The Town of Scarborough has lifted the “walking only” restriction on public beaches, including Higgins Beach seen here, allowing the public to go back to using the beach traditionally, said the Town of Scarborough’s website. On May 29, the town fully opened the Higgins Beach lot, and Pine Point and Ferry Beach lots were fully open on June 5. Catherine Bart/Leader

SCARBOROUGH — Public and municipal facilities are beginning to get back to a more normal atmosphere, Town Manager Tom Hall said on June 17.

Open  Mondays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 6p.m., the Municipal Building at 259 U.S. Route 1 has been seeing much more “manageable lines,” he said.

Hall acknowledged the work that staff have done to assist residents in an efficient manner.

“I really credit the great attitude they’ve had working through some pretty tough conditions,” he said.

Online services are still available for people who aren’t comfortable going out in public. Making property tax payments, paying for boat or vehicle registrations, or requesting an absentee ballot are some examples. Residents can call 730-4010 for more information.

The Town of Scarborough is also preparing for the July 14 primary election that will take place at Scarborough High School, Hall said. Staff has received state guidelines on how to run the election during the pandemic.

Although Scarborough is expecting a heavy absentee voting turnout this year, Hall said that they are preparing for 3,000 to 4,000 people to mark ballots in person on July 14.

“We have the free reign of that facility and that’s going to be able to help us manage the crowds,” Hall said. “We need to have proper procedures and staff and precautions in place to prepare for that volume.”

In the last couple of weeks, public beaches have reopened their parking lots, Hall said. Facilities on the beaches are also open for the public’s use, and staff are maintaining the amenities.

Tennis restrictions have also been lifted and pickle ball is now available, he said. The turf area is open for general use, but the town is holding off on group-use reservations.

“For all intents and purposes, we are open for business going forward,” Hall said.