2019.12.06--Falmouth Focus, Volume 1, Issue 6

December 6, 2019

Focus Masthead

Please note:  This newsletter will be sent to subscribers of both the Falmouth Focus newsletter and Town News & Announcements. To subscribe only to the Falmouth Focus, visit E-Alerts.   

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News & Issues

Very Merry Falmouth

It's a Very Merry Weekend in Falmouth!

The Town of Falmouth, Falmouth-Cumberland Community Chamber, and Falmouth Memorial Library present Falmouth's annual community event, Very Merry Falmouth, Thursday, December 5 through Saturday, December 7. Most events take place in the Event Tent at Falmouth Shopping Center, 251 US Route 1.

Schedule of Events

Thursday, December 5

5:30-6:30pm - 33rd Annual Falmouth Community Tree Lighting at Village Park (off Hat Trick Drive) with cookie decorating, carol singing, refreshments, and a visit from Santa! Hosted by Falmouth Parks and Community Programs. FREE!

Friday, December 6

6:30pm - Fireworks! Launched from the Legion Fields on Depot Road and best viewed from Route 1. FREE!  

NOTE:  Depot Road at Lunt Road and Legion Road at Bucknam Road will be closed to through traffic beginning at 6:00pm for the duration of the fireworks display. For safety please remain outside the clearly marked boundaries of the designated launch area. 

6:30-8:30pm - Merry Mix and Mingle - A Claus for Celebration, Event Tent, Falmouth Shopping Center, Route 1. Join the Falmouth-Cumberland Community Chamber of Commerce for this family-friendly community party. Enjoy music, food, and community spirit while supporting the Falmouth-Cumberland Community Chamber scholarship fund by entering raffles to win prizes and holiday trees. FREE! 

Sponsored by Smithwick & Mariners Insurance, Centerpoint Martial ArtsGorham Savings Bank, People's United Bank, The Matt & Gena Team, Signature Homes Real Estate Group, Camden National Bank, RE/MAX Shoreline, and State Farm Insurance, Kevin Heikkinen Agent.

6:00-8:30pm - Wagon rides along Route 1.  Boarding at the Event Tent at the Falmouth Shopping Center. FREE!

Saturday, December 7

9:00am - Ugly Sweater 5K and Merry Mile fun run, Route 1. Throw on your ugliest holiday sweater and race down Route 1 in Falmouth's holiday hustle! Proceeds will benefit the Falmouth Memorial Library! Race begins at the Falmouth Shopping Center.  Register here.  Join us as a race volunteer!

Sponsored by KBA logo and allagash logo

10:00am-Noon - Cocoa With Mrs. Claus, Event Tent, Falmouth Shopping Center, Route 1. Enjoy a cup of cocoa as you compose your letter to Santa, which Mrs. Claus will personally deliver to the North Pole. FREE!

10:00am - Noon - Free Holiday Movies at Flagship Cinemas 

10:00am -3:30pm - Bake Sale & Free Children's Activities, Event Tent, Falmouth Shopping Center, Route 1. Kids can make a free holiday craft while grown-ups stock up on some holiday goodies in support of Falmouth Memorial Library. 

10:00am-2:00pm - Wagon rides along Route 1.  Boarding at the Event Tent at the Falmouth Shopping Center. FREE!

10:00am-3:30pm - Segway Santa cruises Route 1 and Free Skating on Twombly Pond

1:30-3:30pm - Hot-in-a-Pot Cook Off, Event Tent, Falmouth Shopping Center, Route 1. Fill your belly with the best food in town, and help out your neighbors with donations of non-perishable goods to the Falmouth Food Pantry. Local restaurants, food purveyors, and community groups are entering their best recipes for prizes and, more importantly, bragging rights. Bring your family for a taste of the best there is and cast your vote for the People's Choice Award! FREE!

More info at www.verymerryfalmouth.com

Volunteers Needed

Volunteer!  We can still use some volunteers.  Join us!

Thank you to our supporting sponsor:  OceanView Logo and in-kind support from Bath Savings Bank, Falmouth Shopping Center, Flagship Cinemas, Skillins Greenhouses, and Family Ice

 


Antique Fire Truck

Focus on Falmouth Fire-EMS

In January 2020, the results of a Falmouth Fire-EMS staffing study will be submitted to the Falmouth Town Council. In advance of that report, this special series will explore Falmouth Fire-EMS by looking at its history, the role of volunteerism in the provision of fire services, and the evolving function of the department and the service it provides to our community today.

