Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Road Crack Sealing Work Begins
Today
Crews to seal cracks in major arterials and residential
areas to extend lifespan of the street
Beginning today, September 28th and continuing through
October, crews will conduct day and nighttime crack-sealing
along major arterials and residential streets throughout Portland.
Work on residential streets will be done during the day and major
arterials work will take place overnight.
Crack sealing utilizes a rubberized petroleum-based material
that fills in the separation gaps typically found on pavement.
This repair work extends the overall lifespan of the street and is
an effective cost-saving measure. If left unchecked, water and
debris can infiltrate these cracks and cause a great deal of
damage due to frost and settling. While the work is underway,
commuters can expect delays.
Maine Supremes to Hold Court at
Deering High School
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court will hold one of its court
sessions at Deering High School on October 11th. The court has
held oral arguments at high schools around the state for the past
six years, and will convene other sessions this month at high
schools in Richmond and Lisbon.
Justices will hear oral arguments in three cases at each
school. Students will be given copies of briefs before the
appeals, and after the oral arguments, the lawyers who made the
arguments will be available to answer questions from students.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Portland Press Herald to Raise
Price of Daily Paper to $1
The Portland Press Herald has announced that the price of its
daily paper will rise from 75 cents to $1, effective October 3rd.
The announcement was posted at distribution sites around town.
The Press Herald was founded in 1862 on Congress Street.
The daily Press Herald circulates six days per week in five
counties, and the Maine Sunday Telegram is sold statewide.
The newspaper announced recently that it was laying off 40
employees because of declining revenues.
Medical Marijuana Dispensary to
Open Near Longfellow Square
Northeast Patients Group plans to open Portland's first
medical marijuana dispensary at 685 Congress Street, in a 6500-
square-foot space at the rear of the building that also houses the
restaurant Local 188, near Longfellow Square. It is not known
when the facility will open, but the group had previously said it
would like to be open by the end of the year.
Northeast Patients Group was founded by a group of patients
and advocates after the passage of Maine's Medical Use of
Marijuana Act in 2009. Maine's new Medical Marijuana Law went
into effect on January 1, 2011. To be fully compliant, patients
must register with Maine's Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS).
Friday, September 23, 2011
Workshops to Show How to Make
Historic Homes Energy Efficient
Greater Portland Landmarks will present a series of energy
efficiency workshops to assist home and building owners in older
and historic neighborhoods of Greater Portland to make their
buildings more energy efficient while maintaining both historic
character and property values. These informational workshops
will be presented by Christopher Closs, Greater Portland
Landmarks’ Field Service Representative; Peter Taggart,
Principal, Taggart Construction, an expert in preservation of
older homes and buildings; and Hilary Bassett, Executive Director
of Greater Portland Landmarks.
Workshops will provide specific techniques and approaches to
reduce energy costs, including discussion of strategies, and
ample question and answer time. Workshop participants will
receive an energy efficiency workbook and handouts outlining
specific energy techniques and how-to outlines, checklists and
energy efficiency resources, including funding and tax credits
information.
The Program will also include examples of the Portland Region’s
architectural styles and building history, emphasizing the impact
of neighborhood architectural character as it relates to the
historic significance of the area.
Greater Portland Landmarks’ Fall 2011 Neighborhood Energy
Efficiency Workshops Schedule:
October 4 6:30-8:30 pm, East End Community School, 195
North Street, Portland
October 12 6:30-8:30 pm, Greater Portland Landmarks, 93
High Street, Portland
October 25 6:30-8:30 pm, South Portland Public Library, 482
Broadway, South Portland
November 3 6:30-8:30 pm, Woodfords Congregational Church,
202 Woodfords Street, Portland
Please register in advance ($5.00) for this program online at
www.portlandlandmarks.org. Workshop and workbook are
free to participants who register.
MECA Honored for Preservation of
Porteous Building
Greater Portland Landmarks has presented a Preservation
Honor Award to the Maine College of Art (MECA) for the
preservation and adaptive reuse of the historic Miller Building
(1904 and 1911), formerly the Porteous Mitchell & Braun
Department Store, as a center of excellence for art education.
