Saco council tables contract‑zones resolution after residents demand fuller public review

The Saco City Council on Nov. 17 voted to table a resolution addressing pre‑January 2021 contract zones after residents and councilors asked for more public disclosure and staff review.

Resident Inga Brown, speaking during the public comment period, told the council she supported letters submitted by Michael Dalem and Kelly Archer and said "public, inclusion and review in that process for full sunshine is required." Kelly Archer, who said she had submitted detailed emails and supporting documents, pressed the council for answers about how individual contract zones were categorized and asked, "Don't do it. Don't do it," when referring to an intercreditor agreement discussed at a Nov. 4 planning board meeting involving the Ecology School and the city.

Councilor Hatch, who introduced the resolution drafted by City Attorney Leah Raishin, said the council has spent months reviewing contract zones with a focus on pre‑2021 approvals and defended staff against public accusations of "muzzling" the council. Hatch said he would prefer that public criticism be "based on documented facts, not social media inspired disrespectful accusations." After staff told councilors some amendments had not yet been incorporated into the packet, Hatch moved to table the item to the Nov. 24 meeting so all proposed council edits can be included. The motion to table was seconded and passed on a roll‑call vote of 5‑0.

The resolution and the public questions raised center on how older contract‑zone agreements were classified and whether code‑enforcement or other staff reviews were documented and made available for public inspection. The city attorney, Leah Raishin, was present for the discussion and available to answer questions, according to Hatch.

The tabling leaves open the questions raised in public comment, including requests for the council to release the underlying contract‑zone materials and for staff to provide a comprehensive report on individual contract‑zone approvals. The council also later met in executive session and voted unanimously not to enter an intercreditor agreement with the Quimby and Sewell Foundation; that executive‑session decision is separate from the contract‑zones resolution but was discussed by public commenters and by councilors as related partnership and disclosure concerns.

The council will revisit the contract‑zones resolution at its Nov. 24 meeting, when members said they expect a revised packet that incorporates outstanding edits and answers to public questions.