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Spurwink Marsh

Hello, September!

With a packed schedule covering significant issues across town in the coming weeks, September wasted no time getting back to work after the slower days of August!  School has reopened, athletic fields are active, and your local government is working through a variety of major topics that benefit from resident engagement.  Read on for more information, and be sure to stay engaged by subscribing to this e-newsletter and other topics of interest to you!  

NEWS

Cape Elizabeth Climate Action Plan Arrives!

In 2023, Cape Elizabeth contracted with Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOC) to lead the Climate Action Planning process and assist the Town in creating a Climate Action Plan that aligns with the State of Maine’s “Maine Won’t Wait” Climate initiative.  The Energy Committee, staffed by Facilities Director David Bagdasarian, has worked with GPCOG to develop this plan.

“Today’s a very exciting day for the Energy Committee and for the town. People should be very excited to get this across the goal line finally,” Bagdasarian said. Town Manager Pat Fox noted that the plan lists 88 action items, which can “Inform your goals when we head into the new year,” and should be overlaid with relevant ordinances that are addressed in the future.

The plan targets five sectors across town that will reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. For each sector, goals, challenges, milestones, and actions are presented. The five sectors are:

• Buildings and Energy
• Transportation
• Natural Resources
• Resilience and Public Health
• Municipal and School Operations

Donations fund new Fire Truck

In 2021, the Fire Department was the beneficiary of $250,000 from the Anderson Estate and $150,000 from the family of Robert Preti. These generous donations have enabled the department to avoid the rapidly rising costs of emergency vehicles and maintain a stable vehicle replacement schedule with the authorization of Town Manager Fox at the September 8, 2025 council meeting to purchase a new demo 2025 Mini-Pumper.

Council sets October 15 Public Hearing for Discontinuance of a Portion of Sawyer Rd/St

The towns of Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough have been engaged in a project, funded by the Maine Natural Resource Conservation Project (MNRCP) with a $1.9 million grant, to restore Spurwink Marsh and remove a portion of Sawyer St./Rd.  The next step in the multi-component project is to hold a formal Public Hearing on the proposed discontinuance. At the Monday, September 8, 2025, council meeting, after extensive conversation on whether to proceed with scheduling the Public Hearing, the council voted to move forward with the public hearing date of October 15, 2025, at 7 PM.

The council will discuss the project next at the September 22 Stakeholder Meeting and again on October 8 at the Town Council workshop. The public is encouraged to attend as well as become familiar with the project by visiting the Spurwink Marsh Restoration Project website located on the Town Spotlight section of the Town website.

Ordinance Committee to Review Misc. Amendments and Traffic Regulations

At the September 8 meeting, the Town Council referred miscellaneous amendments to the Subdivision and Zoning Ordinance, as prepared by the Planning Board, to the Ordinance Committee.

In addition, the Ordinance Committee will review proposed amendments to Chapter 13 - Traffic Regulations as developed by the Traffic Safety Working Group. Recommendations include establishing "no parking" along the inbound side of Fenway Road. 

The Ordinance Committee will meet on Monday, September 22, at 4 PM in the Jordan Conference Room.

Candidates for Municipal Election Verified

The Town Clerk has verified the signatures on nomination papers for candidates running for seats on the Town Council, School Board, and Portland Water District Board of Trustees.  These verified candidates will appear on the November 4, 2025 ballot.

Four candidates are running for two seats on the Town Council, including incumbents Penny Jordan and Caitlin Harriman.  Former Town Councilor Timothy Reiniger will attempt to return to the council, and newcomer Cynthia Troiano will join the race.

Three candidates are running for two seats on the School Board. Incumbent Caitlin Sweet is running for a second term and is joined by newcomers Andrew Patten and Anastasia Troxel.  

Christopher Scontras is running for a seat on the Portland Water District Board of Trustees.

Candidates Night, hosted by the Cape Elizabeth High School AP Government Class, will be held on Wednesday, October 1st at 7 PM.

