TOWN COUNCIL
Next Meetings:
Monday, August 12 at 7:00 PM Town Hall
Monday, August 19 / 7:00 PM Town Hall - Special Meeting
Agendas will be posted on the town website and sent via email to subscribers once available.
Cape Elizabeth Town Council
Timothy Reiniger, Chair • Stephanie Anderson • Jeremy Gabrielson • Susan Gillis • Caitlin Jordan Harriman • Penelope Jordan • Timothy Thompson
Town Council Meetings generally occur on the second Monday of each month at 7 PM, with exceptions for Monday holidays. Workshops generally occur on the fourth Monday of each month at 7 PM. Residents may subscribe to the Town Council Meetings Notification Email to receive agendas and meeting materials when they become available.
TOWN MANAGER SEARCH
 The Cape Elizabeth Town Council is pleased to announce that it has selected two finalists for the position of Town Manager from a field of 23 applicants.
One finalist is Patrick W. Fox from Saco, Maine. Mr. Fox is currently Director of the City of Saco’s Public Works Department, a position he has held since 2012 and where he’s worked since 2005. The other finalist is Joshua Reny from Scarborough, Maine. Mr. Reny is currently the Assistant City Manager of South Portland, Maine, a position he has held since 2015 and former Town Manager of Fairfield, Maine.
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Wednesday, August 21: Meet the Candidates at Thomas Memorial Library Community Room 6:30PM
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Thursday, August 22: Finalist Interviews with Town Council 6PM - Executive Session
ELECTIONS 2024
Absentee Ballot Requests
Residents may now request Absentee Ballots for the November 5, 2025, General Election. The preferred method is via the State of Maine's Absentee Ballot Online Request Form. Accessible Ballots are also available on the state's absentee ballot website.
Alternatively, voters may download a paper application from the town's Election & Voting page OR call the Town Clerk's office at 207-799-7665.
WE ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGING VOTERS TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
Nomination Papers
Nomination papers for the following seats are available at the Town Clerk's Office:
Town Council - 3 seats for a 3-year term to expire 2027
School Board - 3 seats for a 3-year term to expire 2027
Portland Water District - 1 seat for a 5-year term
⇒ Nomination papers are due by Monday, September 9 at 5:00 p.m.
To be considered qualified, you must be a registered voter of Cape Elizabeth, and residency is required during term of office.
Status on Nomination Papers:
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Town Council Terms Expiring in December: Timothy Reiniger, Jeremy Gabrielson, and Susan Gillis.
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School Board Terms Expiring in December: Heather Altenburg, Kathleen Curry-Sparks, and Elizabeth Scifres expire this December.
As of August 1, the following candidates have returned nomination papers, signatures have been verified, and their names will appear on the November 5 ballot:
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Town Council Candidates: Jonathan Sahrbeck, Elizabeth Scifres, Andrew Swayze
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School Board Candidates: Christopher Boniakowski and Peter Joy S. Engel
UNDERSTANDING THE NEW PESTICIDE ORDINANCE
Thomas Memorial Library will be hosting an information session with the town's Assistant Code Enforcement Officer Jake Deslandes to review the new Pesticide Ordinance on Thursday, August 8, 2024 from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Deslandes will offer an overview of the ordinance, how it is being enforced, and conclude with an opportunity for questions & answers. This event will be offered both in person and via Zoom. Please register on the library's website.
TOWN CENTER INTERSECTION PUBLIC FORUM
Wednesday, August 21 at 7PM
Lower Conference Room, Town Hall
Following Town Council and community appeal for alternative design options, Sebago Technics were retained to complete additional traffic analysis and provide additional intersection treatments for the Town Center Intersection.
In addition to the original "squaring up" design, three more traffic treatments have been added for consideration. These include a roundabout at Scott Dyer Road, a roundabout at Shore Road, and a peanut roundabout. The impacts of operations, right-of-way, abutting access, and cost/funding for each option have been provided.
Next steps include a public forum on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at Town Hall. Recommendations will be forwarded to the Town Council in anticipation of a September 9, 2024 vote on how to proceed.
To stay up to date on the Town Center Intersection, please visit Engage Cape Elizabeth!
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PUBLIC WORKS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Road work on Oakhurst Road will begin tomorrow, Wednesday, August 7. Oakhurst Road will be reduced to one lane with alternating traffic during construction. Additionally, on-street parking will NOT BE PERMITTED starting August 7.
Traffic delays are anticipated, and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes August 7 - 8. Please contact the Public Works Department at 799-4151 for more information.
- Road work on Shore Road from the Delano Park 4 to Olde Colony Lane will commence after Oakhurst Road work is complete.
ACCREDITATIONS & RECOGNITIONS
 The Cape Elizabeth Police Department and the Cape Elizabeth Fire Department have each recently achieved outstanding accreditations and classifications for their departments.
