

1069
01:34:31,360 --> 01:34:37,520
Thank you so much for your continued
partnership and I welcome any questions.

1070
01:34:35,199 --> 01:34:41,840
» Thank you. Any questions on the project?
Council Ronin. Thank you, Madam Mayor.

1071
01:34:39,440 --> 01:34:47,199
Um, the first question is to me a little
obvious. We're only three months past

1072
01:34:44,400 --> 01:34:51,760
the budget cycle. Uh, is there a reason
we didn't include this in the 2027

1073
01:34:49,679 --> 01:34:55,600
budget? This seems to be a fairly
extensive renovation, not one that you

1074
01:34:53,920 --> 01:34:59,360
came up with last month. So, I'm really
curious why it wasn't baked in at that

1075
01:34:57,040 --> 01:35:03,120
point in time. Um, and also, it sound
like you answered my previous questions.

1076
01:35:00,800 --> 01:35:09,120
This this budget is a new number, not
one that's recycled from last year. So

1077
01:35:06,000 --> 01:35:13,520
in the um for the fiscal year 26 budget
process I was invited to submit some

1078
01:35:11,040 --> 01:35:17,280
capital projects this was one of them at
that point in time which you know

1079
01:35:15,120 --> 01:35:23,440
January 2025
I 2026 I put in the amount of of $75,000

1080
01:35:20,560 --> 01:35:27,920
kind of as a placeholder um and then it
got designated as sort of a special

1081
01:35:26,000 --> 01:35:32,239
restricted fund for use for this
purpose. Um we have spent the dire

1082
01:35:30,239 --> 01:35:36,080
library association has spent the past
year trying to pull together the details

1083
01:35:34,400 --> 01:35:39,760
for this project to make sure that it's
conceivable. Um needless to say there

1084
01:35:38,080 --> 01:35:42,880
were more zeros to this project when we
first started talking to the architect

1085
01:35:41,040 --> 01:35:46,320
and we've had to scope down really
carefully to ensure that it's something

1086
01:35:44,400 --> 01:35:50,560
that we can manage with the the
allocation given by city council and

1087
01:35:49,280 --> 01:35:55,040
within funds that we have at our
disposal. Um it was not rolled forward

1088
01:35:53,120 --> 01:35:58,480
in the fiscal year 27 budget because
there was a little bit of uncertainty on

1089
01:35:56,480 --> 01:36:03,520
where it actually sat I think in the in
the the big budget um municipal budget.

1090
01:36:01,440 --> 01:36:07,440
Um but I defer to the city administrator
for that.

1091
01:36:05,040 --> 01:36:13,040
» Yeah. Yeah. So um Director Smith is
correct. The library has done everything

1092
01:36:09,360 --> 01:36:20,320
that it was asked to do. council in 2020
for FY26 took that made a motion um to

1093
01:36:17,760 --> 01:36:25,120
put the funds that were set aside in
capital into this special revenue fund

1094
01:36:22,719 --> 01:36:30,880
for this very purpose of her coming back
to council for a presentation and as

1095
01:36:27,760 --> 01:36:36,080
they have projects allow the funds to
flow to them. So um it's not in the 27

1096
01:36:34,159 --> 01:36:41,520
budget. It was in the 26 budget,
>> but allocated in 26 into a fund pool

1097
01:36:39,520 --> 01:36:44,560
that allowed them to pull it forward
when they needed it

1098
01:36:42,480 --> 01:36:46,560
» after coming to council and presenting.
>> Okay.

1099
01:36:45,520 --> 01:36:48,800
» Correct. Thank you.
>> You're welcome.

1100
01:36:47,280 --> 01:36:53,119
» My computer screen is working now. So,
if you want to see just briefly the sort

1101
01:36:50,320 --> 01:36:57,679
of scope of work, we're talking about um
changing the

1102
01:36:55,040 --> 01:37:03,600
taking down the green sections um to
make two rooms kind of merge into one.