MECA’s building, at 522 Congress Street in Portland, anchors
Portland’s Arts District.
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, the
building is a significant example of an architect-designed, turn-of-
the-century department store, which combines the large
horizontal windows of the Chicago style with Beaux-Arts
decoration.
MECA acquired the building in 1993, and since then, Portland
architect Richard Renner has guided preservation and design
projects. Key projects include constructing the dramatic red
central stair to link the five floors of the building, uncovering the
large windows on the Congress Street façade and restoring their
original details, and developing specialized departments with
classrooms equipped for various art disciplines.
Greater Portland Landmarks promotes the preservation and
revitalization of historic buildings, neighborhoods, and
landscapes and encourages high-quality new architecture to
enhance the livability and economic vitality of Portland and
surrounding communities. Greater Portland Landmarks sponsors
educational activities and programs about local architecture and
best practices in historic preservation.
For more info: www.portlandlandmarks.org
Game Warden Shoots Bear
in East Deering
A Maine game warden shot and killed a black bear in the East
Deering neighborhood of the city just before 7AM this morning.
The bear was spotted in a tree at Veranda and Oregon Street
near the Route 1 bridge to Falmouth at 4:30AM. The animal left
the tree after two hours and headed toward the water, but then
headed back into the neighborhood where it was shot. The
warden tried unsuccessfully to tranquilize the bear.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Secretary of State: No Voter
Fraud Found in Maine
Maine Secretary of State Charles Summers announced today
that after a two-month investigation, his office found no voter
fraud among college students in Maine.
Maine Republican Party Chair Charlie Webster had provided the
Secretary with a list of 206 out-of-state students who may have
violated voting laws by voting in Maine and in their home state.
The investigation showed no such fraud.
Summers said he intends to introduce legislation in the next
legislature to address problems with the system.
To read the Secretary of State's complete statement, click here.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Pingree Announces $20
Million for Downeaster Rail
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today announced that the
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority would receive
$20.82 million for work on the Downeaster rail line between
Boston and Brunswick.
The funds, which come from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, will be used to add track capacity, to reduce
congestion and improve performance, improve signaling and
restructure grade crossings to improve on-time reliability of
service.
Pingree also criticized deep cuts to high-speed rail projects
recently proposed in the Transportation, Housing, and Urban
Development (THUD) Appropriations budget. (The funding
announced for the Downeaster today would not be affected.)
Monday, September 19, 2011
City Council to Address
Fireworks, Chickens
Among the issues the Portland City Council will address at its
regular City Council meeting tonight are a ban on private
ownership of fireworks, and a change in the City's Domesticated
Chickens Ordinance.
In June, the State Legislature enacted “An Act to Legalize the
Sale, Possession and Use of Fireworks”. This law permits the
sale and use of “consumer fireworks” in Maine. Consumer
fireworks are defined as “any small firework device designed to
produce visible effects by combustion, and which must comply
with the construction, chemical composition, and labeling
regulations of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission”.
The new state law permits municipalities to adopt an ordinance to
prohibit or restrict the sale or use of consumer fireworks within
the municipality. The City Council will consider creating such a
prohibition in the City of Portland. The ordinance would prohibit
the sale and use of consumer fireworks in the city, and create
penalties for violations of the prohibition.
At its August 9th meeting, the Public Safety Committee voted 2-0
to recommend passage of the ordinance to the full Council.
The Domesticated Chickens Ordinance currently requires a 25-
foot setback from all residential structures and any other
structures on adjacent lots. On September 13th, the Public
Safety Committee voted to recommend that the setback from
structures be reduced to ten feet.
The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers, City Hall
at 7PM.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
WENA to Consider Art at
Work Program
Members of the West End NEighborhood Association will meet
tonight and vote on whether members of the organization want to
be part of the City's Art at Work program. The meeting will be
held at the Reiche Community Center on Brackett Street at 6:30
PM.