GOOD TO KNOW

2025-2026 Tax Rate Set

The 2025-2026 property tax rate has been set by the Town Assessor, committed on August 28, 2025.  The new tax rate established is $11.73 per $1,000 of property value for the 2026 fiscal year.  The new rate applies to the taxes due on October 15, 2025, and April 15, 2026.  First-half tax bills are in process and will be mailed shortly.     

About the Fiscal Year 2026 Process

The new tax rate is up $0.73 from the prior rate of $11.00 an increase of approximately 6.64%.  Initial budget projections estimated the mil rate could reach as high as $11.85.  During this process the Assessor picked up more than anticipated new construction value growth which resulted in a lower mil rate than expected.  New assessment reports for the 2026 fiscal year tax commitment will replace the 2025 commitment reports under “Assessing Data” on the assessors’ webpage in early October.          

Cape Elizabeth Senior Tax Relief Program

The Assessor will mail notices to residents by September 18^th for the 2026 Senior Tax Relief Program.  New applications and information are available on our webpage!   

Assessing Moving Forward

Starting in October, the Assessor will be planning a new strategic plan in an effort to create the highest level of valuation equity across town.  This process will begin with an intro video, followed by a workshop with the council in October and future videos detailing a more in-depth analysis of the plan.  Stay tuned. 

New Topics Added to Email Subscriptions

With the discussion of items of particular interest to specific neighborhoods in the upcoming weeks, the following topics have been added to the Town's Email Subscription service:

• Shore Road/ Cliff House Beach Area Parking
• Sawyer Road / Spurwink Marsh Project
• Cellular Communication Tower potential for Shore Road and Littlejohn Road

This summer, the Traffic Safety Working Group was added to the list of topics.

Residents can subscribe to as few or as many topics as desired. Current subscribers may log in to their account and click on these additional topics. New subscribers can register by creating an account using their email address.  

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 Agenda

The Planning Board will discuss the following items at its September 16, 2025, meeting in the Council Chambers:

• Center Court Site Plan
• Fort Williams Park Master Site Plan
• 1226 Shore Road Site Plan Amendment

Cross Hill Trail Rehab Settles In!

The rehabilitation of the Cross Hill Trail Loop, completed in the spring, has arrived at peak-use conditions thanks to a little bit of time, vegetation growth, and patience from trail users. The machine-built trail provides consistent, even trail surfaces that can accommodate a wider range of trail users from 5-year-olds on bikes to elderly residents on foot. 

The Conservation Committee identifies trails that need maintenance or rehabilitation, including installing or fixing boardwalk crossings at wetland and stream locations as needed.

Elections & Voting

Voters may now submit a request for an Absentee Ballot for the November 4, 2025, Elections. Please visit our Elections & Voting webpage for application options, including Maine Secretary of State Online Application.

Phishing Scam Alert!

Please be aware that the latest attempt to scam Maine residents into wiring money includes sending official-looking emails in which the imposter pretends to be a municipal employee from the planning and/or code enforcement department of that recipient's town.  The scammers appear to target residents who have had or are going through the application process by scraping meeting materials from the municipality website.

When in doubt, do not respond to the email and never wire money. Contact the Cape Elizabeth Police Department at 207-767-3323.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month

Do you have a library card? If not, register for a new card in September and you’ll be entered to win a raffle prize!

If you already have a card, pick up a passport at either circulation desk, and visit the library at least four times this month to be entered to win a prize! For ages 5+. (Must be 5 years of age to be a cardholder.)

Judy's Pantry Hours & Donation Locations

Judy's Pantry in Cape Elizabeth has donation bins located in the lobbies of the IGA and now Community Services. 

The Pantry is open on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month from 3 PM - 4:30 PM at 280 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth

EVERYDAY CAPE

Where Commitment Meets Community

Susan Frost, Kelly Phinney, and Linda Strunk

Whether or not you take advantage of the classes offered through Community Services or rely on their programming for childcare, chances are you have benefited from the tremendous efforts and creativity of the entire Cape Elizabeth Community Services (CECS) staff. From scheduling private events at the pool to organizing the "Sounds By the Sea" concert series at Fort Williams Park, or even helping residents sign up for a new U.S. passport, CECS touches nearly every corner of our community.

