5/13/2022 - 3:12 PM

 

City News Round Up: Friday, May 13, 2022
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. The next City Council meeting is Monday, May 16, at 5:00 PM This meeting will be held remotely via Zoom. Read the recap of the May 2 City Council meeting; view the full Meeting Calendar here.

City Council: Upcoming Agenda Preview
Find the preview of the May 16 City Council meeting agenda at the bottom of this news update or use the link above to read the full agenda.

June Election Update
In-person absentee voting will start Tuesday, May 17 in the State of Maine Room at City Hall, Monday-Friday 9:00AM to 4:30PM; voters may access City Hall via Congress Street or Myrtle Street. The last day to in-person absentee vote will be June 9, 2022 (after this date voters will need to fill out a special circumstance form in order to get an absentee ballot). The City Clerk’s office will be open late, until 7:00PM, on Thursday June 9 only for absentee voting and voter registration. All polling locations will be open on Election Day. The Ranked Choice Voting tabulation will take place Wednesday, June 15 at 10:00 AM in the State of Maine Room —this will be open to the public, media, and candidates that wish to witness the ranking.   

Update: No Treatment for Browntail Moth Needed in Deering Oaks
Good news! Our Forestry team has not detected any new browntail moth webs in Deering Oaks and has determined we do not need to treat at this time. Should things change, we will be sure to update the public ahead of any planned treatments. The Farmers Market will remain in Deering Oaks. Please remember that there is still a browntail moth warning as residual hairs are present and there could be nests we have not found yet. Always good to stay alert. 

DPW Update
The Public Works Department is continuing its work re-painting crosswalks. Please make sure to slow down when you see crews performing this work and recognize they may be slippery until fully dried. 

5/16: Warren Avenue Paving Begins
City contractor, D&C Construction, will resume work Monday, May 16 as part of the final work for the Warren Avenue Storm Drain Replacement project located on Warren Avenue between Riverside Street and 425 Warren Avenue. This final project work is anticipated to last approximately one month and includes the final surface paving and striping of the roadway. Learn more about this project.

5/25 Save the Date: Mayor’s Monthly Zoom
Join Mayor Kate Snyder for her next Monthly Zoom on Wednesday, May 25 at 12:00 PM. This open Q&A is an opportunity for residents to learn more about recent updates and discuss any issues.⁠ Find the Zoom link for this meeting here. 

New Resource to Assist City with Climate Resiliency Zoning
The Governor's Office of Policy, Innovation, and the Future has awarded the City $50,000 as part of its Community Resilience Partnership Community Action Grant program. The grant will help fund the development of climate resiliency zoning for the city, building off recommendations from One Climate Future. One Climate Future suggested two basic zoning mechanisms for Portland: a resiliency overlay focused on adapting to the risks of flooding from sea level rise and storm surge in the areas most likely to be affected by these risks, and a set of city-wide standards focused on adapting to the effects of higher intensity rainstorms and heat. The City will fold the climate resiliency zoning work into ReCode Portland.

New Resource:  $50 Million Homeowner Assistance Program
Governor Janet Mills, U.S. Senator Angus King, and Representative Chellie Pingree announced on Thursday, May 5 a new $50 million Homeowner Assistance Fund through the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection to provide direct relief to Maine homeowners at risk of losing their homes because of hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn the details of the program and read the full press release. 

City to Expand Free Community Composting; Read the Survey Results
For Earth Day we announced plans to expand our free composting program, adding three more Portland neighborhoods to the program. In 2021, our composting pilot program successfully removed approximately seven tons of food waste from the general waste stream each month. See the recent composting survey results here, or read the full news update.

Public Restroom Forum: Watch the Recording
If you missed the public meeting for the three proposed public restroom locations, you can watch the recorded session here.

Thanks for Sharing! Read the Better Bikeways Feedback
Our second Better Bikeways questionnaire generated a lot of enthusiasm for and input on creating better bikeways in Portland. We heard which pilot project candidates should be priorities for 2022 implementation, preferences for bikeway treatments for the pilots and also preferences for bikeway configurations for specific streets. See the results of our bikeways questionnaire.

May 30: Deering Center Memorial Day Procession & Commemoration
Deering Center Neighborhood Association hosts the Annual Deering Center Memorial Day Procession & Commemoration on Monday, May 30, at 2:00PM. The Procession begins in front of Longfellow School on Stevens Avenue  and walks up to Evergreen Cemetery. The commemoration will take place on the cemetery green in front of the chapel.

Parks and Recreation Updates
Due to a staffing shortage, Saturday Adult Lap Swim and Open Swim at Reiche will be canceled through Saturday, June 11. Please call 207-808-5400 or email recreation@portlandmaine.gov with any questions. Summer Camp registration is open; view the full Recreation program guide here, and read all the Parks updates via their April newsletter.

Work With Us!
We currently have multiple job openings across a variety of departments. For more information, visit: www.portlandmaine.gov/jobs. See how we are working together to serve the community with other local agencies -in this recent video. 