1103
01:37:01,679 --> 01:37:10,400
» Any other questions or comments?
Councelor Gil.

1104
01:37:05,600 --> 01:37:14,719
» Um, as a frequent user, uh, I definitely
am in support of the project and see

1105
01:37:12,639 --> 01:37:20,480
definitely see the the benefits and and
value there. Um, I guess there's a

1106
01:37:18,480 --> 01:37:26,480
couple questions on on that on the
budget piece. you mentioned that um you

1107
01:37:23,440 --> 01:37:31,679
had scoped it down but and then uh let's
see on exhibit two I'm not sure what

1108
01:37:28,320 --> 01:37:35,600
slide number it is uh there was a a
table with the costs

1109
01:37:33,679 --> 01:37:40,960
» and you had mentioned that there was a
note uh active collaboration with SACO's

1110
01:37:38,400 --> 01:37:46,320
municipal facilities team is projected
to drive total construction costs below

1111
01:37:42,880 --> 01:37:51,520
the original 113,000 estimate I guess
I'm I just want to

1112
01:37:48,719 --> 01:37:57,600
confirm with the with the schedule that
you have in place and those costs. Um,

1113
01:37:54,800 --> 01:38:03,119
what is the risk for cost overruns? And
if there is a cost overrun, what is

1114
01:38:00,239 --> 01:38:08,400
that? What's the implication to to the
city's budget on that piece?

1115
01:38:05,520 --> 01:38:11,840
» So, there's no um cost. I'm not going to
be asking for more money for this

1116
01:38:09,760 --> 01:38:15,119
project. My understanding is that 75,000
was designed designated for this purpose

1117
01:38:13,760 --> 01:38:20,639
and that's the only amount of money that
I'm asking for at this point in time.

1118
01:38:17,199 --> 01:38:24,400
Um, I hope that we are able to use our
partnership with the city and and

1119
01:38:22,560 --> 01:38:29,600
facilities department to reduce some of
the sort of little things that get that

1120
01:38:28,080 --> 01:38:34,480
come along during part of a construction
project. Um, and to reduce some of the

1121
01:38:31,920 --> 01:38:38,800
costs that can end up being complicated.
Um, but at the end of the day, when if

1122
01:38:36,880 --> 01:38:42,480
and when we run into overages on this
project, um, that is something that we

1123
01:38:40,480 --> 01:38:46,400
will work on our end to cover.
>> Okay. And so, so just to confirm, so it

1124
01:38:44,639 --> 01:38:49,920
sounds like
you've been working with our facilities

1125
01:38:48,080 --> 01:38:54,239
department and and scoping this out and
and coming up with the cost estimates.

1126
01:38:52,320 --> 01:38:57,119
» Yes, they've been they've been um you
know, we've definitely talked with them

1127
01:38:55,840 --> 01:39:02,159
throughout the process to ensure that
we're not overreaching or doing anything

1128
01:38:59,040 --> 01:39:03,679
that their support um would not work
with.

1129
01:39:02,639 --> 01:39:07,520
» Sure.
>> Thank you, Council Ronin.

1130
01:39:06,159 --> 01:39:10,639
» Uh thank you again, Madame Mayor. And
and following on to your question, Will,

1131
01:39:09,119 --> 01:39:14,400
if we are going to be using inkind
services from the city, can we make sure

1132
01:39:12,880 --> 01:39:17,840
that we are accounting for those when we
get done with the final budget act when

1133
01:39:16,000 --> 01:39:21,600
the final budget is totaled so we
understand what the participation of the

1134
01:39:19,360 --> 01:39:25,280
incind services were relative to the
total cost?

1135
01:39:23,199 --> 01:39:27,600
» I am happy to track that, you know, to
the or hopefully I can get tracked on

1136
01:39:26,560 --> 01:39:30,400
the city side since I don't know what
the rates are for everything, but I

1137
01:39:29,199 --> 01:39:37,199
would love to have that number as well.
>> Great. Thank you.

