West Kennebunk Village Committee sets May public meeting to debate 4‑way vs. sidewalk, seeks volunteers for Family Fun Day

The West Kennebunk Village Committee confirmed plans for a May public meeting and assigned outreach tasks at its March 12 meeting.

Committee members voted to approve the February 2026 meeting minutes after a motion by committee member Sarah Snow and a second from Cory Kuhl; the minutes were recorded as passing with a tally of 4 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 absent and 1 abstain. The meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m. and the minutes were later signed by Margaret Jacobson, listed as Committee Secretary in the meeting sign-off (the members list earlier records a “Maggie Jacobson”).

Why it matters: the May public meeting is being positioned as the committee’s opportunity to set its top infrastructure priorities for the year and to recruit volunteers for the committee’s Family Fun Day. The forum will allow residents to express preferences and safety concerns directly to town staff and officials.

The committee confirmed the Dorothy E. Stevens Community Center as the May meeting site; the center’s capacity was recorded as 54. The agenda will include a resident vote on “4‑Way Intersection vs. Sidewalk” and a section for safety concerns. Select Board Liaison Miriam Whitehouse said she will follow up to confirm attendance by town officials, which the committee expects to include the town manager, police chief, fire chief and the town engineer.

Member assignments for outreach and materials were set: Cory Kuhl will draft a one‑page flyer with contact information for specific issues, and Sarah Snow will produce a half‑page form for attendees to fill out at the public meeting with sections for the 4‑way vs. sidewalk vote, safety concerns and other issues. The committee designated the public meeting as the final call for Family Fun Day volunteers after noting there had been no volunteer response via social media to date.

On infrastructure, members agreed the group should determine its top priority at the public meeting. The committee also asked staff to explore interim measures this year to show progress on the Thompson Road sidewalk project, suggesting cosmetic or marking changes such as line or graphics painting if those measures are feasible.

During the public‑comment portion, community member Linda Moore reported that “Middle Road traffic has slowed down since signs have been out.” Committee member Jenn Martell and Select Board Liaison Miriam Whitehouse will follow up to obtain additional temporary traffic signs.

Other items: Nick Pelletier will follow up on adding a map of West Kennebunk that highlights businesses to the kiosk; Whitehouse will follow up to provide a list of businesses. The committee noted a historical plaque sign is in storage and pending installation in spring. Linda Moore has applied for the open committee seat and is pending an interview; the committee scheduled its next meeting for April 9, 2026.

The committee did not discuss cost‑of‑living or property evaluation topics at the public meeting and explicitly excluded those subjects from the May agenda. The committee’s financial update noted the first phase of budget approval has passed.