A History of Service

Falmouth’s first fire company, the Foreside Fire Company, responded to its first fire call in 1913. Soon, three other all-volunteer fire companies formed throughout the community:  the Central Fire Company in 1922 at Falmouth Corners, the Pleasant Hill Fire Company in 1923, and the West Falmouth Fire Company in 1925. The founding of each station coincided with the extension of water mains from Portland into Falmouth. These volunteer-run companies worked independently of each other and funding came from donations and payouts from fire insurance companies. However, by the 1920s, the Town of Falmouth increasingly allocated financial support to these entities through monetary appropriations and the purchase of fire apparatus. The first motorized fire apparatus, purchased in 1922 for $602, was a Model T Ford Chemical Truck. In 1951, Falmouth's four fire companies were united under the Town of Falmouth Fire Department. The addition of a dispatch center at Town Hall around 1957, further professionalized and vastly improved fire service in Falmouth.  

During the 1950s, Falmouth also began responding to medical emergencies. A Portland funeral home provided ambulance service to Falmouth until 1958, when the purchase of Falmouth’s first police car, a station wagon, provided the ability to transport patients to the hospital. In 1970, the Town purchased a van for the sole purpose of transporting patients. The Falmouth Emergency Medical Team formed in 1975 under the direction of the Police Department. EMS later served as an independent department until 1997, when it was placed in the Fire Department. 

Falmouth Fire-EMS members have provided continuous service to the Town of Falmouth for over 100 years, primarily due to efforts of unpaid volunteers. In the next issue of the Falmouth Focus, we will look at the important role volunteers play at Falmouth Fire-EMS.


Giving Tree

Falmouth Police Department's Giving/Awareness Tree

Falmouth Police Department has partnered with Through These Doors to create a Giving/Awareness Tree this holiday season. Through These Doors is a domestic violence resource center which works with law enforcement and advocates for domestic violence victims. Officer Amanda Hogg (shown above) spearheaded the project. The idea first came to her in October which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “Our Through These Doors advocate came into the police department one afternoon and requested a photo of Lt. Frank Soule, Chief John Kilbride, and me,” explained Hogg. The purpose of the photo was to promote awareness for domestic violence. “This photo got me thinking about what I could do to make a difference. Not only that, but what I could do to promote domestic violence awareness as a police officer.” 

Residents are invited to visit the police station and select an ornament from the tree, located in the lobby. Each ornament is labeled with a practical item that someone who is affected by domestic violence and considering making a life change might need. Unwrapped items should be returned to the police station to be placed under the Giving/Awareness Tree.

“Being a police officer for a department that prides itself on community involvement, I thought there would be no better way to get involved and give back," said Hogg. “Furthermore, domestic violence touches all members of the community, including those who protect it.”

Upcoming Meetings & Events

sewer cover

Ongoing Sewer Work 

Falmouth's Wastewater Department will be conducting cleaning and inspections of segments of the sewer system in Falmouth. Work is underway and will be completed by December 19. The planned work will occur on Middle Road between Lunt Road and the Presumpscot River Bridge. Flaggers will direct traffic near the work area. Similar work will also occur in the area of Route 1, near the Mackworth Point Bridge. This section of work also includes the sewer line extending along the shore from Mackworth Bridge to the end of Brown Street. The work will be conducted by Ted Berry Company. No significant traffic delays are expected as a result of this work. For additional information, contact the Falmouth Wastewater Department at 781-4462 or pclark@falmouthme.org.


Johnson Road Route 88 Intersection

Public Forum – Route 88 and its intersections with Depot Road and Johnson/Town Landing Road, December 11

This forum will be an opportunity for residents to meet with town officials and consultants to discuss current conditions and the future of these two intersections. Topics will include but not be limited to bicycle and pedestrian safety; traffic volume and flow; general appearance of roadway and roadway accompaniments; and lighting. This will be the first of several opportunities for public input about the areas around these intersections. The forum will be held at the Falmouth Elementary School Cafeteria beginning at 7:00pm. The meeting will be recorded for broadcast on community TV at a later date.


Winter Spring Brochure Cover

Parks & Community Programs Winter/Spring Brochure

Keep your eyes out for the Falmouth Parks & Community Programs Winter/Spring 2020 brochure, filled with new programs and trips for all ages. The brochure will be available online the second week of December. Classes and programs fill up quickly, so register early!

Take Note

Volunteer

Appointments Committee Seeks Applicants

The Appointments Committee is seeking applications for volunteers to serve on the newly formed Community Wellness Committee. The Committee’s charge is to determine best strategies and practices to inform and promote wellness for Falmouth residents. This charge could be met by educating and engaging the public about available wellness resources, creating a wellness resource guide or annual wellness event, and responding to relevant challenges and opportunities that impact wellbeing in Falmouth. The Committee will also be tasked with distributing town funds to area social service agencies. Applications can be found online here or at Town Hall. 


family walking

Walk Safely During Winter Months

Keep your walking routine, or develop a new one, over the winter months with Falmouth Parks and Community Programs Walking Program. Walk at your own pace and comfort in the Mason-Motz Activity Center, 190 Middle Road, in Falmouth. Open during regular business hours, Mondays-Thursdays 8:00am-5:00pm, you can walk the hallways and in the gym (when available). Be sure to sign in at the office and pick up your walking tag. Please no street shoes in the gym. All are welcome.


