
The project to effectively repurpose the Mahoney Middle School building and site will be added to the City Council’s list of goals for 2025. File photo / The Forecaster
The South Portland City Council brainstormed goals for 2025 at a workshop on Tuesday where it decided to continue working on goals it set for itself in 2024 and to add a new one.
City Manager Scott Morelli recapped the 2024 goals and work done to address them, such as heightening the city’s coastal and climate resilience, creating more affordable housing and engaging more with the public.
The council decided it would like to adopt the same goals for 2025.
“We still have so much distance to go on these goals, I wouldn’t add any new ones because I think we’ve got our plates full,” said Councilor Linda Cohen.
“I also wouldn’t change what we’re doing,” echoed Councilor Misha Pride. “We did put a lot of effort into this. We had a really good meeting and I was very happy with the goals that we have and I think there is definitely more work to do.”
However, the council elected to add one more: the effective reuse of the former Mahoney Middle School site in a way that serves the entire community.
The former school site is slated to become South Portland’s new City Hall and be home to a new police station and a number of other services.
“I think it’s very important for us to have a specific goal about Mahoney and the Mahoney reuse,” said Councilor Natalie West. “That is the biggest challenge facing this council in the next few years.”
West noted the Mahoney project will likely include a lot more than municipal services, such as arts and performance facilities and space for the neighboring public library to host activities.
“It’s really a lot more than fixing up our current building,” West said. “It’s going to provide a real center for our whole community, hopefully for the next 100 years.”
Councilor Jessica Walker agreed and said it’s important that “we’re all on the same page with the community” when it comes to the Mahoney project.
“We’re going to be spending that money on something like Mahoney or we’re going to be spending it piecemeal on bringing existing properties that we have up to standards that staff and the community continue to use,” Walker said. “If we can work that into a goal like Councilor West wants, I think that’s going to be incredibly beneficial.”
Councilors also debated strategies of how to engage better with the public and the city’s committees.
One idea tossed out by Walker was “taking this show on the road” by hosting some City Council meetings and workshops in other parts of the city. Other councilors explained it was something the council tried in the past but found it to be too costly. Some also noted that the ability for SPCTV to record and stream the meetings from the City Council chambers effectively is a way to engage with the most residents possible.
Councilors also considered adding a goal to attend more committee meetings that the council is not represented on.
“The 10, 11 years I was on the Library Advisory Board, I never saw a City Council member ever at one of our meetings, and the Waste Reduction Committee similar since 2017,” Walker said.
However, councilors cautioned against making it an official goal given the time constraints. Councilors are each on a number of city committees and subcommittees as is and more are created every year.
The City Council is expected to formally adopt the goals by early February.
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