City News Round Up: Friday, January 10, 2025

Meetings & Agendas
Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read a recap of the January 6 City Council meeting. To view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings, please visit portlandmaine.gov/agendas. The next City Council meeting is Wednesday, January 22 at 5 PM.

1/20: Upcoming Holiday Closure
All City buildings will be closed on Monday, January 20, in observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There is no change to trash and recycling collection.

City Receives $2M in Federal Funds to Support Franklin Street Redesign
This week, the City and MaineDOT were awarded $2 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program for the first phase of design for the Franklin Street redesign project. The federal funding will be matched by the City and MaineDOT, each contributing $250,000. Having these federal funds in place will allow the City to move immediately into the design phase after the final planning phase is complete. The final planning phase work is set to begin in the first quarter of 2025 after the City hires a consultant to lead the effort. 

Health & Human Services 2024 Community Impact
On Monday, January 6, Mayor Dion highlighted the work of our Health & Human Services (HHS) Department in his State of the City Address. Watch this quick recap of our 2024 community impact here, and stay tuned for our HHS 2024 annual report for a full look at how we're making a difference in our community. We're proud to serve you Portland, Maine! 

10 Portland Businesses Awarded Job Creation Grants
At their December 19, 2024 meeting, the Portland Development Corporation awarded $100,000 in grant funding allocated by the City's Community Development Block Grant program to 10 Portland businesses. Each business will receive $10,000 for creating a new job. This program will expand economic opportunities and contribute to the local economy. Read the full story here.

City Seeking Proposals to Utilize Federal Funds for Affordable Rental Housing + Services to Reduce Homelessness
The City of Portland/Cumberland County HOME Consortium (CCHC) is excited to announce the availability of a Request for Proposals for projects that will support individuals and households experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Read the full update to learn more. Applications are due Monday, February 3, at 2 PM.

Request For Applicants - Day Space Pilot + Methadone Treatment Program
The City has issued a request for grant applications through its opioid settlement fund programs in order to create a day space pilot program and a methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program in Portland. Applications are due January 24, 2025, by 4:30 PM. In 2017, the City joined several nationwide class action lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, which were intended to help pay for the social costs and massive damages caused by the opioid epidemic. As a result, the City has received approximately $1.38 million in opioid settlement funds to allocate toward opioid remediation and abatement uses. 

School Board Nomination Papers Now Available
Nomination papers are now available in the City Clerk's office to fill the vacant School Board At-Large seat a six-month term to fill a vacant seat. Interested candidates will also have to file nomination papers subsequently for the November 2025 election to run for a full three-year term. Completed nomination papers must be returned to the City Clerk's Office by Monday, March 3, to qualify for the June 10 ballot. Please contact the Clerk's Office for more information: elections@portlandmaine.gov or 207-874-8677.

Rental Registration Late Fee Reminder
We're reminding landlords and property managers that the City’s annual rental registration process is currently open, and renewals were due on December 31, 2024; see the late fee schedule below. If you require any assistance, please contact the Rental Registration office at rentcontrol@portlandmaine.gov. Visit the rental registration page to learn more.

• Licenses not renewed by January 15, 2025, will be subject to late fees of $50 per unit. 
• Licenses not renewed by February 15, 2025, will be subject to late fees of $200 per unit. 

Important Changes for Portland Employers Started January 1
Portland businesses are reminded of the following changes starting January 1, 2025: 1) Paid Family Medical Leave Contributions Begin; 2) Increase to Overtime Exemption Threshold; 3) Minimum Wage Increase. Read this update for the full information.

Treecycling is back! Don’t throw away your tree, RECYCLE IT!
For the month of January, there are THREE drop-off locations in Portland where you can drop off your Christmas tree to be recycled. Trees dropped off at any of these locations will be taken to Riverside Recycling to be chipped and mulched.⁠   1) Cutter Street Parking Lot, Eastern Promenade, the upper lot on the right, not the sliding hill lot; 2) Payson Park, Salt Shed area, by the Little League field; 3) Riverside Golf Course, North Course (9-hole), 1158 Riverside Street. Please make sure all ornaments, lights, + tinsel have been removed from your tree.⁠

Curbside tree collection will also take place for 2 weeks in January starting Monday, 1/6 through Friday, 1/17. Please leave your tree curbside, there is no set day of the week that crews will service your location. Christmas tree collection MAY NOT COINCIDE with the day of your trash & recycling collection. 

Winter Conditions Map + Parks, Recreation and Facilities Updates
Reminder! You can view our real-time condition updates for Portland's five skating ponds and three sledding hills on this interactive map, updated daily. Ice skating is always at your own risk. Find more ice safety and winter recreation ideas on our website. Read all the latest updates in the December 2024 newsletter here. Registration is open for 2025 Recreation Programs here.

Reminder: Register Your Dog by January 31
State law requires you to license your dog each year. Residents can register dogs online or at the City Clerk's office, learn more here. Register annually by January 31 to avoid the $25 late fee. Fees: $6 per year; $11 unneutered/unspayed. (A $1 transaction fee + a $1.75 shipping/handling fee is added to online registration transactions.) 

Elder Exercise: Friday Drop-In Pickleball at Reiche
Join for a game of drop-in pickleball - ongoing now through May 2025! 50+ exercise takes place at Reiche Community Center on Fridays, 6PM-8PM, $5/residents. Contact cviney@portlandmaine.gov, 207-874-8873 for more information.

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.