1138
01:39:33,520 --> 01:39:41,920
» Okay. Anyone else?
Okay, thank you very much.

1139
01:39:40,000 --> 01:39:45,199
Okay, not seeing any other questions or
comments. Roll call vote.

1140
01:39:44,000 --> 01:39:46,719
» Councelor Edwards,
>> yes.

1141
01:39:45,679 --> 01:39:47,920
» Councelor Parks,
>> yes.

1142
01:39:47,119 --> 01:39:48,960
» Councelor Anin,
>> yes.

1143
01:39:48,239 --> 01:39:49,920
» Councelor Gail,
>> yes.

1144
01:39:49,199 --> 01:39:51,119
» Councelor Hwitt,
>> yes.

1145
01:39:50,239 --> 01:39:55,320
» Councelor Johnston,
>> yes.

1146
01:39:51,520 --> 01:39:55,320
» Motion passes 6.

1147
01:39:56,719 --> 01:40:03,280
» Okay, that takes care of the action
items for tonight. Moving on to item 10

1148
01:40:00,320 --> 01:40:09,440
under new business. Item A is a call for
letters of interest for the W three

1149
01:40:04,960 --> 01:40:15,119
council vacancy. City administrator.
>> Um so there is going to be a call. Um

1150
01:40:13,280 --> 01:40:18,440
did you want councelor Parks to read the
item commentary?

1151
01:40:18,800 --> 01:40:24,239
» Um we can or we can just do an update
where it is not actually being presented

1152
01:40:23,040 --> 01:40:30,000
and it's under new business.
>> Very well. Um, so tomorrow, um, the city

1153
01:40:27,520 --> 01:40:35,040
clerk will advertise publicly the, uh,
call for interested parties in Ward 3.

1154
01:40:32,719 --> 01:40:40,159
Uh, our charter requires a 21-day
notice. Uh, so August 12th will be the

1155
01:40:37,760 --> 01:40:43,440
deadline for people interested in
running for that seat or being

1156
01:40:41,520 --> 01:40:47,840
appointed, excuse me, for that seat. In
concurrence with that, because uh

1157
01:40:45,440 --> 01:40:52,960
councelor Doyle resigned outside of the
75day window, that position will also be

1158
01:40:50,800 --> 01:40:58,080
advertised for a special election that
will be held at the regular election

1159
01:40:54,560 --> 01:41:03,199
date of November 3. Um so people
interested in being appointed need to

1160
01:41:00,560 --> 01:41:07,600
have their letters in by August the 12th
and a public hearing uh with those

1161
01:41:05,440 --> 01:41:13,040
interested to address council for the
appointment will happen on the August

1162
01:41:09,119 --> 01:41:16,280
17th uh council meeting night.
Thank you.

1163
01:41:16,320 --> 01:41:23,320
Any questions or comments regarding the
appointment schedule?

1164
01:41:24,560 --> 01:41:30,480
Okay, moving on to item B that is the
proposed charter amendments.

1165
01:41:29,679 --> 01:41:35,679
The administrator,
>> we've received a few um proposed charter

1166
01:41:32,880 --> 01:41:40,719
amendments. Two from councelor Doyle,
two for two from councelor uh Johnson.

1167
01:41:38,800 --> 01:41:45,840
Those have been included in your packet.
Um, we'll continue to work with council

1168
01:41:43,280 --> 01:41:49,280
on making refinements to those charter
amendments. Uh, happy to answer any

1169
01:41:47,520 --> 01:41:53,840
questions this evening if, uh, council
has any.

1170
01:41:52,400 --> 01:41:57,040
» Thank you. On your review of the charter
amendments. Any questions or comments?

1171
01:41:56,080 --> 01:42:03,119
Councelor Gail.
>> Just a technical question on on

1172
01:41:58,960 --> 01:42:08,320
councelor Doyle's. Um, so that will be
continued that will be carried through.

