City News Round Up: Friday, February 14, 2025

Meetings & Agendas
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read a recap of the February 3 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, February 24, at 5:00 PM. 

Emergency Warming Shelter Open Overnight: 2/14, 2/17, 2/18
CommonSpace will open the overnight Emergency Warming Shelter tonight, 2/14, Monday, 2/17, and Tuesday, 2/18 (7PM-7AM) at First Parish Church (425 Congress St.) in Portland. The entrance is through the red door in “freshman alley” by Portland High School. Contact Commonspace for more information: 207-823-4273.

2/17: Upcoming Holiday Closure
Portland City Hall and city buildings will be closed on Monday, February 17 in observance of Presidents' Day. There is no change to trash and recycling collection.

Volunteers Needed to Shovel Snow for Elderly Neighbors
Age-Friendly Portland needs snow shoveling volunteers! Find the full details. Volunteers are asked to shovel steps, walks, and sidewalks for an elderly neighbor. At this time they are especially needed in the North Deering, Deering Center, Libbytown, and Back Cove neighborhoods. If you are interested in volunteering or just need more information, please call Linda Weare at 207-541-6620 or email LSW@portlandmaine.gov. 

Winter Storm Reminders
Now that we are in an active snow pattern, we want to remind residents of winter operations information. The fastest way to receive parking ban notifications is to sign up for our city alerts; you can choose to receive these via email and/or text message. Sign up today by visiting portlandmaine.gov/stayconnected OR text PortlandParkingBan to 38276. ⁠

The City’s residential sand and salt pile is located at the Little League parking lot at Payson Park. This sand and salt pile is for residential use only, contractors are not allowed. Residents can take two 5-gallon pails at a time.

Sidewalk Snow Removal Regulations

• The City’s sidewalk snow removal ordinance requires business owners to remove snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their property 12 hours following a winter storm, and residential owners to clear snow and ice abutting their property 18 hours following the end of a storm or when the City finishes snow removal operations, whichever is later.  

• Business owners who fail to remove snow and ice within these time frames risk facing a $250 fine for the first offense, $500 for the second offense within the same winter season and $1,000 for any subsequent offense within the same winter season. Additionally, should the city have to remove the snow and ice or arrange for its removal, the property owner will be charged for the cost of removal plus a 10% charge for administration. 

• Residential owners can be fined $75 for the first offense, $125 for the second offense in the same winter season and $250 for any subsequent offense in the same winter season. Like business owners, should the city have to remove the snow and ice or arrange for its removal, the property owner will be charged for the cost of removal plus a 10% charge for administration. 

• View a map to see which sidewalks the City clears. Note:  The map has been updated since last winter.

Take the Regional Trail Plan Survey
The Greater Portland Council of Governments is creating a plan to improve multi-use trail connectivity in our region, and needs your help gathering community input! Take their quick survey on making multi-use paths and trails better in the Greater Portland area. Multi-use paths are trails/paths separated from vehicle traffic and designed for both bicycles and pedestrians. 

January 2025 Employee of the Month - Jon Belanger
Congratulations to Jon Belanger, of the Portland Fire Department, who is our January 2025 Employee of the Month! Jon was selected for this honor in recognition of his work as a Fire Alarm Specialist with over 27 years of City Service. City staff commend Jon's outstanding customer service and quality of work to make the City a safer and more resilient place. This award recognizes his continuous commitment to providing the best possible service and safety to both citizens and staff of the City. Read more about Jon's great work here, he is truly an asset to the Fire Department and to the City of Portland, Maine. 

Natural Helpers Fellowship Enters Fifth Year of Civic Leadership Training
Our Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) is thrilled to announce the start of the 2025 Natural Helpers Fellowship. The 2025 Natural Helpers Fellowship comprises 14 community leaders recognized for their leadership in the public sector, non-profits, community-based organizations, and in their local community. Read the full update here.

