City News Round Up: Friday, October 28, 2022
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read a recap of the City Council’s October 17 meeting. To view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings, please visit www.portlandmaine.gov/agendas.

Island Float/Ramp Removal
Attention residents on Little Diamond Island, Cushing and Peaks: Starting October 27, floats will be pulled. 

Friday, 10/28: Trunk or Treat 2022
The Portland Police host their annual Halloween event on Friday, 10/28 from 4:00-6:00 PM. Officers will be handing out treats from police cruisers in several Portland neighborhoods. Where to find them: Payson Park (by the Little League Field) 4:00-4:30 PM; Riverton Park 4:00-4:30 PM; Sagamore Village 4:45-5:15 PM; East Bayside Community Policing Center 4:45-5:15 PM; Munjoy South Playground 5:30-6:00 PM; Reiche School Playground 5:30-6:00 PM. For more information, call 756-8135.

Saturday, 10/29 Free: Spooktacular Songs & Storytime
Join us for a fun, kid-oriented Halloween event at Merrill Auditorium on Saturday, October 29 at 10:00 AM. Co-presented by Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, City of Portland, and Portland Public Library (PPL), the event will feature stories, songs, the PPL book-mobile, a kid-friendly demonstration of the Kotzschmar Organ, costume parade and more! See all the details and RSVP here.

Saturday, 10/29: Take Back Day 2022
Please help our Public Health & Police staff prepare for Take Back Day at their event on Saturday October 29, 10AM-2PM, at the Back Cove Parking Lot (Baxter Blvd across from Hannaford). Public Health & Police staff will be on hand to safely collect and dispose of used and unused sharps, needles and vaping cartridges (no batteries please!), as well as provide safe sharp disposal supplies. Proper disposal of unneeded medications saves lives and protects the environment and our overall community.

Street Sweeping Regulations Back In Effect 
Final Reminder:  It's time for Fall cleaning! Please remember, cars not in compliance with City of Portland street maintenance signs are subject to ticketing and towing. Regulations are in effect annually from October 1 - May 31, learn more at portlandmaine.gov/streetmaintenance.

Upcoming Flu & COVID Bivalent Booster Clinic - Free to Public
Our Public Health Division is offering another flu and COVID booster vaccination clinic on Friday, November 4, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, at 39 Forest Ave. Flu and COVID vaccinations will be available to the public, insured and uninsured, ages 12 and older. Read the full details on our website. Email questions to Sarah Sheldon, ssheldon@portlandmaine.gov, or call 207-874-8446.

Tax Bills Now Available Online & Due November 4
Tax bills can now be viewed and paid on our Citizen Self Service website. Payments are due on November 4. The second portion is due March 17. Paper copies have been mailed out.  

Pumpkin-Cycle Drop-Off Event
Don't trash your pumpkin! Portland residents are invited to drive up and drop-off their old pumpkins and 🎃 on the Saturday following Halloween (November 5) from 9AM-12PM at the Payson Park Little League Baseball Parking Lot. Find all the details here.

November District Meetings
Annual district meetings continue into November, and all meetings are virtual at 6:30 PM. Meeting schedule: District 3, Thursday, 11/10; District 2, Tuesday, 11/15; District 1, Wednesday, 11/30.  Visit portlandmaine.gov/district meetings to find the agendas and Zoom links. 

Fall Leaf & Yard Waste Curbside Collection - through 11/18
Curbside leaf and yard waste collection started on Monday, October 24 and ends Friday, November 18. Leaves must be in large, paper biodegradable leaf bags that can be purchased at most hardware stores. Place the bags curbside on your normal trash day, during the above dates, and City crews will take care of the rest! Learn more on our website.

Volunteers Needed to Shovel Snow for Elderly Neighbors
The Age-Friendly Portland Steering Committee is looking for volunteers to shovel snow for an elderly neighbor this winter. Neighborhood volunteer coordinators are also needed to help match Portland residents aged 65+ with local volunteer groups and individuals willing to help. Sign up or send questions to Linda Weare, Office of Elder Affairs: agefriendlycommunity@portlandmaine.gov, 207-541-6620. 