1173
01:42:05,119 --> 01:42:10,320
I keep because the seat is vacant that
that doesn't affect

1174
01:42:09,119 --> 01:42:13,840
» this will come back.
>> These requests will come back to council

1175
01:42:11,920 --> 01:42:17,199
to vote on. So it's up to the council
the remaining council members if you

1176
01:42:15,520 --> 01:42:21,840
wish to move those forward or make
changes to them.

1177
01:42:18,080 --> 01:42:26,960
» Okay. Thanks.
>> Anyone else?

1178
01:42:24,719 --> 01:42:30,880
» And city administrator, what is the
deadline for amendments to be submitted?

1179
01:42:29,840 --> 01:42:33,040
Have we we passed that?
>> We passed that. Okay.

1180
01:42:31,920 --> 01:42:37,600
» So, these are the these are the
amendments that we'll be working with uh

1181
01:42:34,960 --> 01:42:43,360
with the council on. I believe we'll be
coming back on August 3 for first

1182
01:42:39,840 --> 01:42:47,280
reading. Um and then ultimately once uh
council approves proposed charter

1183
01:42:44,960 --> 01:42:51,639
amendments, they get voted on by the
citizens at the November 3rd election.

1184
01:42:58,480 --> 01:43:07,320
and councelor Parks when this comes back
for council vote you are the councilly

1185
01:43:03,040 --> 01:43:07,320
uh resource. Thank you.

1186
01:43:07,520 --> 01:43:14,000
» Okay. Item C is the dire library draft
memorandum of understanding theou city

1187
01:43:13,360 --> 01:43:18,960
administrator.
>> Yep. Um so this is follows through with

1188
01:43:17,040 --> 01:43:23,280
some of the comments made earlier during
uh director Smith's presentation. Uh

1189
01:43:21,360 --> 01:43:27,760
during budget, we determined that it
would be a good idea for both parties to

1190
01:43:25,520 --> 01:43:34,080
codify the relationship that the city
has with Dyer Library for the inind

1191
01:43:30,880 --> 01:43:40,560
services that we um had been providing
and um with the addition of the

1192
01:43:36,560 --> 01:43:47,280
facilities um support. So uh
administration has been working with

1193
01:43:42,639 --> 01:43:51,679
director Smith to propose a draftou. Um
this is under new business. So, we ask

1194
01:43:49,360 --> 01:43:56,320
council to review. Uh, if there are any
suggested changes or questions, we're

1195
01:43:53,760 --> 01:44:00,400
happy to take those into consideration.
Um, we are working with our legal

1196
01:43:58,080 --> 01:44:05,280
counsel to finalize this and it will
come back um at a future time for

1197
01:44:02,639 --> 01:44:10,480
action.
>> Thank you. Any questions or comments

1198
01:44:07,199 --> 01:44:14,719
regarding theou
>> and coun Oh, council Johnston.

1199
01:44:12,239 --> 01:44:21,119
» Thank you. Uh, well, first happy to see
that we're working on anou. Um, I guess

1200
01:44:18,719 --> 01:44:26,080
my only comment for for council or
everyone is given and and I've mentioned

1201
01:44:24,480 --> 01:44:31,360
this the administrator and the mayor
previously, but given that this

1202
01:44:28,400 --> 01:44:37,520
relationship seems to be evolving
specifically more in the area of funding

1203
01:44:33,679 --> 01:44:43,520
and now uh services, city providing
services. Um, I'm just wonder if we

1204
01:44:41,119 --> 01:44:48,239
already have a council liaison. I I
don't think it's unreasonable to give

1205
01:44:45,119 --> 01:44:54,960
that council liaison voting powers
similar to the way BOB is where that's

1206
01:44:50,639 --> 01:45:00,960
also what quasi municipal entity and our
liaison to that board have voting

1207
01:44:58,239 --> 01:45:04,880
rights. U so it's something I mentioned
previously to the mayor. I'm just

1208
01:45:02,880 --> 01:45:09,920
throwing it out there because I think
given the amount of funding and now

1209
01:45:07,040 --> 01:45:15,920
services that we're providing it may be
warranted.

