City News Round Up:  Friday, July 12, 2024
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read a recap of the June 17 City Council meeting. To view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings, please visit www.portlandmaine.gov/agendas. The next City Council meeting is Monday, July 15, which is a special double meeting at 4 PM and 5:30 PM. Read the agenda preview at the bottom of this message.

City Manager Selects Two New Department Heads to Join Leadership
The City Manager will be requesting City Council confirmation of two new staff appointments at the July 15 City Council meeting. Maggie McLoughlin has been selected to lead the Health & Human Services Department, and Kevin Kraft to lead the Planning & Urban Development Department. Read the full story.

Annual Fill-A-Backpack Challenge
The Portland Police Department and the Portland Regional Communications Center are holding their annual Fill-A-Backpack Challenge now through 8/15! Over the past eight years, 2,577 backpacks have been donated to students in our schools from donations within the City of Portland, and from citizens from around Maine. Backpacks should be filled with the following supplies: pencils, pencil sharpener, crayons, colored pencils, ruler, spiral bound notebooks, scissors (blunt edged), erasers, glue. Bags can be dropped off in the lobby of the police station (109 Middle St.) or pickup can be arranged if needed. Please direct questions to: cherylb@portlandmaine.gov.

Coffee & Climate: Join the Bike Party 7/19
Join the One Climate Future team at 6:00 PM on Friday, 7/19 for a bike ride with Portland Trails, Bicycle Coalition of Maine, and Portland Bike Party! Meet at Orange Bike Brewing (31 Diamond Street) for the pre-ride gathering to engage with fellow commuters; the group ride takes off at 7:00 PM. No registration required, just bring your bicycle, helmet, and high-visibility gear for safety if you plan to ride.

Tax Relief for Low-Income Seniors - Apply by Wednesday, 7/31!
The 2024 P-STEP application deadline is coming up on July 31. The Portland Senior Tax Equity Program (P-STEP) provides tax relief to low-income seniors. To qualify, applicants must be 62 years of age or older with a homestead in Portland. ⁠Find the application + learn more on our website or visit City Hall in person. Our Office of Elder Affairs is also available for application assistance, please contact them at 207-541-6620.⁠

Property Owners to Receive Revaluation Data Mailer Starting July 22
All residential property owners will begin receiving data mailers requesting verification of property information starting July 22. Information about the revaluation process is available on a new website. View a sample data mailer. Property owners are encouraged to visit the site and contact the Assessor’s Office with questions.

ReCode Podcast + Share Your Feedback
Our Planning team continues to encourage everyone to learn more about the second wave changes to the land use code and share your feedback here. Please visit www.recodeportland.me to learn more, or listen to this recent podcast with our Planning staff.

Rate Increases Started July 1
The City Council approved increases of these fees as part of its approval of the Fiscal Year 2025 municipal budget, which started July 1, 2024. Visit our Parking webpage to view upcoming rate increases on parking garages and lots as well as parking tickets. The cost of the City of Portland purple trash bags will be the following rates: $1.90 per 15-gallon bag or $3.80 per 30-gallon bag. The cost per roll is $19.00; it comes with ten x 15 gallon bags or 5 x 30 gallon bags. 

Portland Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates
Read all the latest updates in their June 2024 newsletter. Registration for the '24-'25 Before & After the Bell program started Monday, 7/8, with limited enrollment availability due to staffing challenges. We’re actively recruiting people to work for our Before & After the Bell program as well as in Aquatics. These are great, flexible positions! Learn more by visiting our jobs portal and help us spread the word. 
Visit the Parks & Rec website to learn more about new registration changes. Find City Splash Pad hours + locations here. 

Sundays on the Boulevard: May 5-September 29
Reminder:  Baxter Boulevard is closed to vehicular traffic Sundays only, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, and OPEN for walkers, bikers, pedestrian traffic + play through Sunday, September 29, 2024! Street details: Baxter Boulevard is closed to traffic from Vannah Ave. to Catafalque Dr. (Payson Park east entrance). Payson Park, west entrance road - from the tip of the Grass Triangle (by the softball field) to Baxter Boulevard.

We’re Hiring!
Come make a difference with us, our wellness benefits are award winning! We are hiring across several departments in the city, with a variety of open positions: healthcare roles (RNs/CNAs), trades workers, before + after school recreation counselors, 911 dispatchers, community health workers, and more. Connect with our city recruiter to learn more, or apply today. 

DPW Paving Updates and Ongoing Construction Projects

Upcoming MaineDOT Construction - Casco Bay Bridge Project
MaineDOT will be doing night work on the Casco Bay Bridge starting with traffic control improvements on Monday, July 8. The additional milling/paving dates are currently subject to change: milling is tentatively scheduled for August 4, and paving the first week of September. Learn more.

