CENTRAL MAINE • September 3, 2025
Town officials are moving forward with developing an ordinance that would explicitly prohibit overnight camping in public spaces as part of an ongoing effort to address the impacts of homelessness. Bryan Belliveau, director of economic and community development, said, “They’re just moving around a lot more.…we certainly don’t want them in our public places trashing them. We’ve got to do something to get them out of here.” Police can issue trespass notices or warnings but need more authority to make people move permanently. Whitney Cunliffe, chair of the select board, said, “These are some of our nicest places getting ruined. I care about homeless. But we’ve got to take care of the residents that pay taxes here, and people need to feel safe.”