1210
01:45:12,000 --> 01:45:19,920
Thank you. Anyone else?
And councelor Huitt, you are listed as

1211
01:45:17,760 --> 01:45:25,119
the resource and you're okay with that?
Certainly. Thank you.

1212
01:45:23,280 --> 01:45:28,719
» Okay, that completes the new business
items. Moving on to item 11 is the

1213
01:45:27,040 --> 01:45:32,639
administrative update. City
administrator,

1214
01:45:29,679 --> 01:45:36,639
» I do apologize. It is four pages long. I
am going to try to abbreviate it. I just

1215
01:45:34,719 --> 01:45:40,320
want the community to know that uh the
full report is online. Um, and we're

1216
01:45:39,040 --> 01:45:45,760
happy to provide a written report if
anybody wants to stop by city hall.

1217
01:45:44,403 --> 01:45:50,880
[clears throat] Rescheduled community
history project walking tour. Join city

1218
01:45:48,560 --> 01:45:55,760
historian Peter Sconress on Friday, July
31st at 2 p.m. for the 2-hour guided

1219
01:45:53,920 --> 01:45:59,440
experience exploring eight of the newly
installed historic signs throughout

1220
01:45:57,280 --> 01:46:04,800
downtown. Space is limited and
registration is required. Sign up today

1221
01:46:01,679 --> 01:46:10,320
at sakcomain.org/chpalking
tour. RFP for Route 1 north sewer shed

1222
01:46:08,080 --> 01:46:13,920
capacity and infrastructure assessment.
City of SACO seeks proposals from

1223
01:46:12,159 --> 01:46:18,320
qualified engineering consulting firms
to conduct a comprehensive sanitary

1224
01:46:16,239 --> 01:46:22,719
sewer capacity assessment of the Route 1
corridor north of the Milbrook Business

1225
01:46:20,320 --> 01:46:27,360
Park. Proposals will be accepted until
12 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15th,

1226
01:46:25,440 --> 01:46:32,159
2026.
Remote work through libraries project.

1227
01:46:29,920 --> 01:46:35,760
Dyer Library has successfully completed
its remote work through libraries

1228
01:46:33,840 --> 01:46:39,760
project. Highlighted by an accessible
six to eight person glass meeting room

1229
01:46:38,000 --> 01:46:44,080
on the main floor and paired with
commercialgrade Wi-Fi and wireless

1230
01:46:41,679 --> 01:46:48,159
printing. This modern hub offers SACO's
remote workforce and community groups

1231
01:46:46,080 --> 01:46:52,960
highly functional zero barrier space to
connect and work. Nomination papers were

1232
01:46:50,960 --> 01:46:57,440
made available today, July 20th, at the
city clerk's office for SACO residents

1233
01:46:55,199 --> 01:47:03,119
who wish to seek office in the November
3rd, 2026 election. These elected

1234
01:47:00,800 --> 01:47:09,520
officials seats up this year are mayor,
city counselor for ws 2, 3, and 7,

1235
01:47:06,560 --> 01:47:12,800
school board for wards 2, 4, and six.
All seats are for a three-year term with

1236
01:47:11,520 --> 01:47:16,239
the exception of the ward three
counselor seat, which will be for a

1237
01:47:14,560 --> 01:47:20,119
one-year term to fill out the remainder
of the term due to vacancy.

1238
01:47:22,320 --> 01:47:29,119
200 registered voters in the city need
to sign nomination papers for mayor. 35

1239
01:47:27,280 --> 01:47:33,360
registered voters in each respective
ward for the city councelor and school

1240
01:47:30,880 --> 01:47:38,080
board members. Nomination papers must be
returned to the city clerk's office 300

1241
01:47:35,840 --> 01:47:43,679
Main Street no later than 12:00 p.m. on
Friday, August 28th, 2026.

