City News Round Up:  Friday, September 27, 2024
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read a recap of the September 4 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, October 7 at 5PM.

Tree Walks, West End Neighborhood Association
Save the dates, 9/28 and 10/2, for upcoming Tree Walks! The tree identification walk will highlight the diverse trees in the West End’s Western Cemetery. Find the full details here. 

Portland Public Health Hosted Free Naloxone Event as Part of Save a Life Day
Yesterday more than 30 states hosted 300+ free naloxone events for the country’s largest annual free naloxone day to date. Save a Life Day: East covers all the states east of the Mississippi River. Naloxone, more well known by one of its brand names, Narcan, is an easy-to-use nasal spray that works to reverse opioid overdoses. Find the full details here. 

Last Weekend! Sundays on the Boulevard Ends September 29
Reminder: Baxter Boulevard is closed to vehicular traffic Sundays only, 9AM - 4PM, and OPEN for walkers, bikers, pedestrian traffic + play through Sunday, September 29, 2024! Street details: Baxter Boulevard is closed to traffic from Vannah Ave. to Catafalque Dr. (Payson Park east entrance). Payson Park, west entrance road - from the tip of the Grass Triangle (by the softball field) to Baxter Boulevard.

9/30: ReCode Final Draft Workshop
The City Council will host a ReCode workshop on Monday, 9/30, at 5:00 PM in City Council Chambers. The workshop will include an overview of the final ReCode drafts, the public is welcome to attend. Materials for the workshop will be posted to the City agenda portal prior to the workshop. The Planning Board Public Hearing has been rescheduled to Tuesday, 10/8. The final drafts of the land use code and zoning map are available for review on the ReCode website here, and you can still send comments to: recodeportland@portlandmaine.gov.

City Reminds Residents of Annual Street Maintenance Parking Restrictions
Attention residents who live or park on the peninsula! Overnight street maintenance parking restrictions go back into effect on October 1 (daytime also, in some areas). This applies to all citizens who live or park on the peninsula (and Nathan Clifford area). Regulations are in effect annually from October 1 - May 31. Cars not in compliance with City of Portland street maintenance signs are subject to ticketing and towing. Learn more here.

10/3: City Hall Partial Closure
City Hall and Canco Road Buildings will be closed to the public for a partial day on Thursday, October 3 from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM for an Employee Appreciation Event. Thank you for your understanding, find online City services here.

Join Us at Eggs & Issues on October 10
The Portland Community Chamber of Commerce brings the leaders of Maine's largest city together in conversation on where we are headed next to harness our strengths and overcome obstacles. Join the Portland Mayor, City Manager, and Chief of Police at the next Eggs & Issues event on Thursday, October 10, at 7:00 AM at USM's Hannaford Hall (88 Bedford St. Portland). Register here.

Public Health Vaccination Clinics Start October 4
In conjunction with Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, we’ve announced a series of upcoming influenza (flu) and COVID vaccination clinics open to the public (insured and uninsured). For those with insurance, you must bring your insurance card with you to the clinic. Find the full list of dates and locations here.

Grants Available for Immigrant-Owned Microenterprises
The Business Hub at the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center is accepting applications for Immigrant Entrepreneur Microgrants. Grants will be for a total of $4000 each and require participation in a series of business skills workshops. Applications are due November 8. Businesses must be owned by low/moderate income immigrants and the business must be located in Portland. Learn more and apply here. 

Moody’s Updates Credit Rating for Portland to Aaa
We’re pleased to announce that we recently received excellent news from Moody’s Ratings with a final credit opinion that upgraded the City to Aaa, the highest rating it offers. The City now holds the highly coveted AAA rating with both major credit rating agencies, resulting in further reduction in future debt service costs and additional demand for the City’s municipal bonds. Read the full update.

Sharps/Needles on Public Property
Remember, do not pick up any sharps you come across on public property! Please call the Department of Public Works at 207-874-8493 or submit a request through Portland 311 and a trained specialist will be dispatched to pick up the items and dispose of them properly.

Reminder: Appointments Strongly Recommended to Avoid Wait Times
A friendly reminder that appointments are strongly recommended for auto registrations as current wait times for walk-ins have been averaging an hour. Making an appointment will save you time! Walk-ins are accepted as time and resources allow. You can easily book an appointment online. Property tax payments can be dropped off at any time. The payment drop box is now in the lobby/main entrance of City Hall (by the greeters desk). Questions regarding payments can be directed to the Treasury office at treasury@portlandmaine.gov.

New! Evergreen Woods Improved Access Trail
Last week was the Portland Trails ribbon cutting and opening of the new Evergreen Woods Improved Access Trail. This newly upgraded trail behind Evergreen Cemetery is designed to provide improved access for all user types, including wheelchairs, strollers, bikes, and more.

Portland Seeks the Perfect Tree to Light Up Monument Square
The search is officially underway! Along with Portland Downtown, we are excited to announce a community-wide effort to find the ideal tree to illuminate Monument Square this winter season! Visit portlandMaine.com/tree to learn more + submit your tree by November 1, 2024. The chosen tree will be carefully removed and transported from its current location at no cost to the owner. 

FY25 Property Tax Bills Now Available
FY25 property tax bills are now available. Due dates are October 18, 2024 and March 14, 2025. Visit our web portal to view and/or pay your property taxes online. The payment drop box is now in the lobby/main entrance of City Hall (by the greeters desk). Questions regarding payments can be directed to the Treasury office at 207-874-8490. Questions regarding exemptions, valuations, or address changes, contact the Assessor's office at 207-874-8486.

• Homestead Exemption Note:  Please note that the Homestead Exemption value this year is $22,500 and not the full $25,000. Because the ratio for assessment of properties for the City changes, due to the market value of properties, municipalities take that ratio off the exemptions amount as well. Last year, the ratio to market value was at 100%. This year, it’s at 90%. 
  • Example:

FY24 (July 2023-June 2024) $25,000 x 1.00 = $25,000 = $360.25 off your bill

FY25 (July 2024-June 2025) $25,000 x .90 = $22,500 (current) = $337.73 off your bill

It’s Revaluation Time! Find the Details On New Website
Make sure you complete the revaluation data mailer that was sent out recently. Information about the revaluation process is available on a new website where residents can learn more + view a sample data mailer. Data mailers for condominiums will be sent in the next few weeks. Property owners are encouraged to visit the site and contact the Assessor’s Office with questions. 

City Announces Allowable Rent Increases Per CPI for Calendar Year 2025
Per City ordinance, each September we determine the allowable rent increase per the consumer price index (CPI). Based on the most recent available data from the Bureau of Labor Standards, from July 2023 to July 2024, the CPI-U for the greater Boston metro area advanced 3.5%. Therefore, the Allowable Increase Percentage for calendar year 2025 is 2.5%. Read the full update.

Fall Veteran Memorial Events
Memorial events will be held in Portland this fall for six U.S. Army veterans who died in the War of 1812 and for whom, until now, military markers have not been available, the next is on Sunday, October 13, for War of 1812 POWs, 1:00 PM, 1812 Cemetery, Eastern Promenade. Please contact Program Organizer, Larry Glatz, larry.glatz@gmail.com for more information.

Portland Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates
Read all the latest updates in the September 2024 newsletter here. 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, and registration is now open.

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.

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.
 

DPW Paving Updates and Ongoing Construction Projects

Update: Back Cove South Nearing Completion
You may have seen TV news stories recently regarding an update on this project. While the project experienced several geotechnical delays, it will be substantially completed this fall, and fully complete in spring of 2025 when the grass sod is installed on the soccer field.

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.