Cape councilors sworn in

Cape Elizabeth Town Clerk Debra Lane was a busy woman at last Monday’s Town Council meeting. She administered the oath of office to seven recently elected officials including town councilors Frank Governali, Sara Lennon, Jessica Sullivan and James Walsh. She also swore in school board members John Christie, David Hillman and Mary Williams-Hewitt.

In its first order of business, the new council elected Anne Swift-Kayatta as chairman for the next year. The vote was unanimous, 7-0.

Lennon was unanimously elected as the council’s finance committee chairman.

Council passes funds to schools

Cape Elizabeth Town Manager Michael McGovern recommended the council combine $52,000 of unallocated funds with $85,000 of federal stimulus funds for lighting updates at the high school, middle school, elementary school and community center.

He estimated Cape Elizabeth would save $846,000  in electricity charges over a 15-year period with the installation of the new lights. 

“In my view, it would be well worth the investment,” McGovern said. 

The council agreed, passing the measure by a vote of 7-0.

McGovern also asked the council to credit the school department the $73,110.35 premium gained by the refinancing 1998 and 1999 bonds. With interest savings, the total saved for the school department this year will be  $105,685.18. The refinancing also will save the municipal budget  $118,853.02 this year. The motion was unanimously approved.

“I want to thank Mike McGovern,” Swift-Kayatta said. “Single-handedly, he’s been able to save the town over $200,000 this year. The town is lucky to have a manager with such financial acumen.”

The council also voted to acknowledge eceipt of a report from the Fort Williams Advisory Commission, led by Dan Chase.

The report includes recommendations on how Fort Williams Park might become self-sustaining. One of the recommendations calls for charging parking fees – an idea defeated by voters in 2006. 

Sherman made a motion to accept the report with the stipulation the council would discuss the report’s recommendations at a workshop in early 2010. Jordan added a second to the motion. It passed without opposition.

Car burglaries up in S. Portland

The South Portland Police department received 15 reports of car burglaries last weekend according to Lt. Todd Bernard. The incidents occurred late Sunday or early Monday morning and they were confined mainly to the Ferry Village neighborhood.

Several residents reported that someone went through their cars but nothing was taken. Investigators have no suspects but  believe all the crimes are connected, Bernard said.

All of the burglaries were directed at unlocked cars. 

“There were no forced entries,” Bernard said. “There’s a lesson there. Lock your car. If your car is locked, they’re going to move on to easier targets.”

Bernard said the thief or thieves were looking for things that would be easy to sell on eBay, in pawn shops, or on craigslist. GPS devices, cash and expensive sunglasses were stolen.

“Those unlocked cars are easy targets and they make easy work for burglars,” Bernard said.

He said if anyone has any information regarding these burglaries, they should call the South Portland Police Department at 799-5511.

 – Compiled by Rick Wright.