Scores of Biddeford residents turned out Tuesday for the first of two public hearings on the city’s proposed budget.

Only one resident — former City Councilor Michael Swanton — suggested a budget cut, calling on the council to close and sell the city’s public access television station on Pool Road.

“Technology has zoomed by cable television,” Swanton told the council. “That’s $300,000 each year for something that only a handful of people use.”

Nearly 40 other people approached the podium one-by-one to voice support for various social service agencies, including the McArthur Library, Biddeford Community Gardens and the Heart of Biddeford.

Although there are more than 30 social service agencies requesting funding from the city, only three of them were mentioned during the public comment period — and once again — public support for the library dominated the 45-minute public hearing.

In a repeat of last year, the majority of comments came from people asking to fully fund the library’s budget request, which is just over $1 million this year, mainly to support ongoing renovations at the 160-year-old building. According to documents filed with the city, the library’s board of directors indicated that only 25 percent of their funding request would be used for salaries.

“How we fund these things should reflect our values,” one man told the council.

More than 30 people spoke in support of the library, but 12 people expressed support for Biddeford’s Community Gardens; and one person spoke in favor of the funding request from the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Resource Center.

New Bathhouse Should be Ready on Memorial Day

Although the iconic Biddeford Pool Bathhouse in the Gilbert Boucher Park was destroyed during a January 2024 coastal storm, a new bathhouse is expected to be ready by Memorial Day.

After reviewing several bids from private contractors, the city council was poised to spend roughly $222,000 to build a 24 x 24-square foot replacement facility. Councilor Marc Lessard, however, suggested having the city’s Public Works Department submit their own proposal for the project.

Public Works Director Jeff Demers said his department could complete the task and construct a larger facility for roughly $135,000., a savings of roughly $87,000.

According to Recreation Director Lisa Thompson, the new bathhouse will be a 28 x 32-square foot structure that will include two regular bathrooms, a family bathroom, an accessible bathroom for persons with disabilities and outdoor showers.

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