City News Round Up: Wednesday, November 24
We’re coming to you two days early as City Hall is closed on Thursday and Friday this week. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We’re so thankful that so many of you look forward to this newsletter each week.

Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. The City Council’s next regular meeting is on Monday, December 6 at 6:00 PM via Zoom. This meeting will include the Inauguration of three new City Councilors as well as a regular business meeting. View the full Meeting Calendar.

Holiday Season: Upcoming City Hall Closures
All City of Portland offices will be closed the following dates: Thanksgiving, Thursday and Friday, November 25 and 26. We will observe the Christmas and New Year holidays on Friday, December 24, and Friday, December 31.

Holiday Trash Collection Reminder
There will *not* be trash pick up on Thursday, November 25 (Thanksgiving Day). Those with Thursday collection will have their trash picked up on Saturday, November 27. Ema​il any holiday collection questions to: solidwaste@portlandmaine.gov. View the full holiday collection schedule here.⁠ Trash and Recycling will take place as usual on Friday 11/26, Christmas Eve Day, 12/24 and New Year's Eve Day, 12/31. 

Thanksgiving Week Pool Closures
The Riverton Pool is closed for repairs on Tuesday and Wednesday, 11/23+24, and for the Thanksgiving Holiday (Thursday-Sunday, 11/25-28). The Reiche Pool will be closed for the holiday only (Thursday through Sunday).

City & Tandem Mobility Search for Bike Share Sponsor
As we’ve previously announced, we entered into an agreement with Tandem Mobility, a bikeshare company with national experience, to launch a bike sharing system by the summer of 2022. Key to launching the system, however, is the ability to attract a title bike share sponsor. Learn more and share the news!

Memo Recapping November 2 Election & At-Large Council Race Recount
The City Clerk and Acting Corporation Counsel provided a memo to the City Council this week recapping the November 2 Election and At-Large Council race recount. The memo provides a full accounting of the process in an effort to be fully transparent to the public. Read the memo and supporting documents here.

Portland Harbor Dredge Application Not Selected for Federal Funding
We’ve been working with the City of South Portland, the Portland Harbor Commission and the Maine Department of Transportation to solicit funding in order to complete much needed dredge work at and around the piers, wharfs and marinas in Portland Harbor. Unfortunately, this work will be extended at least another year while the group continues to seek full project funding. Read the full story.

Tree Delivered to Monument Square - Tree Cam Returns!
The Monument Square tree has landed! Learn more about the history of the tree and donor here. While there will not be a scheduled “countdown” to the lighting of the tree, it will be illuminated at dusk on Friday, November 26. Enjoy free Hood Eggnog® from 3:00 – 5:00 PM via the Hood Eggnog® truck on Monument Square. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing should you visit Monument Square. View the Tree Cam live-stream anytime – 24/7 – beginning Friday, November 26 c. 4:00 PM at portlandmaine.com/tree.

District Meetings - November + December via Zoom (New: Recordings Available)
Our annual District Meetings are being held remotely (all 6:30 PM via Zoom) during the months of November and December. These meetings are your opportunity to meet your district councilor, the Mayor, and representatives from the various departments within the city. Upcoming meetings: District 4, Tuesday, November 30; District 1, Wednesday, December 1; and District 2, Wednesday, December 15. Find your district info, Zoom access, and recordings here.

Get Your Bags Out by November 27: Curbside Leaf Collection Extended!
Curbside leaf pickup has been extended another week; leaf bags must be curbside by Saturday, November 27. City crews will make a last run through all the routes early the following week to collect them. This is different than most weeks when you have to have them out in time for your normal trash collection day. This time they must be out by the 27th as crews will be doing several routes on the same days. Learn more.

Ocean Gateway Lot - Winter Lottery
Thirty (30) parking spaces will again be made available to island residents selected by lottery; this temporary program will run from December 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022. Only one entry per household is permitted. Fill out this form to enter. Information requests and questions can be directed to: islandparking@portlandmaine.gov.

Save the Date! Creative Portland Cultural App Community Forum
Participate in a community forum on December 1 with a short presentation and demo of a new cultural app prototype - a 24/7 marketing tool to increase access to the arts. Register here for this event led by Dinah Minot, Executive Director of Creative Portland, and representatives from Yarn Corporation, the app developer. 

PPD Holiday Toy Drive: Toys for Tots
The Portland Police Department is collecting new, unwrapped toys for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots this holiday season! The department will host a toy drop-off on Wednesday, December 8, 2:00 PM-6:00 PM at the Portland Police Department, 109 Middle Street. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy to the outdoor patio during these hours if you would like to donate. Contact Community Policing Coordinator Janine Kaserman at 207-756-8135, with any questions.

Winter Storm Operations Information **Important Reminders** 
Winter is coming and the Department of Public Works (DPW) is ready for the winter storm season. During the winter months, our DPW Dispatch office is open 24-hours a day (call 207-874-8493), and crews are assigned to shifts to respond 24/7 to weather events. Portland DPW maintains more than 560 lane miles of road, while our Parks, Recreation & Facilities Dept. cares for more than 100 miles of sidewalks both during and following snow storms. Learn more about City Winter Operations here.

The City’s residential sand and salt pile will be located at the Little League parking lot at Payson Park. Residents can take two five-gallon pails at a time. This sand and salt pile is for residential use only, contractors are not allowed.

The public can stay updated to winter alerts and parking ban notifications via the City’s website OR sign up to receive email, text, and phone notices via the “Stay Connected” feature. Parking ban updates are also shared on our social channels. Follow the City of Portland on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to see those. Motorists can also call the parking ban hotline at 207-879-0300. Learn more about parking bans.

Work With Us
We currently have multiple job openings across a variety of departments. For more information, visit: www.portlandmaine.gov/jobs.

**Construction Project Updates & Traffic Alerts**

11/29: Fore Street Closure- Hancock to St. Lawrence Street- Local Traffic Only
The City’s contractor, Gorham Sand and Gravel will be permitted to close Fore Street from Hancock Street to St. Lawrence Street for five weeks (open to local traffic only), beginning Monday, November 29, during working hours (7:00 AM-5:00 PM), in order to allow the contractor to safely install new storm drains and sewer pipes in the narrowest section of the roadway. Read full details.

New Traffic Pattern -  Somerset and Kennebec Streets
A new traffic pattern began on Somerset and Kennebec Streets Thursday, November 18. Kennebec Street has been realigned between Hanover Street and Preble Street, now intersecting with Somerset Street. Somerset Street now also continues between Elm Street and Preble Street. The Bayside Trail was also extended from Elm Street to Brattle Street. Learn more.

Baxter Boulevard Traffic Impacts

Extended to 12/3: Baxter Boulevard Additional Traffic Impacts
The current Baxter Boulevard Closure from Dartmouth Street to Preble Street, as well as Dartmouth Street at Ricker Park, will remain closed for at least 2 additional weeks due tidal impacts, as well as weather disruptions to the progress of work. Learn more.   

Baxter Boulevard from Payson Park to Dartmouth Street is closed. Vannah Avenue is closed from Clifton Street to Baxter Boulevard. This closure is scheduled to last until December 2022. Back Cove Trail is open during the entire construction project. Full details.

Ocean Avenue Sewer Separation Project
The nearby sewer separation project on Ocean Avenue is nearing completion and should be wrapped up in November. Ocean Avenue is still down to one lane during the day (approximately 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM) while they do construction work using flaggers. However, the road is open to two-way traffic on nights and weekends. Full details.