City of Portland Alerts

City News Round Up: Friday, August 22, 2025

City News Round Up: Friday, August 22, 2025

Meetings & Agendas

Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings, and to view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings. Read a recap of the August 11 City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting is Monday, August 25, starting at 4:00 PM. Read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

Upcoming City Hall and Office Closures
The Parks, Recreation & Facilities Administrative Office will be closed on Thursday, August 28, for staff training. City Hall and City offices will be closed Monday, September 1, in observance of Labor Day. Trash and recycling will be collected as normal. 

Ribbon Cutting: Back Cove South Storage Facility + Preble Field
The City is pleased to announce a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Back Cove South Storage Facility and Preble Field at Back Cove Park. The event will take place on September 5th at 10:00 AM at Preble Field at Back Cove Park. All are welcome to join us to mark this significant milestone for the community! The project, which has been a collaborative effort, is designed to improve both the city's infrastructure and public green spaces. 

Maine CDC Warns of Risk of Disease from Mosquitoes
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that mosquitoes in the city of Portland tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). Read the full update and learn recommended precautions.

Congratulations to our Summer Employees of the Month
Get to know our June and July Employees of the Month! John LeGassey works in the Department of Public Works (DPW), and Benjamin Wells, works in our Information Technology (IT) Department. Read each of their full recognitions on our website. 

Portland Office of Economic Opportunity Teams Up with Hearts of Pine
Our City of Portland Natural Helpers, who represent marginalized communities across various economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, are working with Hearts of Pine to distribute tickets from the Hearts of Pine Community Ticketing Program for the full season. Tickets have been distributed to 130 people so far this year!

Our Work to Revitalize Downtown
Like cities across the country, Portland faces complex challenges. Remote work, among other things, has reduced the number of downtown workers and left more storefronts vacant. Housing shortages, inadequate funding for mental health and substance use treatment, and the lingering impacts of the opioid epidemic are driving more people into homelessness. These are long-term issues that demand new ideas and sustained effort.

Each resident, worker, and visitor deserves a city center that reflects the best of who we are: welcoming, dynamic, creative, and full of possibility. That’s why we’re working with partners from the business, social services, and creative arts communities to bring out the best in downtown Portland. Discover how our efforts to revitalize downtown will help reinvigorate where we gather, play, and work together.

Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the End of WWII
Please join us for a special ceremony to honor the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and the sacrifices made by both Portland residents and all those who served. The event will be held on September 5, at 12:00 PM, at the USS Portland Memorial in Fort Allen Park, located on the Eastern Promenade in Portland, Maine.

Apply by August 30! Neighborhood Mini Grants
Do you have an idea for a project to make your neighborhood more socially connected, sustainable, resilient, or inclusive? Do you need help covering the costs? Our Sustainability Office is currently accepting applications for our first round of Neighborhood Mini Grants until August 30, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST.

Five City Loan and Grant Recipients Featured, Travel + Leisure
We are so proud of all of our local businesses, but we do an extra cartwheel when those that we've supported through City loan and grant programs land in the spotlight! A recent Travel + Leisure article did just that, featuring these great businesses, among others: Burundi Star Coffee⁠, Leeward⁠, Longfellow Hotel⁠, Norimoto Bakery⁠, Sur Lie⁠. Congratulations to all!⁠ Visit our Business Financing page to learn how our programs provide financial assistance to new and existing Portland businesses.

Volunteer on City Boards & Committees - Apply by 9/5
The best way to shape your city is by getting involved! The City Clerk's office is seeking volunteers to serve on various boards and committees, which all play an important role in Portland’s government. Residents can find the full position descriptions, along with application directions, on the City’s website. The deadline to apply is Friday, September 5th; applicants will be contacted for interviews.
 

Hear Here: A Maine Music Weekend Festival, September 5-7
The inaugural Maine Music Weekend Festival will take place the weekend after Labor Day and will debut in Portland, Maine, on 9/5-7! Creative Portland, in collaboration with the City, is proud to announce that Hear Here 3 is back in its third edition since the Pandemic shutdowns to celebrate and showcase Portland's performing arts gems on the big stage at Merrill Auditorium on Sunday, September 7 at 6:00 PM. Tickets are on sale NOW at PortTIX. 

