City News Round Up: Friday, July 29, 2022

Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings. Read the recap of the July 11 City Council meeting here. The next City Council meeting is Monday, August 8, at 4:00 PM. This will be a special double meeting as the Council will only meet once in August. The City Council will meet in-person and remote participation via Zoom will be available. To view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings, please visit www.portlandmaine.gov/agendas.  

Apply Today! Volunteer for City Boards & Committees
Ready to get involved and help shape your city? Boards, commissions, task forces, and committees are an important part of Portland’s government. We’re looking for volunteers to help serve on several of those boards and committees. Find application information and read the full list of open seats on our website, or call 207-874-8677. Applicants will be contacted for interviews; the deadline to apply is Monday, August 22.

Portland, Westbrook Lead with New Affordable Housing
Read this quick article from Spectrum News focused on the need for affordable housing in the state. “As the state continues to wrestle with the need for more affordable housing, a review of data from MaineHousing shows Portland leading the state in creating new affordable housing units over the past five years, with communities in the greater Portland and Lewiston areas close behind.” 

Shape Your City: Take our Second ARPA Funds Survey
The funding survey for the remaining American Rescue Act (ARPA) funds available to the City is now live - please share your input! The survey closes August 19 at 5:00 PM. The new survey results will be presented to both the Finance Committee and City Council later this summer. For more ARPA information and a complete list of projects that have received funding, please visit: portlandmaine.gov/arpa.

We are now also accepting pre-applications for the second round of ARPA funds. There is approximately $11.2M in funding that is anticipated to be available to businesses, nonprofits, and governmental entities. This is in addition to the 19 projects approved after the first participatory ARPA funding process in November 2022.The pre-application is due August 5, 2022 at 4:00 PM. Find the application and learn more: portlandmaine.gov/ARPA. 

Age-Friendly Portland Highlighted
Portland has been nationally recognized by AARP for the work of our Age-Friendly Community Initiative. Read this great article outlining all they have achieved since joining the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. Apply to become an Age Friendly Business via this online form. 

Application Available: Property Tax Stabilization Program for Residents 65 +
The guidance documents and application are now available on our website for the new State of Maine law, L.D. 290 that goes into effect August 8, 2022 (and applies to property tax bills starting after April 1, 2023): “An Act to Stabilize Property Taxes for Individuals 65 Years of Age or Older Who Own a Homestead for at Least 10 Years.” This new law allows certain senior residents to stabilize, or freeze, the property taxes on their homestead. An applicant must be at least 65 years old, a permanent resident of the State, and must have owned a Maine homestead for at least ten years. For more details, please contact the State's Property Tax Division at (207) 624-5600 or prop.tax@maine.gov.

Creative Bus Shelter Initiative Shifts into Phase II
Creative Portland, in partnership with Greater Portland METRO (METRO) and the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG), announced the installation of five new bus shelter designs coming this August, for a total of nine artistic bus shelters along METRO routes. This expansion of the Creative Bus Shelter Initiative was made possible by a $25,000 matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as part of the “Our Town” grant program. Learn more about the artists and this second phase of the project here. Save the date! Friday, August 5, is the next Summer Stage Series in Monument Square.

Save the date! August 12: Coffee and Climate
This month our Sustainability staff will be joined by Peter Dugas, En-ROADS Climate Ambassador and Citizens’ Climate Lobby Liaison, for an introductory tour of MIT’s En-ROADS Climate Simulator. Join the Zoom chat at 9:00 AM to learn how this tool informs which climate policies are most effective and equitable on a local, national, and international level.

Update: New Downtown Public Restrooms
Two of three new public restrooms have been installed! There is one at the Fish Pier on Commercial Street and now one at the corner of Monument Way and Free Street. The third one, which will be located at the Central Fire Station, (on Pearl St, between Congress and Federal) will be installed later in August.

Parks and Recreation Updates
Don’t miss this great story in the Portland Press Herald featuring our Park and Play program. Park and Play runs at various times weekdays through Aug. 12 at Kennedy Park, Stone Street Playground, Munjoy South, Pleasant Street Playground and the Deering Oaks Playground. Get all the details on our website here. 

Did you know Portland kids can swim free (under 18) at Portland Pools this July and August? Thank you Portland Kiwanis Club! Music is also returning to Lincoln Park this summer. Learn more about these updates, and more,  via the July Parks and Recreation newsletter.

Help Us Protect and Grow Our Canopy Cover
Despite a labor shortage and other logistical challenges, our Forestry Team planted 150 trees city-wide this season! (Read more in the Letter from our Parks Director.) Each year after they plant trees for the season, our Forestry staff embark on a weekly watering program, visiting each tree planted City-wide in the past two years (over 330 trees total) to get them through the dry summer season. Can you help us protect and grow our canopy cover? If you have recently planted a tree in front of your home or business, give the young tree about 5 gallons of water each week. Water directly over the root zone, and the slower you water, the better so the water has a chance to soak in. Our crews will continue with their regular watering of each and every tree for two years after planting, the additional weekly watering will help the young trees reach maturity. 

Work With Us!
We currently have multiple job openings across a variety of departments, view the full list of openings here. 

DPW Paving Updates and Ongoing Construction Projects

Please visit portlandmaine.gov/PublicWorks for information links to all the most recent DPW project updates. 

*NEW* Starting Tuesday 8/2, Forest Ave at Dartmouth St Lane Closures
Beginning at 6:00 AM, on Tuesday August 2, for two weeks, Forest Ave at Dartmouth St will have lane closures for the installation of sewer, storm and water mains associated with the Back Cove West Storage Conduit Project. Read the full alert details here.

Paving Updates
Milling will take place on Hartley Street, from Forest Ave to Stevens Ave on Monday, 8/1. There will be no parking along this entire road; traffic delays expected. See all paving projects updates here. 

Marginal Way Temporary Closure
Marginal Way, between Franklin and Diamond Streets, will be closed to traffic for approximately two more weeks for continued Back Cove Sewer Separation Project construction work. Read the full alert details here.

Forest Ave: August Proposed Paving
MaineDOT is preparing to pave Forest Avenue from Congress Street to Park Avenue. This street is currently proposed for repair and resurfacing during the 2022 construction season. We will share updates with dates as they are received. 

Brighton Ave Gas Main Work Begins
Unitil System Upgrade for Reliable Energy program began work the week of July 1 on Brighton Ave, from Douglass St. to Belfield St.. Parking will be disrupted in short sections and follow the crew excavations.

Project Update: Fore Street/Eastern Promenade Sewer Separation Project
Read the full project update here.