City of Portland Alerts

City News Round Up: Friday, March 13, 2026

City News Round Up: Friday, March 13, 2026

Meetings & Agendas
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Council, Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings, and to view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings. Read a recap of the March 2nd City Council meeting. The next meeting is Monday, March 16, at 5:00 PM. Read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

St. Patrick's Day Parade
The annual parade will take place on Sunday, March 15 this year at 12:00 PM, beginning at the Portland Fish Pier parking lot on the corner of Center Street and Commercial Street. The parade proceeds east along Commercial Street, ending at the reviewing stand at Bell Buoy Park between RiRa Irish Restaurant and the Casco Bay Parking Garage by Franklin Street. Email volunteer@maineirish.com, for more information.

Cruise Ship Tariff Fees Increasing in 2027
We are increasing cruise ship tariff fees beginning January 1, 2027. The new rate structure includes a discounted rate to encourage the use of low sulphur fuels while ships are at berth. The new rates are included in the City’s Tariff 11, which will replace Tariff 10 in 2027. The tariff rates, rules, and regulations apply to the two City-owned facilities at the Portland Ocean Terminal at the Maine State Pier and Ocean Gateway Terminal.

City Manager Releases Recommendations for FY27 CDBG Allocations
City Manager Danielle West has released recommendations to the City Council for FY27 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. The City Council will hold two public hearings on Monday, April 13 and Monday, April 27 regarding the CDBG funding, with a final vote at the second hearing.

Meet Our February 2026 Employee of the Month
Congratulations to Lillian Luttrell, our February 2026 Employee of the Month! Lillian is a Vital Records Clerk in the City Clerk’s Office, recognized for her exceptional customer service, dedication, and positivity. Lillian is praised for her hard work and strong work ethic, she goes above and beyond every day, assisting customers and is always ready to tackle any challenge. Lillian’s outstanding customer service, thoughtfulness, and genuine friendliness ensure every person feels safe, welcome, and validated. Whether issuing birth certificates or performing wedding ceremonies, Lillian does her absolute best to help everyone.  Lillian, thank you! You truly are an asset to the City Clerk’s Office and to the City.  

City Staff Moderates Roundabout Design and Safety Panel
Our Transportation Systems Engineer, Jeremiah J. Bartlett, moderated a recent event hosted by Greater Portland Council of Governments, "All Around Success: Modern Roundabouts for Safer Design," which was held at USM's McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success. Jim Brainard, former mayor of Carmel, IN -the 'roundabout capital' of the United States- was the keynote speaker.   The panel shared their experience and perspective on planning, design, community engagement, funding, and construction. 

Coffee & Climate: What's Powering Your Electric Bill
Join the One Climate Future Team on Friday, March 20th, 9-10 AM, to discuss rising energy costs. Joined by Charlie Agnew of Competitive Energy Services, the chat will explore factors contributing to these costs and how they impact your electric and gas bill. Learn more and register to join!

Free Film Screening and Community Conversation
The Friends of Woodfords Corner and Odd Fellows Hall invite you to a free film screening Thursday, March 26th, 6-8PM. Watch "Join or Die: A Film About Why You Should Join a Club" and follow the half-century story of the unraveling of America’s social fabric through the journey of Harvard social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking “Bowling Alone” research has illuminated the powerful connection between ordinary community bonds and our health, happiness, economy, and politics. After the show, stay for the rare 30-minute tour of the historic Odd Fellows Hall. 

Read the City Manager’s Recommended FY27 Capital Improvement Plan
The City Council’s Finance Committee hosted a public hearing and final review of the City Manager’s recommended FY27 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) at its Thursday, March 5 meeting. Following the committee process, the CIP budget will be sent to the City Council for consideration and adoption in April. Read our full update to learn more.

Updated Winter Warming Plan
We have updated the winter warming shelter operational plan to include National Weather Service blizzard warnings and ice storm warnings as warming shelter activation criteria. A process to consider opening the facility when severe weather conditions are predicted with less than 48 hours' notice has also been added, and will depend on the availability of staff needed to safely operate the facility. ⁠On March 10, the Health and Human Services & Public Safety Committee plans to discuss winter warming shelter operational expectations, including activation criteria, which will inform planning for the 2026-2027 winter season.

New Podcast: Digging into Portland Harbor’s $25 Million Investment
Hear from Heather Moretti, our new Waterfront Coordinator, in the latest Let’s Connect podcast. Learn more about the Portland Harbor dredging project now underway—why it matters for the working waterfront, what’s being done about contaminated sediments, and how the project is being managed and funded. Tune into future podcasts on Thursdays at 1 PM on WMPG, 90.09 FM.

