The Rockland Report November 8, 2013

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
 Met with a resident regarding Blake Lane and the City’s interest in the private way.
 Attended the Agenda Setting Meeting with Council.
 Held Department Head meeting.
 Along with the Harbor Master, we met with representatives from Dragon Cement to listen to concerns with boats anchored outside the designated anchorage area. These boats can obstruct Dragon’s ability to bring their barge into their facility in the South End.
 Met with Paul Benjamin in his capacity as President of Rockland Main Street. We discussed future events, concepts and ways to improve our communication and processes for collaboration. I am sure we will have subsequent follow up meetings as specific events develop and we work to support our mutual goal of promoting Rockland and Rockland businesses.
 Met with staff to discuss a sewer easement and improvements to a section of Lindsey Brook near Summer and Union Street.

OFFICE OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR
 Approved Payroll Warrant.
 Audit Work.
 Month End Trial Balance Work.
 Met with Thayer Corp on HVAC contract.

OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
 Using Public Works' big compressor, we drained and winterized all of the waterlines to the Middle Pier, Harbor Park and the attached restrooms.
 Finished the repair of one of our old Public Landing floats stored in Snow Park, and started a few more float repair projects.
 Met with the City Manager and representatives of Dragon Cement to discuss transient boats that anchor too close to the Atlantic Point Pier and impede their barge's access. We will follow up with the USCG to see what we can be worked out for next summer.
 Met with a boat owner interested in leasing a winter space at the Middle Pier, nothing firm yet.

OFFICE OF THE CITY ASSESSOR
 Processing Real Estate Transfers, parcel cards, sales book, property splits.
 Processing Personal Property accounts, updating ownership, owned items, depreciation, State 801returns, BETE exemptions.
 Processing building permits, reviewing, updating property cards and assessments.
 Analyzing qualified sales of all properties and neighborhoods for a fair and equitable assessment.
 Completing State forms and returning for processing.
 Listening and reviewing property owner’s request.

OFFICE OF THE POLICE CHIEF
 The officers responded to 204 calls for service. Rockland Police Officers responded to five motor vehicle crashes. Fifty five (55) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. The officers made 24 arrests of individuals for various offenses, to include bail violations, alcohol violations, criminal mischief, OUI, drug violations, burglary, theft, disorderly conduct, obstruction of government administration and arrest warrants.
 Officers have been working with Oceanside High School regarding students’ re-entry into the high school.
 The Department has received word from the Maine Office of Substance abuse that it has received a $4500 grant to increase enforcement action on underage drinking, furnishing alcohol to minors, and licensed establishment outreach within the City over the next year.
 Detectives continue to work with the F.B.I. concerning threats made to Linda Bean’s Maine Lobster. Interviews continue to be conducted and a threat assessment has been done at all of Linda Bean’s locations and in the industrial park in order to ensure the safety of its employees.
 Detectives have concluded the investigation into an aggravated assault that occurred in Rockland, on 09/16/13 on Main Street. The final investigative report has been submitted to the District Attorney’s Office for review and to decide if charges will be filed against the suspect.

OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 Attended a State sponsored Floodplain training seminar on 11/4/13 that covered issues in Floodplain Management.
 Attended the City Council Agenda Setting Meeting 11/4/13.
 The Code Officers conducted several inspections of ongoing projects this week.
 The Planning Board met 11/5/13 and approved the application for a corridor addition at the Trade Winds Motor Inn at 2 Park Drive.
 Dave and John participated in another Floodplain Webinar presented by FEMA.
 Final inspection was done for a Certificate of Occupancy on a new Single Family Dwelling at 286 Talbot Avenue.
 There were five complaints filed this week.
 The following permits were received by the Code Office this week:
o 6 Building permits
o 5 Electrical permits
o 1 Plumbing permit
o 2 Sign permits

OFFICE OF THE FISH PIER DIRECTOR
 Mailed out permit applications to the current Lobster Buyers, Herring Carriers, and the Bait Dealer. Applicants must sign permit and return same in order to be considered for an area to use to conduct business at the fish pier for 2014.
 Current Lobster price is $3.65 a pound.
 Attended agenda setting meeting.
 Attended department head meeting.

OFFICE OF THE FIRE CHIEF
In addition to responding to the normal flow of fire and EMS calls, apparatus checks, cleaning, repairs and maintenance to the fleet and cleaning and maintenance of the quarters, the following occurred:
 The Department continued to work on employee evaluations.
 The Fire Chief, A/C Miceli, and FF Cole traveled to Brunswick with the Knox IMAT (Incident Management Assistance Team) for Vigilant Guard ’14 which simulated the collapse of an occupied ice rink. Over a 12-hour shift, Chief Jordan served as the Incident Commander and A/C Miceli served as the Planning Section Chief managing an incident which included over 300 personnel from FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force I and the Massachusetts National Guard CERFP. Firefighter Cole worked in a hands-on role directly with the FEMA USAR Task Force I in the rubble pile.
 Chief Jordan participated in the local section of the Vigilant Guard ’14 drill as the exercise controller for Knox County.
 The Department continued its annual testing of all Department-owned fire hose.
 “Fall Cleaning” of the gear room and storage sheds was completed.