1242
01:47:41,600 --> 01:47:48,080
Housing action plan feedback period is
now open. SACO's draft housing action

1243
01:47:46,320 --> 01:47:51,920
plan is available for review and we're
opening a two-week public comment period

1244
01:47:50,320 --> 01:47:58,040
before submitting the plan to city
council for adoption. To review the

1245
01:47:54,239 --> 01:47:58,040
plan, visit our website.org/housing.

1246
01:47:58,080 --> 01:48:04,880
Submit your feedback through the website
form by July 29th.

1247
01:48:02,960 --> 01:48:09,199
Safety improvements on Beach Street and
Ferry Road on the Beach Street and Old

1248
01:48:07,199 --> 01:48:12,880
Orchard Road intersection. Sako Public
Works will be realigning the Beach

1249
01:48:10,719 --> 01:48:17,040
Street crosswalk at the intersection of
Beach Street and Old Orchard Road

1250
01:48:14,400 --> 01:48:21,600
beginning Monday, July 20th. Work is
expected to be completed by July 23.

1251
01:48:19,760 --> 01:48:25,840
While construction is underway, flaggers
will manage alternating one-way traffic

1252
01:48:23,360 --> 01:48:30,159
through the intersection. Ferry Road and
Bay View Road intersection. New stop

1253
01:48:28,320 --> 01:48:35,040
signs will be installed today, Monday,
July 20th. No traffic impacts are

1254
01:48:32,880 --> 01:48:39,119
expected during the sign installation,
though crews will be working in the area

1255
01:48:37,040 --> 01:48:42,480
to complete the project. We ask
residents and visitors to be mindful of

1256
01:48:40,800 --> 01:48:46,639
this new traffic pattern and remind
drivers that they must stop for

1257
01:48:44,800 --> 01:48:51,040
pedestrians in any marked crosswalk
throughout SACO. Saco Fire Department

1258
01:48:49,199 --> 01:48:54,800
launches community connected connect
program. Community Connect gives you the

1259
01:48:53,520 --> 01:48:59,119
opportunity to create a household
profile that can be accessed by SACO

1260
01:48:56,800 --> 01:49:03,440
Fire Department personnel only during an
emergency response. By sharing details

1261
01:49:01,600 --> 01:49:07,600
ahead of time, responders can arrive
better prepared to meet your family's

1262
01:49:05,199 --> 01:49:11,760
specific needs. Participation is
completely voluntary and you decide what

1263
01:49:09,679 --> 01:49:15,360
information you'd like to share. We
encourage all sucker residents to take a

1264
01:49:13,440 --> 01:49:20,239
few moments to create a free community
connect profile. For more information or

1265
01:49:17,520 --> 01:49:23,880
to register, visit communityconnect.io
io info/me.saco

1266
01:49:24,400 --> 01:49:30,159
Jubilee Island music series underway.
Saco parks and recck department hosts

1267
01:49:28,159 --> 01:49:34,560
local musicians for Sunday concerts at
Jubilee Park, a small peaceful landing

1268
01:49:32,239 --> 01:49:38,800
on the Sako River. Bring a blanket or
chair, cross the covered bridge on Water

1269
01:49:36,400 --> 01:49:44,159
Street, and join us. Concerts take place
from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every Sunday

1270
01:49:41,199 --> 01:49:50,159
from July 19 to August 9. The upcoming
lineup includes August 2nd, Maine

1271
01:49:46,719 --> 01:49:54,679
Cats Band and August 9, Jeff Pellerin.
Shows are weather dependent. Check

1272
01:49:51,679 --> 01:49:54,679
suckomain.org/cal

1273
01:49:54,800 --> 01:50:03,119
front slashcal for any cancellation or
rain dates. Harborfest Grand M Marshall

1274
01:50:01,199 --> 01:50:06,480
announced, "We're pleased to share that
Jeda Martell has been named Grand