On Wednesday, August 31st, a group of WENA members met
with the ART AT WORK Portland staff (Marty Pottenger and
Belinda Ray) to become more familiar with the project.
ART AT WORK is a one-year project starting in September 2011.
The goals of the project are to strengthen neighborhood
organizations as partners with government; expand memberships
to reflect socio-economic and cultural diversity of community;
increase civic participation, and fortify the cultural and economic
viability of neighborhoods. This is accomplished by directly
involving residents and businesses in art workshops that focus
on neighborhood histories, assets and challenges, capacity
building and leadership development.
ART AT WORK has chosen the West End as a priority
neighborhood and would need the support of the neighborhood
to proceed. The project would meet once a month at Reiche
Community Center for a 2 ½ hour session. The goal would be to
have 25 participants engaged in the process by the end of one
year. Each month, there would be a new project using a new art
medium, led by professional artists from the ART AT WORK
project. ART AT WORK would run the classes, help recruit
community members to participate, provide materials, food and
refreshments, and work to recruit West End artists as the
teachers/facilitators.
In addition to the 25 participants, the neighborhood must also
commit to trying to raise $5000 by the end of the year with the
help of a professional fundraiser’s advice and support. This
could be done through WestFest, another neighborhood
fundraiser, corporate and private donations, bake sales, art
sales, etc.
West Commercial Street
Development to be Discussed
Vincent Veroneau, President of J.B. Brown & Sons, will make a
presentation at the WENA meeting on September 14th, regarding
the development of West Commercial Street.
J.B. Brown & Sons is in the process of purchasing land on the
north side of West Commercial Street below Emery Street
running west to Benny’s. The company wants to request a zone
change on the property to expand the currently allowed uses
beyond strictly marine industrial to include the potential
development of office and/or residential development. They will
be looking for a change to B-5b zoning, which is the zoning on
their adjacent Star Match Building property.
City Manager Announces
Plans for Police Chief Search
Rees presents search process to Public Safety
Committee
At a Public Safety Committee meeting today, Portland City
Manager Mark Rees discussed his plans for a police chief
search. Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit
applications to the City later this month, and following a review of
submissions, selected candidates will be invited to be interviewed
by City staff and community members, as well as submit to an
Assessment Center. The Assessment Center will evaluate
candidates through a series of exercises including an in-basket
exercise, which is a complex problem-analysis and decision-
making exercise involving at least ten items, a tactical exercise,
simulation exercise and program planning. These exercises will
help to inform the City Manager as he makes his final
determination for Police Chief.
“As with all high profile positions responsible for core City
operations, it is important that we have a competitive process
that imbues confidence and trust from the public and the City’s
workforce, and I am confident that this search process will lead
the City to a well qualified, experienced Police Chief,” stated City
Manager Rees.
By September 26th, the City will begin advertising the position
with both local and national outlets, including several national
and regional policing organizations. Applications for the position
are due at the close of business Friday, October 28, 2011.
Qualified candidates must have a comprehensive understanding
of the police department’s divisions and various operations, and
extensive knowledge of best practices, including community
policing, use of force, and patrol and crime prevention. The
candidate should bring a high degree of professionalism, and
proven leadership abilities to the job, and posses the highest
degree of integrity, honesty, fairness, and morals. He or she
should also be able to manage all aspects of municipal budgets,
apply changes as necessary, seek additional resources, and
stay on top of technological advancements in policing.
“It is paramount that we identify a candidate who can hit the
ground running and keep current projects moving forward,”
continued Rees. “From the City’s community policing initiatives to
the department’s model programs for mental health intervention
to the new crime reduction unit, we need a chief who can keep
pace with a dynamic and professional police department.”
Following an internal review of applications and preliminary
phone interviews, to be complete by mid-December, selected
applicants will be invited to the city for a round of interviews with
community members, city staff and union leaders.
“The Police Department touches the lives of thousands of
residents every year, which is why community input is so crucial,”
remarked Rees. “Equally important is the feedback from City staff
from the front line to the department head, the success of the
department is dependent upon successful internal and
interdepartmental relationships.”
