The Rockland Report May 9, 2014

OFFICE OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR/ACTING CITY MANAGER
 Approved Payroll Warrant.
 Approved A/P Warrant.
 Attended Agenda Setting Meeting.
 Met with Rec Director on Parks and upcoming maintenance projects.
 Met with Public Works Director and Andrew Hedrich of Gartley & Dorsky to discuss Old County Road on ditching and shoulder work to help drainage issues before reconstruction of the road.
 Met with Staff and Deputy Commissioner of MDOT to discuss Camden Street vision and accessing monies thru the PPI program.
 Held Dept. Head Meeting – discussed budget and projects throughout the City.

OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL FISH PIER DIRECTOR
 One Lobster Buyer permit was issued this week. All four Buyer Stations are filled.
 Installed the second salt water wash down pump for pier users.
 Met with Bait Dealer to go over placement of Bait coolers and the area location
of their business.
 Reviewing S.H.I.P. Grant options that have become available with John Holden.

OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
 Inspected the sewer lateral being discontinued and capped at 49 Pleasant Street.
 Completed cleaning and inspection of the sewer main on Lawn Avenue to
Broadway.
 Repaired and sealed leaking manhole on Cedar Street at Old County Road.
 Power, gas and water service at the public restroom. The contractor started
siding the building.
 Cleaned two basins in the garage at Public Works.
 Repaired piping on the No. 4 sodium bisulfite tank.
 Replaced the seal on No. 1 vortex underflow pump.
 Completed final preparations for chlorination season.

OFFICE OF THE CITY ASSESSOR
 Processing Real Estate Transfers, updating parcel cards, sales book,
property splits.
 Processing Personal Property accounts, updating ownership, owned items,
depreciation, State BETR’S 801 returns, 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 properties at the owner’s request.
 Updating Tax Maps and posting to the web site.

OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
 All the floats are ready to go, and we'll start putting the main strings in during the course of next week.
 The plumbing for the bathrooms is all set and we'll give them a thorough cleaning
and they'll be opened next week too.
 We're working on running a new pex hose to the Public Landing to increase the
water flow at the docks.
 We've got one of the vendors open at the Middle Pier, so come on down and try
the Vietnamese cuisine.
 The revamped laundry room is almost done, just a couple of details, but the
machines are back in and operating.

OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 City wide spring cleanup week. One crew on Monday, Thursday, and Friday and two crews on Tuesday and Wednesday. Will continue with cleanup next week.
 Repaired collapsing catch basin on Monday on Orient Street by Camden
National Bank.
 Sweeping streets with both street sweepers for four days with each machine.
Sidewalk sweeping for ½ a day.
 Placing refurbished trash cans. Building and painting wooden safety barricades
and donated picnic tables.
 Picked up city receptacle and building trash for two days.
 Cold patched for ½ a day.
 Repaired 10” clay sewer main along the Lindsey Brook at the end of Admontem
Avenue, one day’s work.
 Rebuilt and installed wooden flower box on Main Street building that was
damaged when plowing sidewalks.
 Mechanic installed new brake shoes and rotor for 2007 GMC pickup, new brake
shoes and gutter brooms installed on 2008 Tymco sweeper, new brake shoes
installed on 2008 Chevrolet one ton truck, and transmission work on 1992 sign
truck.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
The officers responded to 176 calls for service. Rockland Police Officers responded to five motor vehicle crashes. Twenty-seven (27) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. The officers made 13 arrests of individuals for various offenses, to include bail Warrants of Arrest, Bail violations, Drug offenses, Trespassing, Theft, Drug Violations, Criminal Mischief, Domestic Assault and OUI.
 Chief Boucher presented Coast Guard Station Rockland an Award from Special Olympics Maine during the Coast Guard Appreciation dinner on Friday Night.
  Officers participated in the Regional Special Olympic Game ceremonies at
Rockland Middle School on Friday.
 Chief Boucher met with members of a group wishing to assist in setting up a
Wanders Database for public safety and medical personnel. The concept is
outlined below:
o Individuals with conditions such as Autism or Alzheimer's often wander or
bolt and do not know they are in trouble, nor can they communicate. This
database provides officers in the cruiser with a recent photo and info
including: the name and description of the person/their caregiver's phone
number and address, triggers/calmer, etc.
o This database saves time if a pre-enrolled person goes missing. Info already
in computer helps an officer if they come across someone wandering who
has not even been reported missing. The lost individual can then be
returned home instead of being taken to the Police Department or
Emergency Room.
o Saves time, aggravation, money, and even lives.

OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 John Root attended the City Council Agenda Setting Meeting on 5/5/14 and the
Planning Board Meeting on 5/6/14.
 At the Planning Board Meeting the board approved the Site Plan Review for The Home Kitchen Café’s proposal for an Ice Cream Shop and Bakery at 19 No. Main St. and they also approved Steve Stinson’s proposal to construct a deck that will provide outdoor seating for Claw’s Restaurant at 743 Main St. The proposal for a functions hall at 31 New County Rd. was not approved due to parking concerns and will have to return to the next Planning Board meeting for further review.
 Permits have been issued and work has begun on the new Habitat for Humanity
house at 9 Pine Street.
 Permits were issued this week for FMC’s Compressed Natural Gas delivery system at 19 Lime Street.
 The permit season is really starting to pick up. It’s looking like this year is going to be a banner year for the Code Office.
 License inspections were done with the Fire Dept. at Myrtle St. Tavern and the
Navigator.
 There were three complaints filed this week.
 The following permits were received by the Code Office this week:
o 18 Building permits
o 1 Driveway permit
o 1 Electrical permit
o 4 Plumbing permits
o 1 Sewer Connection permit
o 1 Shoreland Zoning permit
o 1 Sign permit

OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 April vacation went very well here at the Recreation Department. The kids had
organized games and activities each day. They used the gym and the game
room. The staff did a great job running this program.
 Outdoor work has begun and we are finally getting some weather that is allowing us to get things cleaned up. We have been working with Public Works and the Parks Commission to get picnic tables fixed, painted and back out in the parks.
 I have been working to develop a plan for the maintenance and care of the
parks over the next few weeks. This will include volunteer groups that are asking to help the City clean up parks and playgrounds.
 There is a Parks Commission meeting here at the Recreation Building Thursday and we will be talking about the RFP for Art Displays and the care and maintenance of the parks in town over the summer.

OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 I attended the City Council Agenda Setting Meeting, and the Department Heads’
Meeting.
 I met with staff both singly and as a group.
 Catinka Knoth’s Adult classes drew May baskets while the Children’s Drawing
classes drew both Mothers’ Day cards and May baskets this week.
 I met with members of the Library Advisory Committee, to discuss some policy
items and the proposed City Budget, which includes keeping the currently vacant
reference librarian position unfilled for FY 15.
 The Arts...for Kids & their Families at the Rockland Public Library continued, with Jess Day’s JAMMM (Jess' Art Music Movement & Mindfulness) babies’ class for families with babies, newborn through 8 months. The class includes music, movement and stories; Dena Davis’ Family stories—families writing together, also continues, incorporating artifacts, photographs, childhood neighborhood maps and letters.
 Again, the second of five Family Place™ workshops took the place of Wednesday
Storytime. The Play with Me Program designed for children ages 0 to 3 years old
and parents or caregivers, this week had local speech and hearing expert, Helen
Kosmo on hand to address any parental concerns in this area. Friends’ Board
Member Marilyn Trask assisted Jean Young (and took lots of photos).
 Part of Madcap May films, Erika Pfander hosted a showing of His Girl Friday for the
Thursday evening Arts & Cultural Event,
 On Saturday, as part of The Arts... for Kids & their Families at the Rockland Public
Library Scot Cannon presented Show Me, a mime and music workshop where
participants had the opportunity to learn some of the basic mime illusions, sing
original songs, listen to funny stories, even play a baby guitar, eat invisible fruit and meet Scamp (Scot’s dog)!
 A final event from The Arts... series for the week, was the movie matinee of
Secondhand Lions, hosted by Erika Pfander.
 Upcoming events of note——Friends’ Annual Book, Plant, and Bake sale on June
14th & 15th ; Summer Reading Kickoff!, June 21st
 Did you know? The Rockland Public Library served over 156,000 people last year, and this year we are even busier!

OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
 Meetings with property owners, WWTP Director, engineers regarding Winter Street plans.
 Preparation and presentations to Council on Department Budget.
 Attend Board Meeting for Economic Development Council of Maine, confirm
EDCM November meeting to be held in Rockland.
 Detailed review of three applicants from City business for Knox County Regional Micro Loan Program.
 Follow up and coordination for CDBG Loan Committee, as per Committee input, on two requests pending.
 Follow up and planning for work on next phase of Brownfield Program for current sites in Program and potential new sites.
 Assist and attend in business ribbon-cutting, follow up to coordinate additional
openings.
 Coordinate and attend meeting with ME DOT on variety of DOT-related projects together with City Manager, other City Staff.
 Follow up calls with property owners along Camden Street, re Camden Street
Vision Plan.
 Consider, review potential projects eligible for State Coastal Program and
Northern Border Regional Commission.
 Attend Parks Commission Meeting regarding future Parks and Trails Development.

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:
 A/C Miceli began the routine duties of Interim Fire Chief on May 2nd.
 FD Personnel, along with RPD officers attended a “Heroes Breakfast” hosted by the Middle School Student Council on Friday morning.
 Lt. Johnson began a two week program on Determining Community Risks at the
National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD. These professional courses are typically of minimal costs to the City, and in this case: there were no associated costs.
 B Shift personnel along with RPD Off. Smith and Sgt. Smith responded to a cardiac arrest with a successful outcome (though the long term prognosis is unclear). This is noteworthy in that most cardiac arrests are not reversed unless immediate action is taken by witnesses and bystanders, as was the case here. On this day, CPR and 911 access were immediate. Crews were on on scene very quickly and rapidly began advance life support level care assisted by other emergency professionals that ensured a swift transport to the emergency room. In short, the system worked very well.
 An employee of Coastal Copper and Slate came in to develop a plan to conduct
leak stopping repairs of the Fire Station roof and gutters.
  A/C Miceli assisted State Fire Marshal’s investigators with an ongoing case here in Rockland.
 FD personnel began their annual driver training/recertification on Engine 1 and
the ambulances by driving a road course while being evaluated. All personnel
must recertify on each apparatus once every three years per the Dept. of Labor.
This was the first part of a three part annual recertification process that will be
completed by the end of May.
 Annual license inspections were conducted in concert with the Code Office for
the Navigator Hotel, the Myrtle Street Tavern, and Pho Sizzle.

OFFICE OF THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR
 Continued cutting overgrown brush on the top of North East side of the quarry.
 Removed the soil under the facility entrance sign (that was choked with weeds
and placed a weed barrier (the bottom of a rubber life raft from the coast guard).
We then placed compost in the area and will be planting some flowers.
 Presented Council with an overview of the solid waste facility with some possible options and improvements as well as a future strategic plan to make the facility more operationally functional, cost effective and better serve the city.
 We had a limited scope DEP inspection. No violations issues were found.
 Began working on replacement of the Western Star road tractor fuel tank.
 Ordered another 10 foot section of 16’pipe that will be needed to add to the Q2N extraction well.
 Investigated a hydraulic hoist attachment for the 924 loader to assist with
removing the pump from the Q2N extraction well.
 Discovered a small leak on the final drive of the D5M bulldozer. Ordered parts in preparation for replacing the seal. The guards we built to prevent this have
worked well thus far but even the best guard is susceptible to the harsh
environment of the landfill.
 Assisted Public Works with the pump off and proper disposal of oily water that was removed from the Public Works facility catch basins.

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATOR
 Made appointments for clients who did not have any scheduled.
 Met with clients who had scheduled appointments.
 Handled General Assistance inquiries.
 Updated General Assistance paperwork and client files.
 Made referrals to Disability Advocacy Program.
 Filed monthly reports with Department of Health & Human Services.
 Filed Interim Assistance forms with the State and Social Security Administration.
 Handled Haines Fund Requests.
 Collaborated with Code Enforcement Office to help some City residents.