1275
01:50:04,800 --> 01:50:09,840
Marshall for this summer's Camp Ellis
Harbor Fest. Jedha will be honored

1276
01:50:08,400 --> 01:50:13,199
during a special ceremony at the
festival in recognition of her decades

1277
01:50:11,440 --> 01:50:18,800
of commitment to the Camp Ellis
community. Born in Baford in 1945, Jedha

1278
01:50:16,480 --> 01:50:23,040
moved to Lower Beach Road at age 2 and
has been deeply connected to Camp Ellis

1279
01:50:20,639 --> 01:50:26,960
ever since. Jeda's dedication to the
community has helped keep Harborfest

1280
01:50:24,880 --> 01:50:30,560
alive throughout the decades. After
attending a blessing of the fleet

1281
01:50:28,800 --> 01:50:36,320
ceremony in Portland, she envisioned a
similar local celebration to honor Camp

1282
01:50:32,960 --> 01:50:40,960
Ellis's fishing heritage. Now 81, Jedha
has attended every harbor fest since the

1283
01:50:38,000 --> 01:50:45,440
events revival in 2023 by the city of
Saco volunteers and Save Our Shores Soo

1284
01:50:43,520 --> 01:50:49,520
Bay. We'll meet you at the pier on
August 8th for fireworks and August 9

1285
01:50:47,440 --> 01:50:53,280
for the festival from 10:00 a.m. to 3
p.m. We look forward to seeing you for

1286
01:50:51,760 --> 01:50:56,280
the celebration of our working
waterfronts.

1287
01:50:56,400 --> 01:51:02,320
Parks and Recreational Professional Day
was July 17th and we're proud to

1288
01:51:00,320 --> 01:51:05,679
celebrate the dedicated staff of SOS
Parks and Recreation Department. Thank

1289
01:51:04,000 --> 01:51:08,960
you to the entire parks and recck team
for the outstanding work you do, the

1290
01:51:07,679 --> 01:51:15,040
opportunities you create for our
community. Upcoming council meetings are

1291
01:51:11,040 --> 01:51:18,320
August 3, August 17, and September 14.
The reports.

1292
01:51:16,719 --> 01:51:21,719
Thank you. Any questions or comments for
the city administrator?

1293
01:51:22,320 --> 01:51:29,679
Okay, not seeing any. Moving on to item
12, council discussion and comment. Any

1294
01:51:26,800 --> 01:51:33,000
councilors wishing to share?
Council Edwards.

1295
01:51:33,520 --> 01:51:41,440
I've been thinking about whether I
should make this comment or not, but I

1296
01:51:37,520 --> 01:51:48,239
personally I feel I I want to. Um
I think many SACO residents as well as

1297
01:51:43,840 --> 01:51:55,679
Bford residents were shocked and and
discouraged and saddened by the tragic

1298
01:51:51,119 --> 01:52:05,599
killing of Joanne Sebastian Guerrero. I
know that our city SACO is um

1299
01:52:01,199 --> 01:52:10,760
is it trying to protect our citizens.
Our police

1300
01:52:07,440 --> 01:52:10,760
are not

1301
01:52:11,679 --> 01:52:24,239
actively searching for members of this
community. Um, I would ask that despite

1302
01:52:19,679 --> 01:52:32,639
or despite one's particular
politics, we can all agree that any

1303
01:52:28,080 --> 01:52:39,280
death, whether it's by accident or by
fiat, it's a loss of life from our

1304
01:52:35,840 --> 01:52:45,360
community. I live in the hope that one
day we will be closer to what we say at

1305
01:52:43,440 --> 01:52:52,239
the end of the pledge that we say every
week, every time we're in here, that we

1306
01:52:48,320 --> 01:52:58,320
become closer to being indivisible
with justice and liberty for all.

1307
01:52:56,480 --> 01:53:01,320
» Thank you. Any other questions or
comments?

1308
01:53:01,840 --> 01:53:09,599
Okay, moving on to item 13 that is
executive session.

