City News Round Up: Friday, December 23, 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 December 19 meeting. To view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings, please visit www.portlandmaine.gov/agendas.

ALERT: High Wind, Rain & Coastal Flooding
Please read our full storm alert with safety tips here. Temperatures are expected to drop sharply Friday night into Saturday morning, leading to flash freezing along roadways, please use caution when traveling on Saturday. High winds with gusts of up to 62 mph could damage trees, power lines, and property. Widespread power outages are likely.

If you need to report damage to city trees during the storm, please call DPW Dispatch at 207-874-8493 or submit a request to SeeClickFix. Please try to include photos of the damage, as this is very helpful for our crews. Visit SeeClickFix here.

Riverside Recycling is closing at noon today due to the storm; they reopen on Tuesday, December 27 at 7:30 AM. 
 

Upcoming Holiday Closures
City offices will be closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays on Monday, December 26, and Monday, January 2. Trash and Recycling pick up will take place as usual;⁠ please email solidwaste@portlandmaine.gov with any Holiday Collection questions.

Local Event List: New Year’s Eve 2022
Ring in 2023 by showing up to one or all of your local favorites! The team at Creative Portland compiled this great list of not-to-miss New Year's Eve events for the 21+ crowd, check it out here.  

Community Survey: New Police Chief Search
Please help us identify the qualities and characteristics you'd like to see in our next police chief. This quick survey takes about 2 minutes and closes Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 5:00 PM. Take the survey here. 

Treecycling! January 1-31
Reminder: after the holidays you can Treecycle your tree! City crews will then turn it into mulch and compost. Visit our website for all the details about the 3 drop-off locations around Portland. Please make sure all ornaments, tinsel, lights, etc have been removed from the tree. DPW crews will also be collecting trees curbside for the month of January. 

Portland Historic District Certified by Secretary of the Interior
Last week the National Park Service certified that the locally designated Munjoy Hill Historic District meets the requirements for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to recognizing the merits of the local historic district, certification means that owners of income-producing Contributing or Landmark buildings within the Munjoy Hill Historic District now have the option of applying for State and Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits. Read the full update to learn more.

1/11: Public Forum: METRO Bus #8 Route
Join the West End Neighborhood Association public meeting on Wednesday, January 11, 6:30 PM, at the Reiche School Community Room for discussion of a minor METRO route change (Bus #8) as a result of the Andrews Square project. Learn more on the METRO website here. 

Winter Conditions Alert
Please be safe and stay off the ice in our City parks! Look for green flags on the signs to know when the ice is ready. Check the website for more winter recreation  information and conditions as the snow arrives. Read the latest Parks + Rec updates via their November newsletter, or learn about upcoming programs via the Fall-Winter-Spring Recreation brochure, read it online here. 

Leading in Maine: Portland’s journey to become Certified Welcoming
Read this great interview with City staff detailing our journey to become Certified Welcoming. Portland is the first in the state and among the first in the New England region.  

Vaccinations Available While Supplies Last, Appointment Only
While supplies last, our Public Health Division is now offering appointments for flu vaccines and COVID bivalent boosters. Call 207-874-8446 to schedule or for more information. Appointments are at the clinic at 39 Forest Avenue, Portland.

Portland Fire Department Adds Three Mechanical CPR Devices
Thanks to the support of the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant funding program, the Portland Fire Department recently acquired three Lucas mechanical CPR devices to aid in treating and transporting cardiac arrest emergencies. Read the full story here. 

Shop with a Cop 2022, Community and Collaboration
Our Recreation and Police Departments coordinated to host the annual Shop with a Cop event this month. Based on written responses to an essay contest, eight children were selected and picked up by officers at our After the Bell site on Friday, 12/9. The group went to Renys where they picked out gifts for their family, then to the Portland Police headquarters, where they wrapped gifts and ate pizza and snacks. Thank you to all who helped make this event a success! 

Weatherize Your Home or Apartment: Tips and Rebates 
Don't miss this webinar replay from our Sustainability team, with expert tips from Efficiency Maine and Evergreen Home Performance. Watch the recording here to  learn how to save on heating costs and weatherize your home this winter. The deadline for the  $100 DIY Winter Prep Rebate from Efficiency Maine is December 31, 2022. Learn more and get the rebate form here.

Winter Storm Reminders, Sand Shed
The Payson Park sand shed is now up and running; two, five gallon pails allowed per resident. Our Department of Public Works is ready for winter, when they care for more than 560 lane miles of road. In tandem, our City’s Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department cares for more than 100 miles of sidewalks during and following snow storms. Are you ready? As winter approaches, find all you need to know about winter operations on our website. 

Work With Us
We currently have multiple job openings across a variety of departments, such as 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.

Update: Congress Square Redesign
Free Street and High Street are now open, construction work for this phase of the project is now paused for the winter. Read the full project timeline here.

12/21: Sewer System Survey, Maple Street Area
A survey of the sewer system in the Maple Street area will begin starting Wednesday, 12/21 for approximately 6 weeks. There will be little to no impact regarding traffic flow. Read the full details here.