City News Round Up: Friday, February 23, 2024
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read a recap of the Feb. 5th City Council meeting. To view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings, please visit portlandmaine.gov/agendas. The next City Council meeting is Monday, February 26th. Read the agenda preview at the end of this message.

2/24: Warming Center Open
The warming center at First Parish Church (425 Congress St) will be open Saturday, 2/24 at 7:00 PM and close at 7:00 AM Sunday, 2/25. For more information, please contact ben@gppsme.org.⁠

Property Taxes Due March 14th
The second portion of property taxes are due March 14, 2024. Tax bills can be viewed and paid on our Citizen Self Service website. Learn more here. 

New Episode: Let’s Connect Greater Portland Podcast
Listen to City Manager Danielle West and Westbrook City Administrator Jerre Bryant discuss the challenge of meeting the aspirations of residents and elected leaders in the budget process on a recent Let's Connect Greater Portland podcast.

City Works to Improve Capisic Brook Water Quality
Our City Water Resources team and its partners have taken many steps to begin to protect and restore the Capisic Brook water resource, including developing a comprehensive update in 2023 to the Watershed Management Plan (WMP). Read more about the strategies and successes, and learn how you too can help us protect Capisic Brook and all of Portland’s water resources. Read the full story.  

UNE President's Forum: 'Maine’s Homelessness Crisis'
The public is invited to this free public event bringing together local experts to discuss the homelessness crisis in Maine on Wednesday, 2/28, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM at the UNE Biddeford Campus (Harold Alfond Forum Room 283). Panelists include Portland City Manager Danielle West, Cullen Ryan, of Community Housing of Maine, and Ali Lovejoy, of Preble Street, moderated by UNE assistant clinical professor of public health Courtney Jeffers. Learn more here, or watch the livestream at  www.une.edu/live.

In-Person Absentee Voting Ends Next Thursday, 2/29
In-person absentee voting is currently underway for the March 5, 2024 State of Maine Presidential Primary. The last day to in-person absentee vote is Thursday, February 29th, unless you have a special circumstance. The Clerk’s Office will be open until 7:00 PM on the 29th only for voter registration and in-person absentee voting. Both external ballot drop boxes are set up at City Hall + Canco Road and ready to receive completed absentee ballots 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Finance Committee Update: Recommended FY25 CIP Budget
The City Manager delivered her recommended FY25 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budget to the Finance Committee at its February 8 meeting. The CIP presents the City’s capital needs in the current year and plans for capital needs in future years. It is also a financing plan for public improvement projects that require significant capital investment for the City. The recommended CIP budget letter can be read in full here, and the list of included projects seen here. The Finance Committee will discuss the CIP budget further at its 2/28 meeting at 5:00 PM. Read the full update. 

City Manager West Selects Two New Assistant City Managers
City Manager Danielle West is pleased to announce that she has selected Greg Jordan and Dena Libner to serve as Assistant City Managers for the City of Portland. Greg Jordan currently serves as the Executive Director of Greater Portland METRO, and Dena Libner currently serves as City Manager West’s Chief of Staff. Read the full update here.

Update: Community Development Block Grant
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Allocation Committee has posted their scores for the CDBG Applications for Program Year 2024-25. These scores are not a final determination of funding but are a recommendation from the Committee prior to the final City Council vote on CDBG awards. View the scores on the CDBG website. Reach out to cdbg@portlandmaine.gov if you have any questions about the upcoming award process.

Apply by 3/1: City Seeks Vendor Proposals, Gazebo on Commercial Street
We're seeking proposals for a food service, street artist, or retail service to activate the gazebo located on Commercial Street between Casco Bay Lines and Ocean Gateway, adjacent to the Eastern Trail bike and pedestrian path. Learn more here. Expressions of interest must be submitted to Jen DeRice at jderice@portlandmaine.gov by March 1, 2024 no later than 2:00 PM.

4/10 Free Concert: United States Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus
Merrill Auditorium is pleased to welcome the United States Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus on Wednesday April 10th at 7:00 PM. This elite 65 member instrumental ensemble is considered by music critics to be one of the most versatile and inspiring musical organizations in the world. Reserve your complimentary tickets here. 