No parking

Seasonal Parking Ban Now In Effect 

Falmouth’s seasonal overnight parking ban is now in effect until April 15, 2020. Parking is prohibited on all town-maintained roads between midnight and 6:00am. Parking bans will be implemented at other times as needed for snow removal. Click here for more info.


puppy

Dog Licenses Now Available

Dog licenses are now available for 2020. All current dog licenses expire December 31, 2019. According to Maine State Law, any dog over age 6 months must be licensed by January 1.

Cost:        Neutered/Spayed Dog - $6.00; Unaltered Male or Female - $11.00

Two Ways To Register!

In person: Registration is available at the Clerk’s Office at Falmouth Town Hall. You must present the following at the time of registration: a current Maine rabies certificate and a neutering certificate if the dog has been altered.

Online: Register online via www.maine.gov.  On-line registrations require a credit card, a rabies certificate, your veterinarian’s information, a license/tag number (if a renewal), and a spay or neuter certificate (if your dog has been altered). The online dog licensing service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Town Council

At Recent Meetings of Falmouth's Town Council...

November 25

The Council passed three orders to adjust/transfer funds regarding the FY2020 budget.

The Council passed a supplemental appropriation from Unassigned Fund Balance in the amount of $45,000 to fund the Town’s enhanced and ongoing communications efforts.

The Council passed an order to accept the donation of land adjacent to the Suckfish Brook Conservation Area and to authorize the town manager to execute the transfer of real estate and to further authorize the expenditure of up to $3,000 from the Open Space Acquisition Fund for the purpose of closing costs necessary to convey said property to the Town.

The Council entered Executive Session to discuss negotiations of a proposed agreement regarding the use of privately-owned property for public purposes.

The next meeting of the Falmouth Town Council will be held on December 9, 2019 at 7:00pm in the Council Chambers at Falmouth Town Hall. View Agenda Here.

View Past Meetings Online Here.


Future Anticipated Agenda Items

December 9-- View Agenda Here.

Note:  The December 9 meeting of the Town Council will be the only regular meeting held in the month of December. The Public Forum, usually held at the second meeting of each month, will be held at the December 9 meeting.  

  • Resolutions recognizing the 2019 Falmouth High School athletic championship teams and athletes.
  • Public Forum. This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the Council on matters which are not scheduled for public comment.
  • Orders to approve the November meeting minutes.
  • Report from staff, Council committees, and Council liaisons regarding updates on assignments and projects.
  • Public hearing and order relative to renewal of a permanent food service establishment license for Orchid Thai.
  • Introduction of an Ordinance for Pesticide and Fertilizer Regulations.       
  • Discussion regarding contracting with Vision Government Solutions to conduct a property assessment market analysis in advance of the town-wide property revaluation or proceed with the revaluation without an advance market analysis.  
  • Resolution to commit to a process to develop a Vision and Values statement for the community that includes outreach and public input.
  • Ordinance to adopt the maximum levels of income and expenses for the General Assistance program, Chapter 6, Article 6, Section 6.68, Appendices A-F and H of the Falmouth Code of Ordinances.

information symbol

Stay Informed with the Town of Falmouth Website and E-Alerts

There are many Town committees and boards that meet on a regular basis. The events calendar on the Town of Falmouth website homepage lists upcoming board, committee, and Town Council meetings. We send E-Alerts when Town Council, Planning Board, and Board of Zoning Appeals, meeting agendas and minutes are posted to the website. Subscribe via E-Alerts to those that most interest you. Agendas and Minutes for these meetings are also posted online. Town Council, Planning Board, and School Board meetings are live-streamed on Falmouth Community TV Channel 1301 (Former Channel 2). Recordings of these meetings are also available for viewing online. Board of Zoning Appeals Meetings are not broadcast live but can be view online within 24 hours after the meeting. E-Alerts allows you to subscribe to specific email lists about Town-related issues that interest you. Over 70% of respondents to our Communications Methods Survey found E-Alerts to be an effective means of getting info about Town activities. The Falmouth Focus, this bi-weekly newsletter, is another way to stay in the loop. Subscribe via E-Alerts. Please let us know what kind of information you would like to see included in your town newsletter. 

Town of Falmouth, 271 Falmouth Road, Falmouth, ME 04105

207-781-5253
www.falmouthme.org

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