Following the initial interview, finalists will be interviewed by City
Manager Mark Rees, and participate in a series of exercises to
be evaluated by the Assessment Center. While this schedule is
tentative and subject to change, the goal is to have the City
Manager name a new Police Chief at the beginning of the New
Year.
“Having led a number of police chief searches in other
communities, I can appreciate the important role an Assessment
Center can have in this search,” concluded Rees. “The testing,
exercises and evaluation give you a perspective that you would
not otherwise get and it’s an important step to ensuring that the
final candidate has the skills, expertise and fortitude to be
Portland’s Police Chief.”
For more detailed information regarding the City’s police chief
search, visit the City’s website at www.portlandmaine.gov.
Police Chief James Craig left the position to lead the Cincinnati
Police Department earlier this summer. In the interim, Assistant to
the Chief Michael Sauschuck has been serving as Acting Police
Chief.
Monday, September 12, 2011
4th Annual Reiche
International Road Race
The 4th Annual Reiche International Road Race will be held in
Portland's West End on Sunday October 9th. The five kilometer
run through Portland's scenic West End neighborhood supports
Maine's most ethnically diverse school, Reiche Elementary. The
community event celebrates Reiche's international student body
representing 32 nationalities.
This year, the race will feature a centipede division in which four
or more closely attached runners will participate as a team. See
Entry Form for section to add your centipede team name.
Participants are invited to wear a costume. Walkers are welcome.
This year's costume theme is MONSTERS.
The race starts and ends at Reiche Elementary. The well-marked
single loop course begins on Brackett Street and continues
through the streets of the West End, including Chadwick, Neal,
Pine & Spring Streets. It includes one climb — behind the
Western Prom Cemetery. Otherwise it's fast and flat.
High quality T-shirt for all registered runners before October 3rd.
Prizes are awarded and all ages are invited to participate
Road Crack Sealing Work Begins
Today
Crews to seal cracks in major arterials and residential
areas to extend lifespan of the street
Beginning today, September 28th and continuing through
October, crews will conduct day and nighttime crack-sealing
along major arterials and residential streets throughout Portland.
Work on residential streets will be done during the day and major
arterials work will take place overnight.
Crack sealing utilizes a rubberized petroleum-based material
that fills in the separation gaps typically found on pavement.
This repair work extends the overall lifespan of the street and is
an effective cost-saving measure. If left unchecked, water and
debris can infiltrate these cracks and cause a great deal of
damage due to frost and settling. While the work is underway,
commuters can expect delays.
Maine Supremes to Hold Court at
Deering High School
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court will hold one of its court
sessions at Deering High School on October 11th. The court has
held oral arguments at high schools around the state for the past
six years, and will convene other sessions this month at high
schools in Richmond and Lisbon.
Justices will hear oral arguments in three cases at each
school. Students will be given copies of briefs before the
appeals, and after the oral arguments, the lawyers who made the
arguments will be available to answer questions from students.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Portland Press Herald to Raise
Price of Daily Paper to $1
The Portland Press Herald has announced that the price of its
daily paper will rise from 75 cents to $1, effective October 3rd.
The announcement was posted at distribution sites around town.
The Press Herald was founded in 1862 on Congress Street.
The daily Press Herald circulates six days per week in five
counties, and the Maine Sunday Telegram is sold statewide.
The newspaper announced recently that it was laying off 40
employees because of declining revenues.
Medical Marijuana Dispensary to
Open Near Longfellow Square
Northeast Patients Group plans to open Portland's first
medical marijuana dispensary at 685 Congress Street, in a 6500-
square-foot space at the rear of the building that also houses the
restaurant Local 188, near Longfellow Square. It is not known
when the facility will open, but the group had previously said it
would like to be open by the end of the year.
Northeast Patients Group was founded by a group of patients
and advocates after the passage of Maine's Medical Use of
Marijuana Act in 2009. Maine's new Medical Marijuana Law went
into effect on January 1, 2011. To be fully compliant, patients
must register with Maine's Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS).
