City of Portland Alerts
City News Round Up: Friday, August 16, 2024
City News Round Up: Friday, August 16, 2024
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read a recap of the July 15 City Council meeting. To view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings, please visit portlandmaine.gov/agendas. The next City Council meeting is Monday, August 19, which is a special double meeting at 4 PM and 5:30 PM. Read the agenda preview at the end of this message.
OPTIMUS GRIME Wins! Electric Trash Truck Naming Contest
We have a winner! Thank you to all who played along this summer and helped us name our new electric trash truck – the first in the state of Maine! After tallying your votes the winner is, drumroll please: OPTIMUS GRIME with 55% of the vote! Be on the lookout for the truck bearing its new name soon. View the full voting results on the project page here.
New Initiative Highlights Local Ethnic Grocers/Minority-Owned Businesses
The City’s Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) has launched a new collaboration with the Friends of Woodfords Corner (FWC) to launch Shop Around the World, an exciting new initiative aimed at spotlighting and celebrating the vibrant diversity of ethnic grocers and minority-owned businesses in the Woodfords Corner neighborhood. Read the full story.
Community Garden Volunteer Event Series, 8/22 + 9/7
Volunteers needed! Join our Sustainability team for a series of raised bed-building workshops in our City community gardens. Learn more + sign up here. Whether you are an experienced gardener or just starting, these workshops are designed to be informative and enjoyable for everyone. Check out these great pics from the first volunteer day at the East End School.
9/5 Public Meeting: State and High Streets Two-Way Feasibility Update
Save the date! The City of Portland will be holding a public meeting for the State and High Streets Two-Way Feasibility Update on Thursday, September 5 from 4:00 PM to 6:45 PM (Open House, 4:00 to 5:30 PM, Presentation/Discussion 5:30 to 6:45 PM) at the Rines Auditorium, Portland Public Library. More info to come soon.
City Staff Collaboration Leads to Special Achievement in GIS Award
Congratulations to our City Water Resources team in the Department of Public Works, Engineering staff, and staff of the IT Department, who were awarded for their work this July with a Special Achievement in GIS Award from Esri, a market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping. Read the full story here.
Voters Can Now Request Absentee Ballots for November 5 Election
Absentee ballots can be requested online through the State of Maine’s website. Learn other ways to request your ballot on our website here. Ballots will be sent out once they are ready in October. Maine residents can now register to vote, update registration details, or change party status ONLINE! Get started here.
Volunteer to Serve on Several Boards & Committees
Volunteer positions on City boards and committees are an important part of our local government - get involved! Read the full position descriptions and learn how to apply by visiting portlandmaine.gov/Boards. Apply by Friday, August 30; applicants will be contacted for interviews. If you have additional questions, please contact Portland City Clerk at arand@portlandmaine.gov or by phone at 207-874-8614.
8/31: Tunnels to Towers Run
Join Portland Fire, starting at Payson Park, on Saturday, August 31 for their first ever Tunnels to Towers Foundation Run/Walk 5k benefitting the families of fallen first responders and military veterans. Learn more + register here.
Host a Neighborhood Block Party - FREE!
Block parties are a great way to connect with neighbors, build community, and have fun! For a limited time, the City is waiving the block party permit fee and offering free block party kits to reserve. Details: portlandmaine.gov/blockparty.
Maine Offers Free Collection of Unwanted/Unusable Pesticides
Homeowners and small family-owned farms are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity by bringing their unwanted pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, disinfectants, and similar products used in agricultural production or around the home, to collection sites in Presque Isle, Bangor, Augusta, and Portland. Please pre-register here to attend this DEP Free Collection.
HUD Features Portland Affordable Housing Projects
The August 2024 HUD Guide, "Creating a Public Funding Strategy to Maximize Housing Production", highlights the work Portland has undertaken to coordinate a public funding strategy towards developing affordable housing. Examples cited in the report include 83 Middle Street, 58 Boyd, and Deering Place. Read it here.
DIY Electrify! Rebates Still Available
The Sustainability Office is still offering rebates up to $250 to eligible Portland homeowners and renters for a list of eligible items - including Energy-Star certified air conditioners, cellular window shades, smart thermostats, and other energy efficiency items. Save money & save energy, click here to learn more about DIY Electrify.
Revaluation Time! Data Mailers Have Been Sent Out
All residential property owners are receiving data mailers requesting verification of property information. Information about the revaluation process is available on a new website. View a sample data mailer. Property owners are encouraged to visit the site and contact the Assessor’s Office with questions.
Portland Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates
The 2024-2025 Fall/Winter/Spring Recreation Program Guide is now available to the public! The guide has information for all Recreation services the department provides through the Spring of 2025. Registration opens Monday, 8/26 at 8:00 AM to residents of Portland. Non-resident registration will open at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, 9/3. Read their other latest updates in their July 2024 newsletter.
