City News Round Up: Friday, January 24, 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 22 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 3, at 5:00 PM.

Maine's First Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) Cell
Dredging Portland Harbor to keep our waterfront working has been an identified need and priority for decades and now it's underway! Last fall, we signed a contract with Cashman Dredging, and they'll be performing this work throughout the rest of January and February. The CAD Cell will be the disposal facility for dredged materials from more than 40 marine sites throughout Portland Harbor. This project is a collaboration between the City of Portland, the City of South Portland, and the Portland Harbor Commission. Critical funding and project support are provided by the State of Maine, MaineDOT, and the EPA Brownfields program. 

Winter Wednesdays: New Dining Campaign Launches 
Enjoy great deals and support your local eateries in Greater Portland + beyond on Wednesdays now through March 26, 2025! Find participating restaurants and deals, or sign your establishment up here. All restaurants across the state are encouraged to participate, spread the word!

New Age-Friendly Portland Business
Congratulations to Novel Book Bar & Cafe on becoming a certified Age-Friendly Business in Portland! This award highlights their dedication to accessibility and inclusivity for older adults. Does this sound like an organization or business you know? Contact AgeFriendlyCommunity@PortlandMaine.gov to learn more or apply online.
 

1/27: Limited Funding Available, City Microenterprise Grants
The City is accepting applications from now until January 27, 2025, for a very limited amount of Microenterprise Grants. Awards of up to $5,000 will be made on a reimbursable basis to Portland microbusinesses or nonprofits that are owned by or which serve low-income populations. Funding is provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was made available to the City of Portland by the federal government. Learn more and find the online application on our website here.

TREEcycling Ends Friday, 1/31!
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.⁠

Volunteer on City Boards & Committees! Apply by 2/10
The City Clerk's office is seeking applications for various board and committee positions which all play an important role in Portland’s government. Residents can find the full descriptions and application instructions on the City’s website here. The deadline to apply is Monday, February 10. Applicants will be contacted for interviews.

NEW: Grant Funding Available: STEP Financial Assistance Award
Portland businesses can apply for financial assistance of $5,000 to $10,000 through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s State Trade Expansion Program, a grant initiative that provides funding to states and U.S. territories to increase the number of businesses that export. Administered by Maine International Trade Center, the objective of the STEP Financial Assistance Award is to encourage Maine companies to seek new international sales through financial support for costs associated with such export growth activities. Learn more + apply by 2/28.

Planning Project Spotlight: 197 Oxford Street
On January 14, 2025, the Planning Board approved a Major Site Plan application involving a phased-site plan development featuring a total of 96 residential units on three parcels within the R-6 zone. Phase 1 includes 20 affordable housing units and 28 Housing First units with on-site staff and support services. The second and third phases each have 24 market-rate housing units. This application will also include the reconstruction of sidewalks along Cedar, Oxford, and Lancaster Streets, as well as 34 new street trees in the Bayside neighborhood.

December 2024 Employee of the Month - Troy Moon
Congratulations to Troy Moon, our Sustainability Director, who has been selected as the December 2024 Employee of the Month. Troy has more than 27 years of service to the City of Portland! This award is in recognition of his excellent leadership, tireless dedication, comprehensive knowledge, and positivity. Read more about Troy's great work here, he is truly an asset to the Executive Department and to the city.

New Ventures Maine, Marketing Mini-Grants: Apply by 2/28
New Ventures Maine awards cash mini-grants (up to $1,000) to microenterprises for current marketing projects. This program supports the development of marketing tools, materials, and activities. Applications are due on February 28. Learn more + apply here.

City Receives $2M in Federal Funds to Support Franklin Street Redesign
Last 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 Community Impact
Last week our Social Services staff moved two long-time Homeless Services Center (HSC) clients into their new homes. Combined they had 791 HSC bed nights, representing over two years of homelessness. Many thanks to our Social Services staff for helping them move in and ensuring a smooth transition. Seeing clients move into their own space is a powerful reminder of our impact and gives us all a reason to celebrate.

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 2PM.

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 for 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. 

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.

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, 6 PM-8 PM, $5/residents. Contact cviney@portlandmaine.gov, 207-874-8873 for more information.

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.) 

We’re Hiring!
We're on the lookout for lifeguards and aquatic instructors to join our Parks Division team. Whether you're looking for part-time excitement or on-call flexibility, we’ve got a spot for you! Connect with our recruiter here to learn more, or APPLY here today!

We are also 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. Come make a difference with us, our wellness benefits are award winning!