Three times a year, CECS publishes a highly anticipated seasonal listing of courses and activities in the Cape Explorer brochure. Sign-ups are advertised well in advance, as courses often fill within minutes of registration. The most recent Fall 2025 Cape Explorer lists over 60 adult fitness classes and enrichment outings, as well as over 110 youth programs, many with multiple sessions throughout the season and varied price points to encourage participation. Linda Strunk, the Adult Program Coordinator, notes that the courses offered connect people within the community who then often form new communities outside of the course, adding, "That feels like good work." Jane Anderson, also an Adult Program Coordinator, is responsible for developing outings and entertainment events that provide Cape Elizabeth’s elder residents with stimulating and engaging excursions and events beyond Cape for a range of activity levels.

Residents return season after season for standby offerings like the Lighthouse Masters swim program or youth fall soccer (grades pre-K to 6), while others sign up for the first time when new programming is introduced. Susan Frost, the Youth Program Coordinator, shared, "Sometimes we get surprised and a new course fills up by 8:01 PM," prompting the addition of second sessions. Such is the case with the Chess Club and the new Song Wizards Workshop, where kids in grades 2-4 learn how to write, perform, and record original songs.

However, the Cape Explorer is only part of the comprehensive services offered by CECS. Hundreds of families have relied on the center’s before- and after-school programming, preschool and pre-K classes, summer camps, and vacation camps over the years to keep their children safe and engaged. Cape Care Coordinator Kelly Phinney, who was recognized in August for her 20th year with CECS, explains that every day requires careful coordination and communication with her colleagues. On any given day, Phinney and her colleagues are responsible for not only running activities for approximately 50 children from preschool through 4th grade, but also for transporting them between classes, adjusting to last-minute requests from parents, and/or ensuring children needing to go home get on the right buses. "We are multi-tasking every single minute," Phinney says.

Although Phinney and her colleagues focus on different facets of service at CECS, the common thread is their appreciation of one another and their leader, Kathy Raftice, Director of Community Services and Fort Williams Park. Phinney shared, "My boss is the best. She is wonderful at managing and easy to work with and for. Along with my co-workers, it’s a team effort." Frost adds, "We have a really supportive office and we all have each other’s back; we don’t work in silos and the biggest part of that is Kathy." Together, they embody the idea that it doesn't just take a village -- but it takes dedication and commitment to run one!

EVENTS

Spurwink Marsh Restoration Project

Stakeholder Meeting

Monday, September 22 @ 7 PM / Town Hall

Members of the public are encouraged to attend to hear a summary of the project, get latest updates, and provide input into the design for an overlook at the end of Sawyer Road where it will dead end at the marsh. For more information on the proposed restoration project, including the Acadia Civil Works Tidal Crossing Assessment, please visit the Spurwink Marsh Restoration website located under the Town Spotlight section on the homepage.

Shore Rd. at Cliff House Beach Public Parking and Safety Forum

Thursday, September 25th @ 6 PM / Town Hall

The Town of Cape Elizabeth will be holding a Public Forum on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 6:00 PM at Town Hall to address parking along Shore Road and the surrounding neighborhood near Cliff House Beach. This forum is designed as a working session to explore and refine potential approaches to the parking and safety concerns raised by nearby residents.

Kristina Egan of GPCOG will be facilitating. This event will not be focused on individual testimony but rather on moving the community closer to a workable solution through collaborative discussion and exercises.

September 13th

September 20th

September 27th

October 4th

Stay Informed!

To watch a live meeting from home, visit CETV LIVE on your computer, select the white "play" arrow, or access CETV through Apple TV or Roku.

Not able to attend a live meeting?  Visit CETV On Demand (cetv.capeelizabeth.org) to watch video recordings of meetings that take place in the Council Chambers.