Portland Opportunity Crew Summer Update
Since relaunching in June, the Portland Opportunity Crew has removed TWO tons of litter from parks, trails, and other public areas to keep these spaces enjoyable for our community! ⁠This program keeps our city clean and beautiful while also empowering Homeless Services Center guests with paid work opportunities, hands-on job training, and employment support. Donations and sponsorships help us offer this program to more participants and run it on more days.

Age-Friendly Portland: Emergency Preparedness for Older Adults
September is National Preparedness Month! Age-Friendly Portland is hosting a summit on Thursday, 9/18, to help you both feel prepared for, and know how to respond to, emergencies. Learn from experts about the support and resources available for older adults in our community and develop critical skills. Spots are limited, learn more and register today!

Volunteers Needed for Porchfest on September 7!
Deering Center Neighborhood Association is looking for volunteers to help bring Porchfest to life again this year on Sunday, 9/7, from 12–5 PM in the Deering Center neighborhood of Portland. This neighborhood music festival transforms front porches into stages and sidewalks into gathering places—and your help is needed to make it happen! Volunteer roles include Traffic Guardians and Roadies; shifts are just 1-2 hours. Learn more and sign up!

In Action: New Street Safety Project on Washington Ave.
New roadway paint, flexible traffic posts, and speed bumps have been added temporarily to Washington Avenue from Veranda Street to Ocean Avenue. The goal: test improvements aimed at making the roads safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers—before committing to permanent infrastructure changes. Read the full update and share feedback here.

City-Sponsored Affordable Condos at Dougherty Commons 
Maine Cooperative Development Partners is still taking applications on a first-come, first-served basis for 20 new affordable condominium homes at Dougherty Commons, located at 57 & 65 Dougherty Court in Portland, Maine. This high-quality housing opportunity offers energy-efficient, zero energy ready homes at prices accessible to working Mainers earning up to 100% of Area Median Income.
 

Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates

Public Works Updates

We’re Hiring!
We are hiring across several departments in the city, 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. Recently posted: Senior Accountant, Certified Code Enforcement Officer/Housing Safety, Telecommunicator (911 Dispatcher). Come make a difference with us, our wellness benefits are award winning.

 

August 25 City Council Meeting Agenda Preview

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

4:00 PM: Public comment period on non-agenda items

Unfinished Business (Public comment taken)

#239 Setting Election Date Amendment to Chapter 33 of Portland City Code RE: an Act to Increase Portland's Minimum Wage

#26 Setting Election Date Citizen Initiative Amendment to Portland City Code Chapter 17 RE: An Act to End Fugitive Coal Dust (Staff requests pass as emergency)

Orders (Public comment taken #27-#31, Staff requests #30-#31 pass as emergency, #32-#34 First Read only)

#27 Approving Amendments to Complete Streets Policy

#28 Approving Vision Zero Quick Action Plan

#29 Approving Third Amendment to Purchase/Sale Agreement with Maine Cooperative Development Partners LLC RE: 165 Lambert St.

#30 Accepting/Appropriating $179,300 Community Action Grant from Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future

#31 Accepting/Appropriating $80,000 Paramedicine Grant from Maine Recovery Council

#32 Accepting/Appropriating $25,000 Resilient Communities Grant from Casco Bay Estuary Partnership and Approving Subcontract between the University of Maine System and the City

#33 Accepting/Appropriating $156,378 Parks Lighting Pilot Grant from United States Tennis Association

#34 Appropriating 2,448,173 in HOME American Rescue Plan Funding

Amendments (First Read only)

#35 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 30 RE: Taxi Fares

#36 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 6 RE: Vacant Commercial Properties

#37 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 14 RE: Pedestrian Activities District (PAD) Overlay Zone

#38 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 17 RE: Fugitive Coal Dust (Staff requests #38 pass as emergency)

Past Alerts