The Parks Division is also actively recruiting people to work for our Before & After the Bell program as well as in Aquatics. These are great, flexible positions! Learn more by visiting our jobs portal and help us spread the word. Visit the Parks & Rec website to learn more about new registration changes.
9/3: Free Class for Entrepreneurs hosted by New Ventures Maine
New Ventures Maine will offer Venturing Forth: Business Planning for Entrepreneurs, a free, online 60-hour course in business planning, starting September 3. For new entrepreneurs or existing business owners, the class helps businesspeople create a written business plan from start to finish. Contact NVME staff, Alicia LaFosse, to learn more: alicia.lafosse@maine.edu or (207) 621-7457
We’re Hiring!
Come make a difference with us, our wellness benefits are award winning! We are hiring across several departments in the city, with a variety of open positions: healthcare roles (RNs/CNAs), trades workers, before + after school recreation counselors, 911 dispatchers, community health workers, and more. Connect with our city recruiter to learn more, or apply today.
DPW Paving Updates and Ongoing Construction Projects
City Receives $3.6M from State to Improve Resiliency Along Waterfront
The State of Maine recently awarded $25.2 million in storm recovery grants to 39 communities across Maine to help them recover and build more resilient infrastructure following last winter's devastating storms. The City is thankful to have received $3.6 million to strengthen stormwater infrastructure in the Old Port, resulting in better drainage along the city's working waterfront. These funds will allow our Water Resources team to complete the Commercial Street and Portland Fish Pier Storm Drain Outfall Project.
Ongoing: Western Promenade Drainage Improvements Project
Residents were notified by mail of this construction anticipated to begin during the week of June 17 and scheduled to be substantially completed by 10/31/24. Read full details. Starting on Wednesday, 7/31, the Western Promenade Roadway from Bowdoin to Vaughan Streets will be closed to local traffic only.
Visit portlandmaine.gov/PublicWorks for links to all the most recent DPW project updates, or find all paving updates here.
8/19 City Council Meeting Agenda Preview
The City Council will conduct this special double meeting from Council Chambers, 2nd floor of City Hall. The public may attend in person or watch via livestream.
4:00 PM: Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
6 Consent Items + Unfinished Business, Public comment taken
#11 Approving/Authorizing City Manager to Execute the Amended/Restated Lease Agreement With DBH Portland, LLC, for use of Hadlock Stadium for Portland Seadogs
#19 Amending Downtown Transit Oriented Development + Omnibus Tax Increment Financing District to Make 70 East Oxford Street an Affordable Housing Tax Increment Financing District
#20 Designating/Adopting Municipal Development Program for 70 East Oxford Street Affordable Housing Development + Tax Increment Financing District
#21 Approving COMB Block Affordable Housing Credit Enhancement Agreement w/ COMB Block Phase One, LP for 70 East Oxford Street Affordable Housing Development + Tax Increment Financing District
#22 Appropriating $650,000 from Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund to Portland Housing Development Corporation, COMB Block Phase One, LP RE: 70 East Oxford Street
#24 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 9 RE: Peaks Island Council; Nomination and Appointment of Members; Procedural Requirements for Meetings
#28 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 6 RE: Short Term Rental Unit Registration Requirements
#23 Setting Election Date on Amendment to Portland City Code RE: an act to Amend Portland's Short Term Rental Unit Registration Requirements
#25 Setting Election Date on Amendment to Chapter 33 Portland City Code RE: Act to Increase Portland's Minimum Wage
#26 Setting Election Date on Amendment to Chapter 33 Portland City Code RE: Act to Eliminate Portland's Sub-Minimum Wage for Service Employee
#27 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 17 RE: Repeal of Section 17-5
Orders, Public comment taken
#35 Setting Election Date on Citizen Initiative Amendment to Portland City Code Re: An Act to Amend the City of Portland's Emergency Wage Provision
5:30 PM: Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
Appointments + 1 Consent Item
#36 Appointing Councilor Pious Ali to Maine Municipal Association Executive Committee
Orders, Public comment taken except #41-42
#38 Designating 42 Atlantic St an Affordable Housing Development District + Tax Increment Financing District and Adopting Municipal Development Program for the District
#39 Approving 42 Atlantic Street Affordable Housing Credit Enhancement Agreement w/ LB Atlantic LLC
#40 Accepting/Appropriating $50,000 in Assistance to Firefighters Grant Funding from FEMA
#41 Approving Three-Party Partnership Agreements Between the City, Maine DOT, + Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System RE: Improvements to Riverside St and Washington Ave (First Read)
#42 Accepting/Appropriating $90,000 Donation + $30,000 Grant for Lincoln Park Fence Project (First Read)
Amendments, First Read only
#43 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 6 RE: National Electric Code (First Read)