Friday, September 23, 2011
Workshops to Show How to Make
Historic Homes Energy Efficient
Greater Portland Landmarks will present a series of energy
efficiency workshops to assist home and building owners in older
and historic neighborhoods of Greater Portland to make their
buildings more energy efficient while maintaining both historic
character and property values. These informational workshops
will be presented by Christopher Closs, Greater Portland
Landmarks’ Field Service Representative; Peter Taggart,
Principal, Taggart Construction, an expert in preservation of
older homes and buildings; and Hilary Bassett, Executive Director
of Greater Portland Landmarks.
Workshops will provide specific techniques and approaches to
reduce energy costs, including discussion of strategies, and
ample question and answer time. Workshop participants will
receive an energy efficiency workbook and handouts outlining
specific energy techniques and how-to outlines, checklists and
energy efficiency resources, including funding and tax credits
information.
The Program will also include examples of the Portland Region’s
architectural styles and building history, emphasizing the impact
of neighborhood architectural character as it relates to the
historic significance of the area.
Greater Portland Landmarks’ Fall 2011 Neighborhood Energy
Efficiency Workshops Schedule:
October 4 6:30-8:30 pm, East End Community School, 195
North Street, Portland
October 12 6:30-8:30 pm, Greater Portland Landmarks, 93
High Street, Portland
October 25 6:30-8:30 pm, South Portland Public Library, 482
Broadway, South Portland
November 3 6:30-8:30 pm, Woodfords Congregational Church,
202 Woodfords Street, Portland
Please register in advance ($5.00) for this program online at
www.portlandlandmarks.org. Workshop and workbook are
free to participants who register.
MECA Honored for Preservation of
Porteous Building
Greater Portland Landmarks has presented a Preservation
Honor Award to the Maine College of Art (MECA) for the
preservation and adaptive reuse of the historic Miller Building
(1904 and 1911), formerly the Porteous Mitchell & Braun
Department Store, as a center of excellence for art education.
MECA’s building, at 522 Congress Street in Portland, anchors
Portland’s Arts District.
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, the
building is a significant example of an architect-designed, turn-of-
the-century department store, which combines the large
horizontal windows of the Chicago style with Beaux-Arts
decoration.
MECA acquired the building in 1993, and since then, Portland
architect Richard Renner has guided preservation and design
projects. Key projects include constructing the dramatic red
central stair to link the five floors of the building, uncovering the
large windows on the Congress Street façade and restoring their
original details, and developing specialized departments with
classrooms equipped for various art disciplines.
Greater Portland Landmarks promotes the preservation and
revitalization of historic buildings, neighborhoods, and
landscapes and encourages high-quality new architecture to
enhance the livability and economic vitality of Portland and
surrounding communities. Greater Portland Landmarks sponsors
educational activities and programs about local architecture and
best practices in historic preservation.
For more info: www.portlandlandmarks.org
Game Warden Shoots Bear
in East Deering
A Maine game warden shot and killed a black bear in the East
Deering neighborhood of the city just before 7AM this morning.
The bear was spotted in a tree at Veranda and Oregon Street
near the Route 1 bridge to Falmouth at 4:30AM. The animal left
the tree after two hours and headed toward the water, but then
headed back into the neighborhood where it was shot. The
warden tried unsuccessfully to tranquilize the bear.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Secretary of State: No Voter
Fraud Found in Maine
Maine Secretary of State Charles Summers announced today
that after a two-month investigation, his office found no voter
fraud among college students in Maine.
Maine Republican Party Chair Charlie Webster had provided the
Secretary with a list of 206 out-of-state students who may have
violated voting laws by voting in Maine and in their home state.
The investigation showed no such fraud.
Summers said he intends to introduce legislation in the next
legislature to address problems with the system.
To read the Secretary of State's complete statement, click here.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Pingree Announces $20
Million for Downeaster Rail
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today announced that the
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority would receive
$20.82 million for work on the Downeaster rail line between
Boston and Brunswick.