1309
01:53:06,320 --> 01:53:14,080
Is there a motion? Councelor Parks.
Thank you, Madame Mayor. Be ordered that

1310
01:53:11,679 --> 01:53:20,800
the city council enter into executive
session pursuant to MRSA title 1,

1311
01:53:17,199 --> 01:53:25,840
chapter 13, subchapter 1, subsection
4056E,

1312
01:53:23,520 --> 01:53:30,400
consultation between the municipality
and its attorney concerning the

1313
01:53:28,320 --> 01:53:36,960
council's legal rights and duties
relating to data centers and an

1314
01:53:33,360 --> 01:53:40,080
application by Tower Co. LLC.
>> Thank you. Motion has been made by

1315
01:53:38,400 --> 01:53:42,880
councelor Parks. Is there a second?
Second.

1316
01:53:40,719 --> 01:53:44,880
» Second by councelor Gail. Roll call
vote. Councelor Edwards.

1317
01:53:44,480 --> 01:53:46,239
» Yes.
>> Councelor Parks.

1318
01:53:45,920 --> 01:53:47,440
» Yes.
>> Councelor Anin.

1319
01:53:47,119 --> 01:53:48,560
» Yes.
>> Councelor Gail.

1320
01:53:48,239 --> 01:53:49,679
» Yes.
>> Councelor Huitt.

1321
01:53:49,440 --> 01:53:51,040
» Yes.
>> Councelor Johnston.

1322
01:53:50,560 --> 01:53:56,480
» Yes.
>> Motion to enter into executive session

1323
01:53:53,199 --> 01:54:00,360
passes 6 at 8:15 and we will be in the
city administrator's office.

1324
02:44:42,000 --> 02:44:47,279
All right, everyone. Welcome back. Is
there a motion to exit executive

1325
02:44:45,840 --> 02:44:51,600
session?
>> So moved.

1326
02:44:49,359 --> 02:44:55,760
» Councelor
Onen. Thank you. Second.

1327
02:44:53,840 --> 02:44:58,319
» Second by councelor Edwards.
>> Roll call vote. Councelor Edwards.

1328
02:44:57,920 --> 02:44:59,600
» Yes.
>> Councelor Parks.

1329
02:44:59,279 --> 02:45:01,760
» Yes.
>> Councelor Anin. Yes. Councelor Gail.

1330
02:45:01,439 --> 02:45:03,600
Yes.
>> Councelor Hwitt. Yes.

1331
02:45:02,800 --> 02:45:06,399
» Councelor Johnston.
>> Yes.

1332
02:45:04,000 --> 02:45:10,240
» Motion to exit executive session passes
6 at 9:06.

1333
02:45:08,880 --> 02:45:14,240
» Is there a report?
>> No report, Madame Mayor.

1334
02:45:11,760 --> 02:45:18,960
» Thank you. All right. Moving on to item
15. That is adjournment. Is there a

1335
02:45:16,240 --> 02:45:21,600
motion to adjurnn?
>> So moved.

1336
02:45:20,000 --> 02:45:22,880
» Motion made by councelor Edwards. Is
there a second?

1337
02:45:22,399 --> 02:45:26,240
» Second.
>> Second by councelor Huwitt. Roll call

1338
02:45:24,960 --> 02:45:27,680
vote. Councelor Edwards.
>> Yes.

1339
02:45:26,640 --> 02:45:28,880
» Councelor Parks.
>> Yes.

1340
02:45:28,000 --> 02:45:30,160
» Councelor Anen,
>> yes.

1341
02:45:29,120 --> 02:45:32,080
» Councelor Gail, yes.
>> Councelor Hwitt, yes.

1342
02:45:31,200 --> 02:45:34,960
» Councelor Johnston,
>> yes.

1343
02:45:32,399 --> 02:45:39,160
» Motion to adjourn passes at 9:06. And
thank you everyone and have a great

1344
02:45:36,160 --> 02:45:39,160
night.