Creative Portland Open Call, 2025 Juried Art Exhibition
Greater Portland artists are invited to submit work for consideration for Creative Portland's 8th juried show, “Acceptance”, which will hang for one year (May 2025 - April 2026) at the 84 Free Street gallery space. Artists are invited to submit work here (up to three pieces) for consideration.

New Prices at Riverside Recycling
Pricing has changed, effective 2/1/25, at Riverside Recycling. Find the full details on their website here.

Portland Senior Tax Equity Program (P-Step) Applications
Our Treasury staff has mailed new applications to residents who were approved for the P-Step program last year; a new application must be filed every year that you are eligible for the program. Applications are available online and in-person at City Hall; this year’s application period runs January 1 through July 31, 2025. Learn more about the Portland Senior Tax Equity Program (P-STEP) on our website.

Declaration Forms Mailed for Upcoming Tax Year
Business owners were recently mailed a 2025 Personal Property Declaration form in preparation for the upcoming tax year. In addition, commercial property owners were mailed a 2025 Commercial Real Estate Declaration form. Anticipated delivery of these forms should be this and next week. Please contact the Assessing Office with any questions: (207) 874-8486, assessors@portlandmaine.gov. Completed forms should be returned to the Assessing Office on or before May 1, 2025. 

Property Taxes Due March 14th
The second portion of property taxes are due March 14, 2025. Tax bills can be viewed and paid on our website. 

Winter Wednesdays: New Dining Campaign Runs Through March 26
Enjoy great deals and support your local eateries in Greater Portland + beyond on Wednesdays now through March 26, 2025! Find participating restaurants and deals, or sign your establishment up here. All restaurants across the state are encouraged to participate, spread the word!

Grant Funding Available: STEP Financial Assistance Award
Portland businesses can apply for financial assistance of $5,000 to $10,000 through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s State Trade Expansion Program, a grant initiative that provides funding to states and U.S. territories to increase the number of businesses that export. Administered by Maine International Trade Center, the objective of the STEP Financial Assistance Award is to encourage Maine companies to seek new international sales through financial support for costs associated with such export growth activities. Learn more + apply by 2/28.

New Ventures Maine, Marketing Mini-Grants: Apply by 2/28
New Ventures Maine awards cash mini-grants (up to $1,000) to microenterprises for current marketing projects. This program supports the development of marketing tools, materials, and activities. Applications are due on February 28. Learn more + apply here.

School Board Nomination Papers Now Available
Nomination papers are now available in the City Clerk's office to fill the vacant School Board At-Large seat for a six-month term to fill a vacant seat. Interested candidates will also have to file nomination papers subsequently for the November 2025 election to run for a full three-year term. Completed nomination papers must be returned to the City Clerk's Office by Monday, March 3, to qualify for the June 10 ballot. Please contact the Clerk's Office for more information: elections@portlandmaine.gov or 207-874-8677.

Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates
Read all the latest updates in the January 2025 newsletter here. Reminder: View real-time condition updates for Portland's five skating ponds and three sledding hills on this interactive map, updated daily. Ice skating is always at your own risk. Find more ice safety and winter recreation ideas on our website.

We're seeking a passionate and experienced Recreation Division Director to lead our vibrant and growing community programs, learn more and apply. Save the date! Registration for Camp Venture opens on Tuesday, March 4 at 8:30 AM. Set up a MyRec account today to save time on registration day!

Elder Exercise: Friday Drop-In Pickleball at Reiche
Join for a game of drop-in pickleball - ongoing now through May 2025! 50+ exercise takes place at Reiche Community Center on Fridays, 6 PM-8 PM, $5/residents. Contact cviney@portlandmaine.gov, 207-874-8873 for more information.

We’re Hiring!
We are currently looking for a new Information Technology Director. We are also actively recruiting for lifeguards and aquatic instructors to join our Parks Division team. Whether you're looking for part-time excitement or on-call flexibility, we’ve got a spot for you! APPLY here today!

We are also 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. Come make a difference with us, our wellness benefits are award winning!