The funds, which come from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, will be used to add track capacity, to reduce
congestion and improve performance, improve signaling and
restructure grade crossings to improve on-time reliability of
service.
Pingree also criticized deep cuts to high-speed rail projects
recently proposed in the Transportation, Housing, and Urban
Development (THUD) Appropriations budget. (The funding
announced for the Downeaster today would not be affected.)
Monday, September 19, 2011
City Council to Address
Fireworks, Chickens
Among the issues the Portland City Council will address at its
regular City Council meeting tonight are a ban on private
ownership of fireworks, and a change in the City's Domesticated
Chickens Ordinance.
In June, the State Legislature enacted “An Act to Legalize the
Sale, Possession and Use of Fireworks”. This law permits the
sale and use of “consumer fireworks” in Maine. Consumer
fireworks are defined as “any small firework device designed to
produce visible effects by combustion, and which must comply
with the construction, chemical composition, and labeling
regulations of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission”.
The new state law permits municipalities to adopt an ordinance to
prohibit or restrict the sale or use of consumer fireworks within
the municipality. The City Council will consider creating such a
prohibition in the City of Portland. The ordinance would prohibit
the sale and use of consumer fireworks in the city, and create
penalties for violations of the prohibition.
At its August 9th meeting, the Public Safety Committee voted 2-0
to recommend passage of the ordinance to the full Council.
The Domesticated Chickens Ordinance currently requires a 25-
foot setback from all residential structures and any other
structures on adjacent lots. On September 13th, the Public
Safety Committee voted to recommend that the setback from
structures be reduced to ten feet.
The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers, City Hall
at 7PM.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
WENA to Consider Art at
Work Program
Members of the West End NEighborhood Association will meet
tonight and vote on whether members of the organization want to
be part of the City's Art at Work program. The meeting will be
held at the Reiche Community Center on Brackett Street at 6:30
PM.
On Wednesday, August 31st, a group of WENA members met
with the ART AT WORK Portland staff (Marty Pottenger and
Belinda Ray) to become more familiar with the project.
ART AT WORK is a one-year project starting in September 2011.
The goals of the project are to strengthen neighborhood
organizations as partners with government; expand memberships
to reflect socio-economic and cultural diversity of community;
increase civic participation, and fortify the cultural and economic
viability of neighborhoods. This is accomplished by directly
involving residents and businesses in art workshops that focus
on neighborhood histories, assets and challenges, capacity
building and leadership development.
ART AT WORK has chosen the West End as a priority
neighborhood and would need the support of the neighborhood
to proceed. The project would meet once a month at Reiche
Community Center for a 2 ½ hour session. The goal would be to
have 25 participants engaged in the process by the end of one
year. Each month, there would be a new project using a new art
medium, led by professional artists from the ART AT WORK
project. ART AT WORK would run the classes, help recruit
community members to participate, provide materials, food and
refreshments, and work to recruit West End artists as the
teachers/facilitators.
In addition to the 25 participants, the neighborhood must also
commit to trying to raise $5000 by the end of the year with the
help of a professional fundraiser’s advice and support. This
could be done through WestFest, another neighborhood
fundraiser, corporate and private donations, bake sales, art
sales, etc.
West Commercial Street
Development to be Discussed
Vincent Veroneau, President of J.B. Brown & Sons, will make a
presentation at the WENA meeting on September 14th, regarding
the development of West Commercial Street.
J.B. Brown & Sons is in the process of purchasing land on the
north side of West Commercial Street below Emery Street
running west to Benny’s. The company wants to request a zone
change on the property to expand the currently allowed uses
beyond strictly marine industrial to include the potential
development of office and/or residential development. They will
be looking for a change to B-5b zoning, which is the zoning on
their adjacent Star Match Building property.