The CEPD received accreditation through the Maine Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. The CEPD met 158 accreditation standards and passed on-site visit verifying the agency's compliance with best practices of Maine Law Enforcement. CEPF Chief Paul Fenton said,
"The public gives the department its trust, but this process is proof that we are keeping to the highest of standards when it comes to police policy and operations. Accreditation also provides continued feedback and will keep our agency on track with the most contemporary accepted trends and standards in the field of law enforcement.”
CEFD Chief Steve Young and the department received an excellent classification ratingafter an exhaustive year-long Public Protection Classification (PPC) survey conducted by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). A positive classification indicates a robust fire suppression system within a community in conjunction with the local water distribution system. This information is crucial as most insurers use PPC classifications for underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. Chief Young said,
"We should be proud of the fire department’s capabilities and proud of its service to the citizens of Cape Elizabeth. It’s an achievement to have this classification in a small town. We are in good shape!”
BOARDS & COMMITTEE NEWS
Conservation Committee
The Maine Conservation Corps will return to Cape Elizabeth on Monday, August 19, to make improvements to Winnick Woods. The MCC will station its equipment and trailer at Winnick Woods for two weeks. Trail users are encouraged to visit other open spaces during the second half of August so that the MCC can complete its work efficiently.
Many thanks go Public Works Department for providing the group with a camping space.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee
Have you experienced prejudice, discrimination, or stigma due to some aspect of your identity, such as race, gender, disability, illness, or occupation?
Please consider volunteering to become a Human Book during our second annual Human Library event in October. This event is offered in partnership with the Cape Elizabeth DEI Committee and made possible by the TML Foundation.
Click here to learn more!
Energy Committee
The Energy Committee seeks resident input on the Cape Elizabeth Climate Action Plan Public Survey. CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE.
The goal of the Climate Action Plan process is to understand a town’s greenhouse gas emissions sources, to identify key areas of risk that are most vulnerable to climate change, and to create a plan that identifies short and long-term actions that can meaningfully reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts. These actions should also support economic growth and improve the lives of residents.
For the most recent updates, please visit the Climate Action Plan Website.
Fort Williams Park Committee
The Fort Williams Park Committee continues to address projects identified in the Fort Williams Master Plan.
Currently, a playground subcommittee is developing an RFP for a new playground design and a second RFP for construction of the playground. The playground will be moved from its current location to the Children's Garden.
An RFP for the Pond to include sampling of materials and dredging should be ready this August, with work anticipated to begin in the Spring of 2025.
Gorilla Palmer Engineering recently completed a feasibility study for Powers Road, which outlines phases for the project. Pricing on phase one is not yet available.
Repair of the tennis courts at Fort Wiliams will begin August 12. Once the paving of the courts is complete, the courts will require approximately 28 days to set. Tennis courts are expected to be ready for use by late September.
Ordinance Committee
The Ordinance Committee met on July 23 to discuss implementing changes to the town's Senior Tax Relief program. The committee is considering increasing tax relief funds for qualifying seniors using a tiered format based on income. The committee will meet next on August 19 to discuss this further.
FROM THE ASSESSOR'S DESK
Town Assessor Clinton Swett has met with over 10% of the Cape Elizabeth tax base for informal revaluation appeals. Swett is currently preparing the tax commitment and anticipates the MIL rate will be set within two weeks.
Real Estate Sales for the Month of July have been added to the town's Reports page.
RECREATIONAL NEWS
Pool Annual Cleaning
The Pool will be closed from August 3 to 18 for annual cleaning. It will reopen at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, August 19.
Tennis Courts at Fort Williams to be Closed for Repairs
Repair work on the tennis courts at Fort Williams will begin on August 12. From August 12 until approximately the end of September, the courts will be closed as the new pavement needs to be set.
Fitness Center Annual Cleaning
The Fitness Center will be CLOSED for annual cleaning August 14 - 18. It will reopen on Monday, August 19.
Community Services Registration Starts August 25
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Looking for something to do while the weather is still hot? Look no further than our Community Events page for a listing of summer events in Cape Elizabeth a neighboring towns, including Sounds by the Sea's last summer concert on Monday, August 12, at 6 PM (weather permitting)!
ENGAGE CAPE ELIZABETH!
Our new Engage hub provides comprehensive information on current issues and projects within Cape Elizabeth. With this new hub, the community can stay informed and engaged with topics concerning our town. Click here to ENGAGE!
Current projects include:
- Town Center Intersection
- Sawyer Road Redevelopment
Coming soon! Fort Williams Master Plan Updates
COMMUNITY LINKS
Cape Elizabeth Community Services • Cape Elizabeth School Department • CETV On Demand •. Thomas Memorial Library •. Meetings Calendar
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