City of Portland Alerts

City News Round Up: Friday, October 31, 2025

City News Round Up: Friday, October 31, 2025

Meetings & Agendas
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Council, Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings, and to view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings. Read a recap of the October 20 City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting is Monday, November 3, at 5:00 PM, read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4
Tuesday, November 4, 2025, is Election Day for the State Referendum and Municipal Election. Find sample ballots and additional voting information on our website. Polls open at 7:00 AM and close at 8:00 PM on Election Day; all polling locations are ADA compliant. You can register to vote on Election Day at your polling location. 

Absentee ballots must be returned by 8:00 PM on Election Day. The external ballot drop boxes are set up at City Hall and Canco Road and are ready to receive completed absentee ballots 24 hours a day. Absentee ballots must be returned via mail or the external ballot boxes outside of City Hall and Canco Road, and not to your normal polling place.

Mayors Summit Advocates for SNAP Funding
Portland Mayor Mark Dion and Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman hosted a Mayors' Summit on Friday, October 31, to advocate for the importance of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding. 

Request For Proposals: Consultant for Comprehensive Transportation Plan
The City has issued a Request for Proposals seeking an experienced consultant to help lead the development of a Comprehensive Transportation Plan, the City’s first since the early 1990s, in conjunction with staff from the Planning & Urban Development Department. The consultant will be expected to develop a comprehensive long-range transportation plan that builds off the work of Portland’s Plan 2030, One Climate Future, and ReCode. 

11/4 Planning Board Meeting Will Be Held Remotely 
The Planning Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 11/4, will now be held remotely. The workshop is to consider a Major Site Plan and Subdivision Application at 57 Castine Avenue for the creation of a nine-lot conservation residential development subdivision with nine single-family dwellings and community open space. The project is located within the Residential Neighborhood RN-1 zone. The public may attend and participate in this meeting via Zoom pursuant to the Remote Meeting Policy adopted by the Planning Board.

Join Us for Annual District Meetings! District 3 Next on 11/6
Annual District Meetings are winding down with District 3 meeting next on Thursday, 11/6, and District 2 on Wednesday, 11/19. All meetings are in-person and begin at 6:00 PM.  Visit our website to learn your district and find the full details.⁠ Mayor Dion, City Councilors, and City staff will be available to discuss neighborhood issues and answer questions from the public. ⁠Free childcare is available for kids ages 5-12! Pre-registration is not required, but helpful for our team.

City’s Natural Helpers Fellowship Goes National! 
We’re thrilled to announce that our Office of Economic Opportunity’s Natural Helpers Fellowship is going national thanks to a wonderful partnership with Welcoming America! Communities across the country will join a special webinar series exploring what makes this program so transformative and how local leaders can be empowered to create positive change in their own communities. Learn more and sign up, the next session is Tuesday, November 11. 

Pumpkin-Cycle With Us Next Saturday, 11/8!
Don’t throw your jack-o-lantern in the trash or in the woods, bring it to Pumpkin-Cycle instead! Come chuck your slumpin' pumpkins in the Payson Park Little League Parking Lot on Saturday, November 8, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. We'll make sure the pumpkins get properly composted and don't go to waste. Pumpkin-Cycle is a free, kid-friendly event; bring as many pumpkins (and gourds) as you want! Crepe Elizabeth food truck will be there too, serving hot, sweet and savory crepes.

11/13 Public Meeting - State & High Street Two-Way Project
On Thursday, 11/13, Public Works staff will hold a public meeting to review and discuss the outcomes of an alternatives analysis for bicycle accommodations in association with the State & High Street Two-Way Project. The meeting will be held at the Portland Public Library, Downtown Branch (5 Monument Sq), in the Rines Auditorium. An open house will be held from 4:30-5:00 PM, followed by a presentation and discussion. 

Navigating the Food Security Gap Due to SNAP Benefits Not Being Issued
This week, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service notified Maine that November funding for SNAP will not be issued at this time. Nutrition and reliable access to healthy meals are essential to the health of individuals, families, and communities across Maine. Any disruption, even temporary, can create challenges and food security gaps. Read the full update for guidance and resources from the Maine Department of Health & Human Services.

Sustainability Office Awards 29 Neighborhood Mini-Grants 
Our Office of Sustainability is excited to announce that 29 grants have been awarded and accepted as part of the Sustainable Neighborhoods Mini Grants Program. Over the summer, residents were invited to apply for Neighborhood Mini Grants with their ideas for projects that aim to make their neighborhood more socially connected, sustainable, resilient, or inclusive. Check out the map of other projects and stay tuned for future opportunities! The first mini-grant project took place on September 18th and brought the residents of three West End buildings together for a Community Plate Meal. 