Portland’s Co-op Tree Planting Program Returns
The City’s Co-op Tree Planting Program is a partnership in which a resident selects and purchases a tree from a local nursery and Forestry staff completes the pick-up and planting process. Co-op trees can be planted in esplanades, tree wells, or lawns -learn more!

3/20: Property Taxes Due
Property tax bills can be viewed and paid on our Citizen Self Service website; the second half of the payment is due Friday, March 20. You can also find a Treasury payment drop box in the City Hall lobby.

P-STEP Applications Now Available
Portland Senior Tax Equity Program (P-STEP) applications have been mailed to those who qualified last year and are now available on our website via an online fillable form, a PDF fillable and printable form, and in-person at the Treasury Department. Please call our Treasury staff with questions at 207-874-8490.

Assessor’s Office Reviewing Nonprofit Tax Exemptions
We understand there are concerns and questions regarding the news that some nonprofit organizations have recently had their property tax exemptions revoked. We want to share information regarding this process and outcome, which is in accordance with State law. There are approximately 560 tax-exempt, privately-owned parcels within the city of Portland, and all are being reviewed by the Assessor's Office. Property tax exemptions in Maine are governed exclusively by state law. At this time, 17 organizations have been notified that parcels they own are no longer qualified for an exemption or will no longer be qualified for an exemption as of April 1, 2026. These organizations are welcome to request a reconsideration, appeal the decision through the appeal process and may re-apply for an exemption by April 1, 2026. Use the link above to learn more about this work.

Cumberland County Adopts New Emergency Notification System
As of February 20, the new Rave Alert system, powered by Smart911, replaces the CodeRed system that had previously been used by Cumberland County. Anyone wishing to continue to receive alerts must subscribe to the new system. Visit their dedicated webpage to sign up, or call 207-893-2810. The new system will alert you with a call, text or email and provide important instructions when a disaster impacts the area.

Greater Portland Region FlashVote Community
Do you have one minute a month to help make the Greater Portland region better? Join your friends and neighbors and make your voice heard on important local issues. You’ll get a short 1-minute survey every few months and you’ll get to see full survey results within 48 hours! Sign up here, to catch the first survey, coming soon! FlashVote makes sure your feedback is always anonymous, and your input will help leaders in the Greater Portland region make better decisions for everyone in our community. 

Public Works Updates

Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates

We’re Hiring!
We are hiring across several departments, with a variety of open positions: healthcare roles (RNs/CNAs), trades workers, before and after school recreation counselors, lifeguards, 911 dispatchers, community health workers, and
more. Come make a difference with us! Our wellness benefits are award winning.


March 16th City Council Meeting - Agenda Preview

The City Council will conduct this meeting in the Council Chambers, 2nd floor of City Hall. The public may attend in person or watch online.

5:00 PM - Public comment period on non-agenda items

Proclamations

#24 Recognizing Bridgit Sliwak as the 2025 Civilian of the Year for the Portland Maine Police Department

#25 Recognizing Garrick Rogers as the 2025 Officer of the Year for the Portland Maine Police Department 

#26  Recognizing April 6 to April 12, 2026, as National Public Health Week

Appointments and 10 Consent Items (Public comment taken)

#147 Appointing Ethan Maddix as Constable for the Parking Division 

Communications (No Public comment, No Council action)

#13 Adoption of Planning Board Procedural Rules

Unfinished Business (Public comment taken)

#142 Approving Agreement Between the Maine Department of Transportation and Portland RE: Baxter Boulevard Pavement Rehabilitation Project

#143  Approving Agreement Between the Maine Department of Transportation, Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System, the Greater Portland Council of Governments, and the City of Portland RE: Improvements to High Street

#144  Approving Agreement Between the Maine Department of Transportation and the City of Portland RE: Improvements to Signal Equipment at the the Interstate 295 Ramps & Veranda Street

#145  Amendment to Portland City Code Chapter 14 RE: Land Use Code Updates

#146  Amendment to Portland Zoning Map RE: Updates

Orders (All First Read only)

#158 Accepting/Appropriating a $500 Donation from Alireza Shahin Khojastehzad to the Shahnaz Mahager Hummingbird Grant Program

#159 Approving Subaward Agreement between Maine Health and the City and Accepting/Appropriating $23,815.42 for Project DHARMA 

#160 Approving Memorandum of Agreement and Accepting/Appropriating $300,000 from Trinity Episcopal Church RE: Trinity Park

#161 Appropriating Bond Proceeds and Other Funds for the City's FY2027 Capital Improvement Program 

#162 Authorizing General Obligation Bonds to Finance a Portion of the City's Fiscal Year FY27 Capital Improvement Program 

#163 Accepting/Appropriating Federal Aviation Administration Grants, State of Maine Grants, State of Maine Matching Grants, and Portland International Jetport Unrestricted Matching Funds 



 
Past Alerts