OFFICE OF THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR
 Conducted monitoring well data collection.
 With the help of the Waste Water Department we have started our annual leachate line inspection.
 Loaded and sent out 500 tires to be recycled.
 Participated in a MRRA government affairs conference call to assist the DEP with ideas to help the State achieve the 50% recycling goal.
 We have begun creating cells using clay berms, filling the cells, then covering with daily cover. We have completed our second cell at the south end. The new cover material we are using is working well.
 Pulled the North pump in order to service and repair it.
 Organized the compost area to create room for the annual leaf pick-up.
 Attended department head meeting
 Working with Creative Information Systems to incorporate our credit card machine with our scale software and report system.
 Repaired the outside of the siding of the transfer station.

OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
 Discussed Development pressures on west side of city with City Council.
 Prepared and presented revised proposed Amendment to the Tillson Avenue (Downtown) Tax Increment Financing District.
 Continued to develop applications and presented same for Council approval to Land and Water Conservation Fund and Recreation Trails Program for Boardwalk at Harbor Park and portions of Harbor Trail, respectively.
 Met with consultant for Brownfield Program to review draft Phase I Assessments and to plan for public information meeting in December.
 Followed up with two potential applicants to regional microloan program fund.

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATOR
 Scheduled appointments for clients.
 Met with clients who had scheduled appointments.
 Handled General Assistance inquiries.
 Updated General Assistance Paperwork and client files.

OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 The Children’s Writing Club met on Monday; here is a link to their newspaper.
 A Camden Conference: The Coming Food Crisis was held on Monday evening, with a discussion moderated by Jim Nelson.
 The Adult Art class by Catinka Knoth welcomed students, as did the Children’s Drawing class which continues each Tuesday afternoon.
 Jean Young held Wednesday Storytime.
 National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo) is November, and this week saw the first of Wednesday “Come Write In” semi-workshops. Local writer Lee Heffner will be on hand to assist aspiring writers. The challenge: to complete a 50,000 word novel in a month. We’re happy to have anyone join—even if you don’t make the total, you’ll be off to a good start.
 Thursday evening Arts & Cultural series featured the start of a six-week series of film and discussion entitled Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness. U Rock student and Vice-president of the Honors program, Richard Fortuna, led the discussion which this week features Roman philosopher Seneca.
 Saturday brought Storytime and crafts for the young ones, as well as another Camden Conference Community Conversation.
 There are still a few tickets left for the Friends of Rockland Public Library iPad raffle! Only 200 tickets will be sold and the winner will receive a brand new iPad. The winner will be announced at the silent Tree Auction, which follows the Holiday Inn and House Tour, on November 30. You need not be present to win.
 Upcoming events of note: a Camden Conference Community event “Resilience in Cuba, India, and the US,” and Thanksgiving Crafts for the family.
 Did you know—the Library has a family museum pass for the Owls Head Transportation Museum?

OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 The Election Day events went off without any major problems.
 We are putting the final finishes the new space downstairs. This area has already been rented out for dance classes.
 Soccer league held a pizza party for grades 1st – 4th grade on Wednesday night.
 This has been a busy week here as fall school sports are over and kids are coming into the building after school. We are getting 50-60 kids each night with these numbers steadily increasing.
 There will be some changes to the basketball program this year. The number of sign-ups is going to be key in how the schedule lays out over the winter. I will keep you informed as the program numbers start revealing themselves.

OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 City wide leaf/brush pickup throughout week. Typical employee setup is two leaf blower crews with leaf box trucks, one bagged leaf crew, and one sticks and garden debris crew with backhoe.
 Set up and dismantled voting booths, tables and signage.
 Picked up trash including roadside and sweep streets.
 Removed tree at library that had blown down.
 Grinding pavement work on Laurel Street.
 Director attended Local Project Administration all day training from MDOT in Augusta. Certification is valid for five years.
 Attended Planning Board meeting to answer questions on various issues including drainage, sidewalks, etc.

OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
 Responded to a collection system backup at the China Jade Restaurant. Found the restaurant owner’s pump was the problem.
 Inspected a sewer connection at Purchase Street for a contractor.
 Inspected a sewer connection at 29 Broad Street for a new home.
 Started inspection of the landfill leachate line. Will need to do some cleaning to finish the inspection.
 Finished installing the software upgrade for the collection system inspection equipment.
 The Environmental Technicians attended GPS training.
 Worked with Kruger to setup pilot equipment, the setup took two days.
 Installed new metalwork in the grit vortex.
 Started coating the sodium bisulfite tank containment.
 Took the No. 1 primary clarifier offline for metalwork sandblasting and re-coating.
 Met with DEP to discuss a proposed consent agreement.
 Met with FMC to discuss improving secondary system treatment performance

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