Hiring now: Health and Human Services Department
Apply today for these open positions: Social Services: Senior Human Services Counselor, Prevention & Diversion; Human Services Counselors-Prevention & Diversion; Senior Human Services Counselor, Oxford Street Shelter; Shelter Attendants, Full, Part time and Per Diem positions available at both the Family Shelter and Oxford Street Shelter; Shelter Security Guards, On call and Full time; Program Coordinator - Resettlement Program; Human Services Counselor-Family Shelter; Human Services Specialist - Family Shelter. Public Health: Program Coordinator, Maine Cities Readiness Initiative; Public Health Nurse, Portland Community Free Clinic. Barron Center: Direct Nursing Staff, CNAs, LPNs, RNs, Principal RN; Unit Assistants, Food Service Workers, Full and Part time; Cook I. Administrative: Financial Manager. 

Ongoing Construction 

Fore Street Project Update
The contractor continues to make progress towards project completion. At this stage all main line storm drain and combined sewer replacement on Fore St. and Eastern Prom have been completed and the majority of storm drain and sewer connections to each Munjoy Hill side street have been made. As of 4/29/22, the final phase of PWD water main renewal has begun at Waterville St.; water main will be installed from Waterville St. to Morning St. over the next six weeks. Questions relating to the water main work can be directed to the Portland Water District. Read the full Fore Street project update here.
 

Construction Update for Mackworth, Ocean, Walton and Sawyer Streets
Gorham Sand & Gravel has returned to this project site to complete work over the next few months. They will first work on curbing, ADA ramps, and raising manhole structures on Walton St. then move to Sawyer St. In late June, and into July, the contractor will start to prep Ocean Ave, Walton St. and Sawyer St. for surface paving and lane stripping.  The majority of the work will be completed by the end of July. Read the full details. 

Brighton Avenue Road Work Resumed Monday, April 18
Construction work will resume on Brighton Avenue between Rand Road and Capisic Street next week as part of the Brighton Avenue Sewer Separation Project. This final project work is anticipated to last approximately two months. Motorists should expect delays when driving through the work zone and are encouraged to seek alternate routes around the project area. Full details on Brighton Ave work.

Congress Square Redesign 4/28 Update
The work of the major overhaul of Congress Square continues with work at the corner of Free Street and Congress, in front of the Portland Museum of Art.  This is the most complex portion of the work, providing a new alignment of Free Street and making the intersection much more pedestrian-friendly.  This work should be complete in early Summer of 2022, followed by work on the remaining three corners of the intersection.  All work should be completed by June 30, 2023.
Learn more about the Congress Sq redesign project.
 

Congress Street Gas Main Work: April 18 to May 27
Unitil will be working on Congress St from High St to State St starting April 18 to approximately May 27. Parking will be disrupted in short sections and follow the crew excavations. 

I-295 Ramp Closure Schedule
Upcoming ramp closures for I-295 Southbound are as follows. All closures will be 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM. Both ramps will never be closed at the same time.  

5/15

• Close Exit 4 on close exit 3 off 
• Close exit 2 off once exit 3 open 
• Close exit 1 once exit 2 open 

5/16

• No Closures 

5/17

• Close Exit 2 
• Close Exit 1

5/18

• Close Exit 4 Off 
• Close Exit 3 Off after opening Exit 4
• Close Exit 2 after opening exit 3
• Close Exit 1 after opening exit 2

5/19

• Close Exit 4 Off 
• Close Exit 3 Off after opening Exit 4
• Close Exit 2 after opening exit 3
• Close Exit 1 after opening exit 2

May 16 Council Meeting Agenda Preview
Please note: This meeting will be fully remote due to increased community level of COVID. 

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

Proclamations and Appointments

Proclamation 18-21/22  Recognizing May 2022 as Foster Care Month

Order 244-21/22 Appointing William Needelman a Class E Director of the  Portland Fish Exchange

Budget Items

Public Comment taken on both budgets; Council action on the municipal budget will take place on June 6

The referendum election on the School budget will be held Tuesday, June 14.

Orders 245-257 FY23 Municipal Budget (first read / public comment)

Orders 237-243 FY23 School Budget (second read / public comment / vote)

Communications

Com 22-21/22 Presenting the Preliminary Report of the Charter Review Commission

Com 23-21/22 Board of Harbor Commissioners for Portland Harbor Notice of Pilot Rate & Capital Construction Fee Increase

Resolves

Resolve 12 - Approving the City Council Code of Ethics

Orders

Order 258-21/22 Accepting Benjamin Way as a City Way

Amendments FIRST READ, No Public Comment

Order 259-21/22 Zoning Map Amendment for Riverton Park Campus from R-5 Residential to R-5a Residential & B-2 Community Business

Order 260-21/22 Amendment to the Portland City Code Chapter 14 Re: Permitted & Conditional Uses in Residential Zones & Allowing Places of Assembly as a Conditional Use in the R-5a zone

Order 261-21/22 Amendment to the Portland City Code Chapter 35 Re: Panic Alarms and Retail License Revisions