Fire danger

The Cape Elizabeth Fire Department has launched a new service on its website to advise residents if weather conditions are favorable for obtaining a burn permit.

A “fire danger status” will be posted online each day by 9 a.m. and will be refreshed every 10 minutes throughout the day. If fire danger is “low” or “moderate,” a link will be displayed that residents can click on to obtain information about how to get a fire permit. If fire danger is “high,” “very high” or “extreme,” the department will not issue burn permits that day and the associated link will not appear.

Sandwich signs

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council Ordinance Committee was scheduled to review restrictions on the display of so-called sandwich-board signs in town at its Sept. 19 meeting, which took place after the deadline for this week’s Current. The review was requested by Janice Stockton, owner of Shore Things, a women’s consignment shop on Shore Road. “As a member of the Cape Business Alliance here in town, it is our goal to foster growth in all businesses throughout the town,” she wrote in an email to councilors. “I feel that the existing ordinance places a burden on us by restricting the use of these signs to 90 days out of the entire year.”

Capital needs

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council will conduct a joint meeting with the school board at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at town hall to discuss a combined capital improvements plan for the next 10 years. On Sept. 10, Michael Moore, chairman of the school board’s finance committee, presented the full school board with a capital stewardship plan for the infrastructure under their purview. That plan calls for spending $13 million on school and Community Services infrastructure, including the Richards Pool, during the next decade. According to Moore, borrowing would be partially offset by $6 million in bonds due to be paid off during that time. The plan calls for borrowing $2.7 million of the $11.8 million earmarked for school buildings and $1 million of the $2.2 million worth of needs identified at the pool and the Community Services building. Following the joint session, the school board is expected to vote on a final facilities plan, possibly as soon as its October meeting.

Architect picked

The Cape Elizabeth Library Planning Committee has chosen Reed & Co. Architecture of Portland from among 11 applicants to help it develop a “very preliminary concept plan” of library needs for the next quarter-century. Tasks will include determining space needs for a variety of programming and service features requested at recent community dialogues, helping to decide if the current library should be renovated or rebuilt, and drawing up an initial project budget. At its Sept. 9 meeting, the Town Council authorized spending up to $20,000 for Reed’s expertise, including eventual concept drawings. Committee Chairman Molly MacAuslan said Reed won out because of its experience with library planning, including recent projects in New Gloucester, Harrison and Peaks Island.