City to Honor Five Local Businesses for Contributions to Portland Economy
Congratulations to the 2025 recipients of our 27th Annual Business Awards! On Thursday, November 20th, five Portland businesses will receive awards for their contributions to our economy at a presentation ceremony at Ocean Gateway. ⁠ Congratulations to: ⁠Redfern Properties, Economic Achievement; SMRT, Business of the Year⁠; Factory 3, Small Business of the Year⁠; Matcha Mood, PDC Client of the Year⁠; David Wood Clothiers⁠, Legacy Award.

FREE Class: Infant/Child CPR, First Aid For Choking 
On Thursday, November 6, from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM, the City's Public Health Nurses will be hosting a class for parents and caregivers to learn infant/child  CPR and first aid choking. The class is free, but donations of baby wipes and/or size 2-4 diapers are appreciated. Spots are limited! Register by November 1.

Veterans Day Parade
Save the date! The parade will take place on Tuesday, November 11, this year, beginning at 10:00 AM at Longfellow Square and proceeding down Congress Street to City Hall, where ceremonies will take place. 

Volunteer Snow Shovelers Needed This Winter
Age Friendly Portland needs volunteers to help older neighbors safely clear snow from their walkways. Shovelers are needed in every neighborhood, and Volunteer Coordinators are needed in Rosemont and Deering Center. If you can help, or if you need assistance, please visit our Elder Services page to learn more!

Curbside Yard Waste Collection Happening All of November
Public Works crews will be collecting leaf bags November 1-30. Please note that the leaf bag collection MAY NOT COINCIDE with the day of your trash & recycling collection. There is no set day of the week that crews will service your location. Unpredictable leaf amounts at the curb, staffing issues, and weather conditions are all obstacles that make it difficult for us to predict the exact timeframe of your collection. Please follow the curbside guidelines to help our Public Works team work efficiently and smoothly.

Reminder: 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 to avoid the $25 late fee. Fees: $6 per year; $11 unneutered/unspayed. (A $1 transaction fee + a $1.75 shipping/handling fee is added to online registration transactions.) 

166 New Trees Planted Across Portland!
Each year, our Forestry team aims to plant 150 new trees citywide, and we’re happy to report that in 2025, we exceeded that goal with 166 new trees planted! Here's the breakdown:⁠ 85 trees planted in the spring⁠; 45 trees planted this fall⁠; 36 trees added through the City's Co-op Tree Planting Program⁠. The City continues its commitment to equity-focused planting, prioritizing low-equity urban areas. In addition, more trees are planted through the development review process, contributing to the city's expanding tree canopy.⁠

Help Us Keep the Neighborhood Association Directory Updated
A reminder to our Neighborhood Associations to update your City-hosted pages on our website. Please take a look and be in touch with us if your info needs to be updated - whether that be info related to new leadership or if an association is no longer active. Thank you!

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

November 3 City Council Meeting - Agenda Preview

The City Council will conduct this meeting in 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

Resolutions (Public comment taken)
#3 Amending Council Rules
#4 Supporting Collaboration with Gulf of Maine Research Institute to Advance Climate Adaptation and Resilience

Proclamations
#13 Recognizing Barber Foods
#14 Native American History Month
#15 Recognizing Kevin J. Battle for a Lifetime of Service

Communications (No Public comment, no Council action)
#6 2024 Fossil Fuel Infrastructure Report

Unfinished Business (Public comment taken)
#93 Waiving Class III & IV Indoor Entertainment Application Fees for Maine Irish Heritage Center  

#77 Accepting/Appropriating $30,460 ME Department of Environmental Protection Waste Reduction Grant

#78 Approving Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City and the Professional and Technical City Employee Association

#79 Designating the Lambert Woods South Affordable Housing Development and Tax Increment Financing District + Adopting Municipal Development Program for the District

#80 Approving the Lambert Woods South Affordable Housing Credit Enhancement Agreement with Lambert Woods Cooperative
#81 Appropriating $2,200,000 from Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund to Lambert Woods Cooperative RE: Lambert Woods South 165 Lambert Street
#82 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 14 RE: Hotel Inclusionary Zoning
#83 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 28 RE: Snow Ban Fee

Orders (Public comment taken)
#84 Waiving Beano/Bingo License Fee for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6859




 
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