City of Portland Alerts

City News Round Up: Friday, February 20, 2026

City News Round Up: Friday, February 20, 2026

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 February 2 City Council meeting. The next meeting is Monday, February 23, at 5:00 PM, read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

Citywide Parking Ban Friday Night
A citywide parking ban has been declared and will begin tonight at 10:00 PM, Friday, February 20, through 6:00 AM Saturday, February 21. Vehicles left on city streets after 10:00 PM tonight can be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense. Reminder: The fine for failing to move your vehicle during a parking snow ban is now $130. The City offers numerous free options for parking during a snow ban, read the alert to find the full list and all parking ban details.

Boil Water Order Alert for Portland Islands
Due to a water main break, the Portland Water District has issued a precautionary Boil Water Notice for all of Peaks Island, Little Diamond Island, Great Diamond, House Island, and Cushing Island. The boil order is in effect as of 11:00 am, February 20, 2026. Read the full alert.

Warming Shelter Open Overnight Saturday
The emergency overnight warming shelter will be open this Saturday, February 21, from 7:30 PM - 6:30 AM at 166 Riverside Industrial Parkway. A free shuttle service will be available to bring guests to and from the Warming Shelter. ⁠Check the City’s homepage or social media for the latest updates.

Property Taxes Due
Property tax bills can be viewed and paid on our Citizen Self Service website; the second half of payment is due Friday, March 20, 2026. 

CDBG Priority Setting Task Force, Apply by March 2
Help shape Portland’s future! We’re looking for applicants for the CDBG Priority Setting Task Force to help review current priorities, research needs within the community, and recommend priorities to be used in the allocation of resources for the Community Development Block Grant Program. The City receives approximately $2 million annually from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development which is used to support public infrastructure projects, small business and job creation programs, housing, and a wide range of social services to support the City’s low and moderate income residents. Learn more and apply.

Updated: Volunteer on City Boards and Committees
Ready to get involved? The City Clerk's office is seeking applications for various board and committee positions, which all play an important role in Portland’s government. Just added: Civilian Police Review Board (apply by Saturday, 2/28). Residents can view the full board and committee descriptions, along with application directions. Apply by Friday, February 27.

Winter Warming Shelter Impact
January 2026 was one of the coldest Portland has seen in recent years, marked by extreme temperatures and significant snowfall. In response, the City’s Winter Warming protocols were triggered for 15 of the 31 days. Operating alongside our three year-round emergency shelters, the seasonal Warming Shelter provides an additional 60 beds for neighbors in need of respite from the elements and a shuttle service.⁠ In January, 221 unduplicated individuals accessed the Winter Warming shelter, and 668 clients were served across all City-operated shelters. This level of rapid response is only possible because of the dedication and flexibility of our incredible Social Services staff. We thank them for their work, as it has made a life-saving difference in our community every single night. 

New Podcast: How Portland Saved its Working Waterfront
Listen to this new podcast with Bill Needelman, former City Waterfront Coordinator, for a big-picture conversation about how Portland’s working waterfront has evolved over the past 25 years, and what it’s taken to protect one of the region’s most vital economic and cultural assets. Hear from Heather Moretti, our new Waterfront Coordinator, in the next Let’s Connect podcast. Tune in each Thursday from 1 to 1:30 PM on WMPG, 90.09 FM.

Meet our January Employee of the Month
Congratulations to our January Employee of the Month, Patrick Farrell! Patrick is our Athletic Facilities Supervisor in the Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department, and is recognized for his exceptional work ethic, positive attitude, compassionate leadership, and commitment to continuous improvement. Pat’s dedication is evident in his hands-on approach to leading his team of five full-time and several seasonal employees by setting a powerful example. As the supervisor responsible for overseeing the facilities utilized by dozens of community, school, and professional groups, Pat excels at leadership, kindness, and collaboration. He demonstrates a "roll-up-your-sleeves" level of hard work and consistently goes above and beyond to serve our city, embodying the spirit of public service. 

Portland's Natural Helpers Fellowship Begins Third Year of Civic Leadership
Our Office of Economic Opportunity is proud to announce the newest cohort of the Natural Helpers Fellowship. Now entering its third year, the Fellowship is part of a nationwide initiative that bridges the gap between residents and community resources by identifying, training, and empowering trusted, community-rooted leaders. This year, the group consists of 14 amazing community leaders recognized for their leadership in the public sector, non-profits, cultural organizations, and in the local community. 

Help Us Name Portland’s New Park!
A new park is scheduled to start construction this March on a site currently occupied by the Ocean Gateway queuing lanes. The new 3.5-acre park site will consist of a public greenspace along the Eastern Waterfront transformed into an area with walking and biking trails, trees, native plantings, playful features, parking, and more! Submit your name ideas through Friday, February 27.⁠ Learn more on the project page. 

Portland’s Community Pool Has a New Name
The Portland City Council recently approved an order renaming the Kiwanis Pool the Rising Eddy Community Pool, to honor the enduring resilience and renewal of the city of Portland and the Libbytown neighborhood, and to evoke a safe place for people to swim, enjoy summers, and build a sense of community. The Council approved this order at its February 2 meeting following review by the Sustainability & Transportation Committee at its January 14 meeting, an open call to the public for names, as well as a review by the Naming Committee.

P-STEP Applications Now Available
Portland Senior Tax Equity Program (P-STEP) applications have been mailed to those who qualified last year and are now available on our website via an online fillable form, a PDF fillable and printable form, and in-person at the Treasury Department.

Creative Portland Open Call to Artists
Greater Portland artists are invited to submit work for exhibition consideration in Creative Portland's upcoming 9th juried show, Resistance, which will hang for one year, between May 2026 through April 2027, at their Free Street gallery space. 

2026 City Council Common Goals
Through a goal-setting process, the Portland City Council has identified six Common Council Goals that will guide the Council’s collective work this year. These goals represent areas where councilors expressed shared commitment to advancing meaningful change. During the goal-setting workshops, councilors also identified concrete actions the Council could consider to translate these high-level goals into tangible policy work.⁠

Public Works Updates

Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates

We’re Hiring!
We are hiring across several departments, 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.  Come make a difference with us! Our wellness benefits are award winning.

February 23rd 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

Consent Items and Unfinished Business (Public comment taken)

#127 Accepting and Appropriating $250,000 in Donated Funds Raised by the Portland Parks Conservancy for the Portland Public Pool Replacement Project

#128  Accepting and Appropriating a $3,783 Maine Historic Preservation Commission Grant for Planning Staff Participation in Forum 2026

#129 Approving the Service Contract Between the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the City of Portland and Accepting and Appropriating a Pass-Through Grant in the Amount of $13,257

#130 Approving Service Contract between Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the City and Accepting/Appropriating Pass-Through Grant in the Amount of $14,332 to the Fifth Maine Regiment Museum

#131 Extending for 179 Days the Moratorium on Theater and Performance Hall Projects with a Capacity Exceeding 2000 People in the City of Portland Established by Order 9-25/26

Orders (Public comment taken on #135 only, others First Read only)

#135 Approving Purchase/Sale Agreement between Carassas Holdings LLC and City RE: Portland Technology Park Property

#136 Accepting/Appropriating $10,000 in Resilient Communities Grant Funding from the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership

#137 Accepting/Appropriating $1,000 Donation from Justin Alfond for the City's Natural Helpers Program

#138 Approving Agreement between MaineDOT and Portland RE: Improvements to Franklin Street and Marginal Way

#139 Approving the Payment-in-Lieu-of-Tax (PILOT) Policy

Past Alerts