What to know about Scarborough and Old Orchard Beach’s radio system referendum
Scarborough Public Safety Building
On Election Day, Scarborough and Old Orchard Beach residents will see a referendum question on their ballots asking whether they want to upgrade to the radio communications system used by both towns’ public safety, public service and school departments.
Scarborough public safety officials held a meeting Monday to answer residents’ questions about the referendum. Here’s what they shared.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE OLD SYSTEM?
Public safety officials have reported communication problems during emergency situations. The current radio system — a 150 megahertz analog VHF (very high frequency) system — uses technology from the 1950s and infrastructure from the 1990s. Most of the equipment needs to be replaced, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find replacement parts. Coverage is unreliable in schools, commercial buildings, residential neighborhoods, beaches and north Scarborough.
“Every day, our police officers, firefighters and paramedics rely on radio communications to respond to emergencies, coordinate critical operations and protect our town,” Scarborough Police Chief Mark Holmquist said. “However, the radio system we rely upon today is built on aging technology with components that are decades old and well past their end of life.”
WHAT IS THE PROPOSED UPGRADE?
The proposed upgrade is an 800 megahertz digital system that would provide more flexibility and scalability. It would add new 180 foot towers in both towns, like the one near the public safety building in Scarborough.
The new system would offer 99.8% coverage for portable radios on the street, and 99.9% vehicle radio coverage. The plan would support 868 radios for police, fire, public works, schools and other essential municipal services in both towns.
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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The project will cost an estimated $12.4 million, with Scarborough contributing $9.2 million and Old Orchard Beach $3.2 million. However, other funding sources could reduce those municipal shares.
The towns are pursuing federal grants, which would bring the total project cost down to $7.4 million — $5.6 million for Scarborough and $1.8 million for Old Orchard Beach.
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In anticipation of receiving that $5 million in federal funding, the Scarborough referendum question asks residents to approve the issuance of up to $6 million in bonds. Old Orchard Beach’s referendum question asks residents to approve $3.3 million, which would cover the total project cost for the town if no other funding is secured.
If the proposal is approved, there would be between $250,000 to $350,000 of radio maintenance costs in fiscal year 2029, according to Joe Thornton, communications director at Scarborough Public Safety.
“$250,000 is a lot of money, but I want to protect what we buy,” Thornton said. “And I don’t want to be here again in 10 years because we didn’t keep up with maintaining the system.”
If voters approve the referendums and the towns receive the federal funding, the new system will be in place by the end of 2028 and last 15 to 20 years.
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WAS THERE A CHEAPER OPTION?
In 2024, the towns hired an independent consultant to analyze the state of the municipal radio system. The two options proposed were to upgrade to a digital system or repair the current VHF system. Upgrading to a digital system costs $12.4 million and would allow the towns to expand their communication system and better communicate with each other and neighboring communities, most of which use a digital system.
Repairing the current system would cost about 25% less, Thornton said, but wouldn’t allow them to expand in the future or communicate directly with neighboring communities.
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What’s on the ballot in Scarborough?
“We think the money is better spent on a solution that fixes the three major area concerns and allows us to not be back in the same position in five years,” Thornton said.
With a growing population, Scarborough needs a communications system that can expand, Scarborough Fire Chief Rich Kindelan said.
WHAT IF THE TOWNS DON’T GET THE FEDERAL GRANT?
Passing the referendum will help the towns’ case to get congressional funding and make it easier to convince Maine’s congressional delegation to support the project, Thornton said.
A successful referendum also would open up alternative grant opportunities that require a local funding commitments.
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Town officials want to bring in as much grant support as possible to reduce the amount of taxpayer money used in the project.
WHAT IF ONLY ONE TOWN APPROVES THE REFERENDUM?
If only Scarborough approves the referendum, the project can move forward without Old Orchard Beach.
If only Old Orchard Beach passes the measure, it will be authorized to spend $3.2 million, but they will have to start the project over and get its own bids, Thornton said.
There is no plan B if Scarborough doesn’t pass the referendum. What Scarborough public officials have been doing so far is living with the risk that if something goes wrong, they just have to hope they have the money in the current operations budget to fix it, Kindelan said.
“There’s a huge liability,” he said. “Your public safety department has always made due with what they had, but it’s not a smart way to do business.”
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Tagged: public safety, Scarborough Police
Salomé Cloteaux is a community reporter covering Scarborough and Westbrook. She was born in France but lived in Indiana for most of her life before moving to Portland in November 2025. Salomé has a degree. More by Salomé Cloteaux
