The following report was delivered by Town Manager Patrick Fox at the April 14, 2025 Town Council Meeting.

Manager Remarks:

On Friday, April 18, the new Town website will go live using our new domain: www.capeelizabeth.gov

The new .gov domain helps protect our website from being copied or impersonated by outside parties.

The new and current website will stay live during the preliminary phase of launching the new website.  For approximately one month, residents will still be able to access materials through the .com URL while becoming more familiar with the .gov site.  Detailed information on what to expect from the new website, as well as an opportunity to provide user feedback, will be provided.  New agenda software will be rolled out in the coming months on the new site as well.

While change always presents some challenges at the beginning, we are confident that the speed and ease of navigating the new website will be a welcomed change for all.

Councilor Requests and Follow-Ups:

There have recently been news stories and bulletins regarding the potential removal of the federal tax exemption for municipal bonds.  These are the bonds municipalities across the country rely on to pay for roads, bridges, facilities, and utility systems.  This tax exemption has been built into the tax code since 1913.  This could drive borrowing costs up considerably for the majority of the infrastructure we enjoy in our daily lives all across the Country.  

I will be working with Maine Municipal Associations and contacting our Federal Delegation to help protect this important tax exemption for Cape Elizabeth.  

Bids, Events and Special Announcements:

• The Town Center Intersection went through some modifications to find reductions in the project scope that would result in cost savings.  The project bids are due April 17^th.   

• Code Enforcement has done a great job getting up to speed on all of the new Statewide building codes updates that went into effect on April 7, 2025.  Our staff stayed very involved throughout the two-year process leading to this adoption and is well versed in all of the changes to energy efficiency, health and safety. 

• Registered Cape Elizabeth voters can request an absentee ballot by calling the Clerk's Office, or picking up an application at Town Hall, Community Services, or the Thomas Memorial Library. There is also a link on the Town's website.  Ballots are expected to be mailed out in the middle of May. Absentee in-person voting in the Town Hall Council Chamber is expected to begin May 13th, and the last day to request an absentee ballot is June 5th 4:30pm.