City of Portland Certified as a Welcoming City
Last week, Welcoming America, a national nonprofit organization, announced five new U.S. cities and counties that have achieved, or were redesignated, as Certified Welcoming places. We're proud to announce Portland is one of the first two cities in the New England region to become Certified Welcoming. Read the full story here.

Time to Register Your Dog
State law requires you to license your dog each year. Residents can register dogs online or at the City Clerk's office; register annually by January 31, 2023 to avoid the $25 late fee. Fees: $6 per year; $11 unneutered/unspayed. Learn more about dog owner responsibilities here.

November 8, 2022 Election
11/3: Last Day to In-Person Absentee Vote
In-person absentee voting is going on now through November 3! The City Clerk's office is open Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-4:30PM with extended hours until 5:30 PM on Wednesdays. On Thursday, November 3 only, the last day to absentee vote, we’re open until 7:00 PM.

Mailed Absentee Ballots
For those who have already requested an absentee ballot be mailed to them, ballots are on their way to you. Please note that you will be receiving two packets in the mail for this election. One envelope is your official ballot and the other envelope is the full text of all of the Citizen Initiative Referendum Questions and the proposed Charter amendments. 

Absentee Ballot 24/7 Drop Boxes - Two This year!
This year we have two absentee ballot drop boxes. One at City Call (Myrtle Street side) and now one at our Canco Road facility, 212 Canco Road. Learn more here.

What’s on the ballot? 
Visit our website to read the full text of the citizen initiative referendum questions and the list of the proposed Charter Commission's Amendments to the Portland City Charter. You can also learn about the other candidates who are running for office by viewing a sample of the municipal ballot and state ballot.

Updates from Parks and Recreation
The Fall-Winter-Spring Recreation brochure is now available, read it online here. 

• Watch this great story about our 62+ program.
• Read all the updates via the October newsletter.

Upcoming Daniel Minter Illustration Exhibition at Public Library
Don't miss this chance to see illustrations from Daniel Minter's award-winning children’s books in a new exhibit. A Blue: Daniel Minter and the Layered Narrative of Illustration will be on view November 4 through December 31, 2022 in the library’s Lewis Gallery.

Work With Us
We currently have multiple job openings across a variety of departments, such as in our Parking Division, Treasury Office, City Clerk’s Office, and Health & Human Services department. View the full list of openings here. 

DPW Paving Updates and Ongoing Construction Projects

Please visit portlandmaine.gov/PublicWorks for information links to all the most recent DPW project updates. DWP Paving Updates

Update: Congress Square
The City’s contractor is scheduled to start paving Free Street on Friday, October 28. Learn more

Update: Fore Street/Eastern Promenade Sewer Separation Project
This project is close to completion by the contractor, all sidewalk work and landscaping restorations and temporary striping will be completed by Friday, October 28. The contractor may return to the site intermittently in November to complete project punch list items, and will return to the project site in April of 2023 to complete final roadway paving, striping and manhole adjustments. Learn more.

Update: Brighton Avenue Sewer Separation Project
Beginning Monday, October 31, 2022, the City’s contractor will mobilize to Brighton Avenue between Capisic Street and Webb Street to begin preparations to complete final roadway surface paving work associated with a recently completed storm drain project. Learn more.

Update: Back Cove West
Work on Dartmouth St. and Forest Ave. is nearly complete; both streets are set to be paved within the next two weeks. Exact days to be determined due to weather; paving will take multiple days to complete. Read the full details here.

Project Delayed: Forest Avenue, Congress St to Park Ave
This PACTS Collector Paving Project run by MaineDOT staff, and awarded to Glidden Excavating, has been delayed to 2023 due to utility installations. Exact start and end dates are being negotiated but it should be early Spring 2023. The project will include milling, paving, ADA upgrades, and striping along Forest Avenue from Congress Street to Park Avenue. 
 

Ludlow and Elm Street Bike Lanes
Learn more about the Advisory Bike Lane project on Ludlow Street and the Elm Street lane changes. Project information can be found here.