City News Round Up: Friday, September 12, 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 September 3 City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting is Monday, September 15, at 5:00 PM. Read the agenda preview at the end of this message. 

New Start Date: Congress Square Reconstruction Work, Monday 9/22
The Congress Square Intersection reconstruction work is scheduled to begin on Monday, September 22. The public should expect traffic delays during construction. This project includes mill and overlay of the intersection, sidewalk and ADA improvements, installation of new traffic signal infrastructure, and lighting and landscaping improvements within the Congress Square intersection. Read the full traffic details and project timeline.

Tax Bill Payment Dates
All property tax bills were mailed this week. The first half of property tax payments are due on October 17, 2025, and the second half is due on March 20, 2026. Please remember we only mail the bills once. Property tax bills can be viewed and paid online. As a reminder, the new mil rate is $11.98 per thousand dollars of assessed value, a decrease of more than 25% from the projected FY26 mil rate prior to any revaluation. 

Take Our Survey - We Want Your Input on Emergency Planning! 
We want your input on emergency planning priorities. Please take our survey and tell us what is important to you! Visit our emergency planning project page to find more information about the work the City is doing to update our emergency operations plan and share your ideas for how we can share emergency preparedness information.

Third Annual Tree Hugging Event Tomorrow
Celebrate our urban canopy at the "For the Love of Trees" event this Saturday, 9/13! This all-day tree-hugging event offers a variety of ways to connect with nature, from family-friendly activities to guided and self-guided walks, and musical performances.

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!

Routine CMP Pole Work on Select Portland Streets 
A Central Maine Power contractor will be working on a variety of Portland streets, starting around 9/22 for approximately two weeks, to replace existing poles with new ones and to transfer the utility services onto these new poles. This is relatively routine work and should not cause any road closures or other delays. This work is scheduled to occur on Park Avenue and Alder, Parris, Sherman, and Cedar Streets.

Maine Outdoor Film Festival at Riverton Trolley Park 
Join Portland Parks Conservancy on Thursday, 9/18, at Riverton Trolley Park for an evening of community, activity, and film! Take a guided walk with former City Arborist Jeff Tarling, learn new skills at a bike clinic, grab a bite from the food truck, and settle in for the Maine Outdoor Film Festival at 7 PM featuring the premiere of Riverton Rising. 

Celebrate Park(ing) Day With Us!
Portland will join global cities in transforming parking spaces into vibrant pop-up parks on Friday, 9/19, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM! This yearly event transforms metered spots into playful, interactive parklets for a day of connection, creativity, and fun. Join us to explore the parklets in downtown Portland or claim your very own Park(ing) Spot.  

Tate House Hosts Historical Reenactment Events
The Tate House museum is hosting events on September 19 and 20 to mark the Bombardment of Portland by the British 250 years ago. On the morning of September 20, a tall ship will perform a simulated reenactment of this historic event. The ship will be positioned in the harbor, in front of DiMillo's Marina, simulating the sounds of bombardment for 30 minutes while visitors observe from the Maine State Pier. Learn more on the Tate House website.

Historic Preservation Program Launches New Interactive Map Tool
Our Historic Preservation Program, in the Department of Planning & Urban Development, has launched a new interactive Historic Designations Mapper tool. This online tool allows users to quickly and easily look up whether properties are historically designated locally, and if they are, to quickly access historical information. Read the full map tool release.

Riverside Shelter & TB Misinformation
Reports of a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak at one of our shelters is false. The Maine CDC has confirmed with City staff that it has not suggested any changed protocols for the shelter on Riverside Industrial Parkway, and is not aware of any TB outbreak at the shelter at this time. Additional information can be found on the Maine CDC website, as they have the mandate for epidemiological surveillance and outbreak response. 

New 2026 Allowable Rent Increases and Short-Term Rental Regulations
Landlords and tenants should be aware that the new allowable rent increase per the consumer price index (CPI) as part of the rent control ordinance has been published for the calendar year 2026. Postcards are being mailed to all registered long-term rental units in the city. The City has also published the new limit on non-owner occupied short-term rentals for units on the mainland for 2026. Read the full update.