City Manager Announces
Plans for Police Chief Search
Rees presents search process to Public Safety
Committee
At a Public Safety Committee meeting today, Portland City
Manager Mark Rees discussed his plans for a police chief
search. Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit
applications to the City later this month, and following a review of
submissions, selected candidates will be invited to be interviewed
by City staff and community members, as well as submit to an
Assessment Center. The Assessment Center will evaluate
candidates through a series of exercises including an in-basket
exercise, which is a complex problem-analysis and decision-
making exercise involving at least ten items, a tactical exercise,
simulation exercise and program planning. These exercises will
help to inform the City Manager as he makes his final
determination for Police Chief.
“As with all high profile positions responsible for core City
operations, it is important that we have a competitive process
that imbues confidence and trust from the public and the City’s
workforce, and I am confident that this search process will lead
the City to a well qualified, experienced Police Chief,” stated City
Manager Rees.
By September 26th, the City will begin advertising the position
with both local and national outlets, including several national
and regional policing organizations. Applications for the position
are due at the close of business Friday, October 28, 2011.
Qualified candidates must have a comprehensive understanding
of the police department’s divisions and various operations, and
extensive knowledge of best practices, including community
policing, use of force, and patrol and crime prevention. The
candidate should bring a high degree of professionalism, and
proven leadership abilities to the job, and posses the highest
degree of integrity, honesty, fairness, and morals. He or she
should also be able to manage all aspects of municipal budgets,
apply changes as necessary, seek additional resources, and
stay on top of technological advancements in policing.
“It is paramount that we identify a candidate who can hit the
ground running and keep current projects moving forward,”
continued Rees. “From the City’s community policing initiatives to
the department’s model programs for mental health intervention
to the new crime reduction unit, we need a chief who can keep
pace with a dynamic and professional police department.”
Following an internal review of applications and preliminary
phone interviews, to be complete by mid-December, selected
applicants will be invited to the city for a round of interviews with
community members, city staff and union leaders.
“The Police Department touches the lives of thousands of
residents every year, which is why community input is so crucial,”
remarked Rees. “Equally important is the feedback from City staff
from the front line to the department head, the success of the
department is dependent upon successful internal and
interdepartmental relationships.”
Following the initial interview, finalists will be interviewed by City
Manager Mark Rees, and participate in a series of exercises to
be evaluated by the Assessment Center. While this schedule is
tentative and subject to change, the goal is to have the City
Manager name a new Police Chief at the beginning of the New
Year.
“Having led a number of police chief searches in other
communities, I can appreciate the important role an Assessment
Center can have in this search,” concluded Rees. “The testing,
exercises and evaluation give you a perspective that you would
not otherwise get and it’s an important step to ensuring that the
final candidate has the skills, expertise and fortitude to be
Portland’s Police Chief.”
For more detailed information regarding the City’s police chief
search, visit the City’s website at www.portlandmaine.gov.
Police Chief James Craig left the position to lead the Cincinnati
Police Department earlier this summer. In the interim, Assistant to
the Chief Michael Sauschuck has been serving as Acting Police
Chief.
Monday, September 12, 2011
4th Annual Reiche
International Road Race
The 4th Annual Reiche International Road Race will be held in
Portland's West End on Sunday October 9th. The five kilometer
run through Portland's scenic West End neighborhood supports
Maine's most ethnically diverse school, Reiche Elementary. The
community event celebrates Reiche's international student body
representing 32 nationalities.
This year, the race will feature a centipede division in which four
or more closely attached runners will participate as a team. See
Entry Form for section to add your centipede team name.
Participants are invited to wear a costume. Walkers are welcome.
This year's costume theme is MONSTERS.
The race starts and ends at Reiche Elementary. The well-marked
single loop course begins on Brackett Street and continues
through the streets of the West End, including Chadwick, Neal,
Pine & Spring Streets. It includes one climb — behind the
Western Prom Cemetery. Otherwise it's fast and flat.
High quality T-shirt for all registered runners before October 3rd.
Prizes are awarded and all ages are invited to participate
| Fix-It Man "Your Problem Solver" Repairs-Improvements- Maintenance 61 Sherman St. Portland www.fix-itman.com 771-0202 |