Ongoing: Baxter Boulevard Construction at Hannaford Plaza Road
Two weeks of construction started Monday, July 8 to install a new catch basin and pipe at Baxter Boulevard and Hannaford Plaza Road. Read full details.

Ongoing: Western Promenade Drainage Improvements Project
Residents were notified by mail of this construction anticipated to begin during the week of June 17 and scheduled to be substantially completed by 10/31/24. Read full details.
Visit portlandmaine.gov/PublicWorks for links to all the most recent DPW project updates, or find all paving updates here.

7/15 City Council Meeting Agenda Preview
The City Council will conduct this special double meeting from Council Chambers, 2nd floor of City Hall. The public may attend in person or watch via livestream. 

4:00 PM: Public comment period on non-agenda items

Proclamations
#1 Celebrating 25th Anniversary, Bayside Neighborhood Association
#2 Celebrating 20th Anniversary, Sister City Relationship Between Portland, Maine, USA and Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece
#3 Celebrating 30th Anniversary of Coffee by Design 

Appointments + 6 Consent Items, Public Comment taken
#1 Appointing Kevin Kraft as Director of Planning and Urban Development
#2 Appointing Maggie McLoughlin as Director of Health and Human Services

Communications, No Council action, No Public comment
Com # 1 Monument Square Pedestrian Area

Unfinished Business, Public comment taken
#254 Accepting/Appropriating $425,000 Donation from the Congress Square Redesign Committee for Construction of Phase B of the Congress Square Redesign
#259 Accepting/Appropriating $200,000 State of Maine EMS Grant for the Portland Fire Department EMS Operations
#258 Approving Housing & Economic Development Department Shahnaz Mahager Hummingbird Grant Program and Accepting/Appropriating an $18,105 Donation for its Creation

Orders, Public comment taken, except # 23
#9 Approval of the Amendments to Rent Board Rules - Article VIII. Process for Recusal

Evening Meeting 5:30

5:30 PM: Public comment period on non-agenda items

Orders, Public comment taken on all except #23
#10 Setting Public Hearing on Citizen Initiative Amendment to Portland City Code RE: An Act to Amend the City of Portland's Emergency Wage Provision
#11 Authorizing City Manager to Execute an Amendment and Restated Lease Agreement With DBH Portland, LLC, for use of Hadlock Stadium and Field for the Portland Sea Dogs
#12 Approving amending the Funding Budget for the 2024 Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Annual Plan to increase the available funding to $3,041,717
#13 Designating/Adopting Municipal Development Program for 186 Woodford Street Affordable Housing Development and Tax Increment Financing District
#14 Approving the Credit Enhancement Agreement with Woodfords Phase 1, LP.
#15 Appropriating $492,000 Jill C. Duson Housing Trust funding to Community Housing of Maine (CHOM) regarding 186 Woodford Street Phase 1.
#16 Designating/Adopting Municipal Development Program for 202 Woodford Street Affordable Housing Development and Tax Increment 4 Financing District
#17 Approving Credit Enhancement Agreement with Woodfords Phase II, LP.
#18 Appropriating $450,000 ($155,511 from the Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund plus $294,489 in HOME funds) in funding to Community Housing of 5 Maine (CHOM) regarding 202 Woodford Street Phase II 
#19 Amending Downtown Transit Oriented Development and Omnibus Tax Increment Financing District to remove a portion of 70 East Oxford Street for it to be its Own Free-Standing Affordable Housing Tax Increment Financing District
#20 Designating/Adopting Municipal Development Program for the 70 East Oxford Street Affordable Housing Development and Tax Increment Financing District
#21 Approving Credit Enhancement Agreement with COMB Block Phase One, LP.
#22 Appropriating $650,000 Jill C.Duson Housing Trust funding to Portland Housing Development Corporation regarding 70 East Oxford Street (COMB Block Phase One).
#23 Setting an Election Date on an Amendment to the Portland City Code Re: Short Term Rental Registration Requirements FIRST READ

Amendments, All First Read, No Public Comment
#24 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 9 Re: Peaks Island Council; Nomination and Appointment of Members; Procedural Requirements for Meetings
#25 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 33 Re: Placing the Referendum “An Act to Increase the Minimum Wage” on the November 5, 2024 Ballot
#26 Amendment Portland City Code Chapter 33 Re: Placing the Referendum “An Act to Eliminate the Sub-Minimum Wage” on the November 2024 Ballot
#27 Amending Portland City Code to Repeal Section 17-5 - Sponsored by Health and Human Services & Public Safety Committee
#28 Amendments Portland City Code Regarding the Short-Term Rental Registration