City Council October 1 Meeting Summary

Det. Kyle Cutler and his family pose for a photo at the City Council meeting.

Photo: WSSR-TV

By Zendelle Bouchard

Officer recognized: At the City Council’s meeting on Oct. 1, Detective Kyle Cutler of the Sanford Police Department was presented with a Life Saving Award for his actions on Sept. 28, 2023. On that date, Cutler (then a patrol officer) responded to a stabbing and applied a chest seal to the victim while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Police Chief Eric Small noted that it is not common for officers to carry chest seals with them, and that Cutler is the only member of the SPD to do so. The emergency department doctor who treated the patient later contacted the SPD to report that Cutler’s actions played a major role in saving the person’s life.

Legislative efforts: The city’s second annual Homelessness Forum will be held at Sanford Performing Arts Center on Nov. 14, immediately following a presentation by the York County Superintendents Association. All local state legislators are invited to the event to hear details of desired changes to the state’s essential programs and services funding formula, before city officials and partner agencies address statewide priorities for addressing homelessness and stress that York County be considered when resources are being allocated.

City Manager Steve Buck and Fire Chief Scott Susi serve on the Maine Municipal Association’s legislative policy committee and are focusing their efforts on issues that would benefit Sanford. A proposed change to the state laws on tax increment financing, if passed, could cover the entire debt service for the new fire stations without impacting taxpayers. (Right now, the law allows only 15% of captured revenue to be used to pay for public safety buildings, even though 50% may be used for other types of municipal buildings.) Other issues they are advocating for include higher MaineCare reimbursement rates, support for community paramedicine, greater recognition for social services and economically disadvantaged students that are currently absorbed through the local budget as well as support for more housing development and protection from commercial exploitation of housing for short-term rentals.

General Assistance: Vicki Martin, Sanford’s Director of General Assistance, presented the new state maximums for GA benefits, and the Council held a public hearing and first reading. The city is reimbursed 70% of GA benefits it distributes. Councilor Jonathan Martell asked if the city could save money by holding to the current maximums, but Buck noted the state maximums don’t even begin to address the cost of housing for program participants. Martin added that most GA recipients only receive benefits for one or two months, until they get back on their feet. The second reading and vote will be held at the next Council meeting on Oct. 15.

Roberts & Main apartments: A public hearing was held on a new tax increment financing (TIF) district for two new downtown market-rate apartment buildings. A 12-unit building on Main Street between Aroma Joe’s and Sunset Tower, and a 24-unit building on the site of the former Ballenger Auto building were approved by the Planning Board in 2021. Keith McBride of the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council said the new TIF and accompanying credit enhancement agreement will cover the financing gap for the developer, TPD Construction, while addressing two of the City Council’s biggest priorities, downtown revitalization and the housing shortage. “Without the City’s participation, this project wouldn’t happen,” he said. The Council approved the new TIF by a vote of 6-1, with Councilor Martell the sole vote in opposition.

Other items:

• Mayor Becky Brink reported on last week’s housing workshop. Read our related article here and view the video of the workshop here.
• City Manager Steve Buck gave a brief update on the Housing First and courthouse redevelopment projects that are being reviewed by the Site Plan Review Committee and Planning Board. He also encouraged residents to attend the Fire Station Forum on Oct. 2.