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Saco City Council approves minutes, renews Elks entertainment permit, tables street acceptance and acknowledges planning‑board SOP; staff to finalize ethics‑com
Summary
At its Sept. 22 meeting the council approved minutes, renewed a special entertainment permit for the Biddeford‑Saco Elks Lodge No. 1597, tabled a street‑acceptance request to Oct. 6, and acknowledged a revised Planning Board standard operating procedure; staff presented a draft code‑of‑ethics complaint form for council feedback.
The Saco City Council completed routine and procedural business on Sept. 22 and received administrative updates on ethics‑complaint procedures and traffic projects.
Votes and formal actions - Approval of minutes: The council adopted minutes for Sept. 8, Sept. 9 and Sept. 15, 2025. Motion by Councilor Hatch; second by Councilor Hewitt. Roll‑call vote: Edwards, Parks, Gunn, Berman, Hatch, Hewitt and Johnston — yes. Motion carried 7‑0.
- Street acceptance tabled: The council voted to table the first reading request for city street acceptance of Amari Court and Dupuy Drive in the Amari Springs subdivision per Chapter 186 standards, pending additional legal review and documentation. Motion to table by Councilor Parks; second by Councilor Edwards. Roll call: unanimous 7‑0. The item was tabled to the Oct. 6, 2025 meeting.
- Elks special entertainment permit renewal approved: The council granted the renewal application for a special entertainment permit for the Biddeford‑Saco Elks Lodge No. 1597 to run concurrent with its liquor license, expiring Nov. 6, 2026. Motion by Councilor Gunn; second by Councilor Edwards. Roll call: unanimous 7‑0.
- Planning Board SOP acknowledged: The council accepted the Planning Board’s revised standard operating procedures (revised through 9/16/2025) and marked Recommendation No. 2 of the Citizens Grievance Review Committee as complete. Motion by Councilor Hatch; second by Councilor Gunn. Roll call: unanimous 7‑0. Councilor Johnston requested a minor edit to align a resignation/appointment provision with the city charter; staff committed to return the SOP to the Planning Board with that notation.
Administrative and procedural items - Code of ethics complaint form: Human Resources Director Hunter Cox presented a draft web form to collect code‑of‑ethics or conduct concerns and outlined legal constraints (Freedom of Access Act, whistleblower protections). Cox said the form will include instructions, FOAA disclaimers, and an area for supporting evidence; staff intend to post a draft online and circulate it to councilors for comment prior to a broader rollout. Councilors emphasized balancing accessibility with protections against frivolous or malicious complaints and requested additional legal language clarifying protections and disclosure rules.
- Executive session and adjournment: The council entered executive session under MRSA Title 1, Chapter 13, §405(6)(A) and (E) for personnel (city administrator position) and attorney consultation; roll‑call vote to enter and later to exit were both unanimous. No reportable action followed the closed session.
Other administrative updates included a traffic advisory for CMP nighttime utility work on Factory Island (Sept. 24) and a notice of an upcoming Reimagining Route 1 public meeting (Sept. 24) and joint meetings with the Long Range Planning Committee and the School Board on Oct. 6.