New City Housing Dashboard Helps Visualize Housing Creation Progress
We're pleased to announce that a new publicly available housing dashboard has been created to track and visualize the City’s efforts in creating more housing. Created by our Planning & Urban Development Department using City approval and permitting data, the public will be able to interact with the dashboard to see housing approved by year, from 2010 onward, as well as the types of projects, their location, affordability, and completion status. Read the full update here.

Disaster Loans for Portland Businesses
Portland businesses are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for economic damages resulting from the December 2023 storms. Read the U.S. Small Business Administration FACT SHEET for the FEMA Disaster Declaration covering the December 2023 wind and rainstorm. Learn more here.

Business Resilience Storm Response Grants
Working waterfront businesses that directly support fishing and aquaculture on islands and in fishing dependent communities impacted by the storms on January 10th and 13th may be eligible for grant awards up to $5,000 via the Island Institute. Learn more and apply on their website. 

Microenterprise + Childcare Grants Still Available
Did you know more than 50 Portland businesses have benefitted from our $5,000 Microenterprise grants? Burundi Star Coffee, a minority- and woman-owned business, is one, as well as Factory 3 makerspace (watch recent interview). We have $100,000 left to give out to qualifying microbusinesses in Portland. Learn more + apply.

Grants of up to $15,500 for new child care businesses (home-based) and up to $11,000 for existing child care businesses are also available through the City. Watch this great NEWS CENTER Maine story or learn more on our website.

Portland Senior Tax Equity Program (P-Step) Applications
Our Treasury staff has mailed new applications to residents who were approved for the P-Step program last year; a new application must be filed every year that you are eligible for the program. This local program, voted on and approved by the Portland City Council in 2017, provides tax relief to low-income seniors in Portland by providing property tax or rent rebates for qualified applicants. Read through a program overview and frequently asked questions here.

Work With Us!
We have multiple job openings across a variety of departments, view the full list of openings here. Recent positions listed: Senior Human Services Counselor; Human Services Specialist; Aquatic Programmer I; 62+ Program Activity Driver – Recreation Programmer (On Call); Trades Worker III; HVAC Technician II – Public Buildings; IT Systems Administrator I; Senior Engineer; Planner; HR Safety + Training Officer. Come make a difference with us, our wellness benefits are award winning.

DPW Paving Updates and Ongoing Construction Projects
Please visit portlandmaine.gov/PublicWorks for information links to all the most recent DPW project updates. See all paving updates here.

City Council Agenda Preview: Monday, 2/26

The meeting will be held in-person in Council Chambers. You can watch the live-stream by visiting portlandmaine.gov/agendas. Public comment will only be taken in-person or in writing.

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

Proclamations
#16 Recognizing James Beard Foundation Award Nominees 

Appointments, Public comment taken
#123 Appointing Troy Moon to Landcare Management Advisory Committee
#124 Appointing Members to Various Boards & Committees

Consent Items + 3 Business Licenses, Public comment taken
#125 Declaring June 9, 2024 the Resurgam Music Festival
#126 Declaring July 11 to August 3, 2024 the Shakespeare in the Park Festival 

Unfinished Business, Public comment taken
#118 Appropriating $1,200,000 from Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund to 45 Dougherty, LP 

#119 Approving the Planning Study Grant Agreement Between the MaineDOT and Portland re: Franklin Street Plan

#122 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 18 re: Addition of Thomas Park and North Deering Park 

Orders, Public comment taken except for #135/#136
#130 Naming City Land at Lowell, Congress, and Burnham Streets Thomas Park

#131 Accepting Portland Public Art Committee FY'23 Annual Report + FY'24 Budget Plan 

#132 Accepting 2023 Annual Land Bank Report 

#133 Accepting 2023 Annual Parks Commission Report 

#134 Approving the City's Resignation as Trustee of the Kotzschmar Memorial Trust + the Appointment of Friends of Kotzschmar Organ as Successor Trustee

#135 Accepting/Appropriating $50,000 Bequest from the Franklin Lawrence II Estate for Evergreen Cemetery Maintenance FIRST READ

#136 Accepting/Appropriating $25,000 Grant from the Maine Community Foundation for Western Cemetery Improvements FIRST READ