Request Your Absentee Ballot for the November Election
Absentee ballots can now be requested online for the November 4, 2025, State Referendum and General municipal election. To learn more about other ways to request your ballot, please visit our Absentee Voting Information webpage. Ballots will be sent out once they are ready in October. 

Portland Water Department Launches Major Meter Replacement Project
We want to make sure you’re aware of recent news from the Portland Water Department (PWD). Beginning this fall, PWD will launch a three-year effort to replace nearly all 55,000 water meters across their service area with new Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology. Customers are being alerted and can learn more on the PWD website.

Our Work to Revitalize Downtown
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.

October Re-Forest the City Events
Save these dates for fall events hosted by the West End Neighborhood Association: Oct 7 (Tree Walk), Oct 21, Oct 28 (Film). Learn more about Re-Forest the City on their website.

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.

Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates

• The new 2025-2026 Parks & Recreation Program Guide Is Now Available!
• Test drive the newly resurfaced pickleball courts at Talbot School! Join in on Friday, 9/19 at 9AM.
• The playground at Nathan Clifford is officially open. Read the latest updates in the AUGUST 2025 newsletter or subscribe.
• Ending soon! Sundays on the Boulevard: Now through 9/28, Baxter Boulevard is closed to vehicular traffic on Sundays only, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, and OPEN for walkers, bikers, pedestrian traffic, and play!
• Our Recreation team is hiring! Help us provide programs and safe, fun childcare experiences for our community. Learn more and apply! Current openings: Recreation Supervisor; Recreation Programmer II - After School; Childcare Site Staff; Recreation Programmer II; Childcare Site Staff - After School; Childcare Site Staff - Before School.
• Athletic Field Allocation Process: Read updates for the 2026 calendar year.
• Reiche Pool is OPEN - join us for open swim. Riverton Pool Update: Over the course of the ongoing reconstruction project, our staff learned that additional work will be required prior to completion. They are working to solve this new challenge and taking other steps to expedite the project. Completion is now expected in 2026, and unfortunately, the pool will not be available for the winter season this year. Staff will share updates on the Aquatics webpage. 

Public Works Updates

• Visit portlandmaine.gov/PublicWorks for links to all the most recent DPW project updates. 
• Check here for September paving projects.
• 8/8 Update: Western Prom Project Resumed Monday, 7/21
• Ongoing: Hersey St Sewer Separation Project + Deering Ave Sewer Extension
• Pesticide Disposal Resources Bring unwanted pesticides to a collection site in Portland; pre-register by 9/26 for free collection.

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: Housing Program Manager. Come make a difference with us, our wellness benefits are award winning.

Be the Next Harbor Master!

The Board of Harbor Commissioners for Portland Harbor is seeking a knowledgeable, dedicated, and community-oriented individual to serve as the Portland Harbor Master. This leadership role is responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible operation of Portland Harbor. Learn more and apply.

September 15 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.

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

Proclamations + 2 Consent Items
#5 Recognizing Batimbo United as a Cultural Treasure

#6 Recognizing September 15-21, 2025, as Diaper Need Awareness Week

#7 Recognizing September 15-October 15, 202,5, as Hispanic Heritage Month

#8 Recognizing September 30 as National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools

Communications (No Public comment, no Council action)
#4 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for HUD-funded Programs

Unfinished Business (Public Comment taken)
#35 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 30 RE: Taxi Fares

#46 Approving Agreement between MaineDOT and the City RE: Pedestrian Crossing Improvements on West Commercial Street

Orders (All First Read only)
#48 Accepting/Appropriating $118,184 Maine Department of Public Safety Health and Wellness Grant for the Portland Police and Fire Departments

#49 Approving Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of Portland and Labor & Trades, AFSCME Local 481-00

#50 Accepting/Appropriating $22,500 Fire Department Donation from the Estate of Louise Adams

#51 Accepting/Appropriating $400 Fire Department Donation from Marianne Tapp