The Rockland Report

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
 New England Castings has determined that the plaque at Ulmer Park can be repaired. Once the insurance company approves the repair estimate, New England Castings will begin to work their magic.
 The contract to make necessary and timely repairs to the Public Library chimney has been signed with Audette/S.C.E., Inc. This project will restore structural integrity to the Rockland Public Library’s south chimney and eliminate both water intrusion into the chimney and leaks around and through the chimney into the Library. Work will commence Monday, December 3.
 We have spoken with Jonathan Taggart regarding reviewing historical preservation work on the cannon being stored in the impoundment lot. Jonathan will be providing a report on repairs necessary to preserve the cannon as well as alternative work to bring the cannon into historical accuracy. We are anticipating his report the first of next year.
 Along with the Code Enforcement Officer, we met with the owners of 29 Broad Street regarding re-conveyance of the property. The owners have shown a willingness to work with the City on cleaning up the property as well as making necessary improvements for life safety concerns.
 Along with the Finance Director, we met with members of RDNA who provided us an overview of their work and efforts to provide services to residents of the City of Rockland.
 Along with the Code Enforcement Officer, met with a local real estate broker and architect to discuss possible options and requirements for future development efforts.
 Met with Gordon Page of Maine Eastern Railroad to discuss freight and passenger rail services in the City of Rockland.
 Continued to work with the Finance Director on establishing a draft Capital Improvement Plan for Council review and eventual adoption as part of the annual budget process.
 Continued to work with the Finance Director on internal policies for improving fiscal controls and administrative procedures for issues such as leave, compensatory time and other related matters.
 Attended the Festival of Lights Events over the past weekend. I wanted to give a special thanks to Rockland Main Street and the countless volunteers and supports who make these great events possible.
OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 Basketball practices started this week and are going well. Games begin December 13th.
 We will be starting a new walking program on Monday, December 3rd at 6:00 AM.
 I will be starting to get the game room back together this week. We have a great deal of work to do but we anticipate having a concession stand ready for the start of basketball season.
OFFICE OF THE POLICE CHIEF
In addition to responding to 149 calls for services this past week and making 9 arrests; summons were made for various offenses, including Theft, Violation of Conditions of Release, OUI and Warrants. Officers issued summons for six traffic offenses. Officers handled 12 traffic crashes. Along with other duties and shift assignments, members of the police department were involved in the following highlights this past week:
 Traffic Officer Troy Peasley will be traveling to Las Vegas this weekend to run in the Las Vegas Marathon with Team Go Malawi. Team Go Malawi is a local running group that does volunteer work and is involved in fundraising for orphans in Malawi, Africa. Last year they raised over $40,000.
 The DEA Administrator has announced April 27, 2013 as the next national drug take back day. We will be working with our partners over the next few months to make this event happen once again within Rockland.
 Sergeant Lindahl is working with area police agencies on a training grant to enhance law enforcement officer’s skills in use of force.
 The detective division has been working with MDEA on an ongoing drug investigation in the area.
 Officers assisted in the Parade of Lights event this past weekend. The event was very successful.

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATOR
 Handled 30 calls/walk-ins for Housing; Heat; Electricity; Security Deposit; Sewer; Haines Fund (not poverty abatement); Homelessness; and/or Follow-ups.
 Handled 10 appointments and processed four applications.
 Since the weather has been cold there has been an increase in calls and requests for heating assistance. Most of these people have already applied for Li-HEAP and have been approved. However, the money has not been released yet, so no one has actually received any heating help from the HEAP program yet.
OFFICE OF THE FISHERMAN’S PIER DIRECTOR
 The price per pound for lobster remains at $2.95.
 Held monthly Fish Pier Advisory Board meeting.
 No permits issued.
 All permit requests for current users and first time permit applicant requests for a Lobster Buyer Station and Herring Carriers had to be submitted to the City of Rockland by no later than 10 A.M. on Friday November 30, 2012 for consideration.
OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 There was a discussion regarding the division of an existing lot in the Industrial Park and an application has been taken out for re-subdivision.
 There are ongoing discussions with the owner of property on Granite Street regarding bed bugs. The matter will finally be resolved on December 3.
 Discussions took place with a contractor regarding major renovations and an addition to what was once a stately house on Summer Street. It is nice to see a recent trend where buyers appreciate the quality of some of our older housing stock and are willing to invest in restoring them.
 License inspections were done with the Fire Department at Lakewatch Manor, the B.P.O.E. Lodge and the Limerock Inn.
 David Kalloch attended the MCEOA meeting in Swanville on Nov. 28, 2012.
 Three complaints were filed this week.
 Reviewed for, inspected, and issued the following permits:
o Four Building permits
o Two Electrical permit
o One Floodplain permit
o One Plumbing permit
o One Sign permit
OFFICE OF THE CITY ASSESSOR
 Reviewed abatement request.
 Attended monthly assessor’s meeting.
 Sent notices to commercial property owners for tenant information.
OFFICE OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR
 Approved Payroll Warrant
 Approved Accounts Payable Warrant
 Working on Comp Time Policy Revisions
 Thinking of Budget FY2014 – Department notices going out soon.
 Audit Work FY2012
OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
This is a great time of year, there's more time to engage in conversation when people come in to the office to talk about moorings and future plans. In addition to the usual customer services and starting to prepare for sending out next year's mooring permits;
 Met with John Hansen of the Maine Boats and Harbors Show to discuss new ways of using the Public landing docks for their show - for either this year or next.
 Took a few more loads of old acquired "stuff" to the dump.
 Bernie Shaw of Shaw's Yachts is closing his shop and he was kind enough to give us some odds and ends of mooring pennants and chains.
 Helped haul a dozen drifting boards out of the harbor and took them to the dump.
 Met with a representative from Lyman-Morse fabrication to discuss improvements to our Public Landing Ramp.
 Worked on setting up a second webcam for Harbor Park, though it will take a few more weeks before it is online.
OFFICE OF THE FIRE CHIEF
In addition to responding to the normal flow of fire and EMS calls, daily shift training, apparatus checks, cleaning, repairs and maintenance to the fleet and cleaning and maintenance of the quarters, the following occurred:
 The Department hosted Pie Night on the eve of Thanksgiving. Several different pies are made by various members or their spouses and brought to the station where all are encouraged to attend to devour and (informally) judge the year’s creations.
 C-shift hosted their families at the station for the annual Thanksgiving feast. The bird was grown by C-shift member and local part-time farmer, Carl Anderson. For a guy from Brockton, MA he has quite a knack for farming. The turkey weighed in at 34 pounds and was reported to be very tasty.
 Tours of the USCG Tackle began on Tuesday with B-shift touring the ice-breaking vessel. C-shift and the Call Division will tour the Tackle on Wednesday evening, with A-shift following on Thursday.
 The Department worked with the Maine DOT, Public Works and A & D Electric to refine the needs and workings of the traffic preemption feature of the new intersection control system recently installed at Park and Broadway.
 Responded to a very close call at the Lindsey Street apartment on Tuesday morning for an oven fire. The oven had been left on all night with food cooking and the apartment occupied x 2. The plastic knob controls had been melted off the unit and the adjacent refrigerator was blackened. One occupant was transported to PBMC with possible smoke inhalation issues.
 Assisted the Maine State Police Dive Team with replenishment of their air supply as they are conducting training on new SCUBA apparatus here in the county.
OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 Completed city wide leaf/brush pickup.
 Sand/salt applied to roads and walks Wed. pm/Thurs. am after light snowfall.
 Worked on various sign repairs throughout city.
 AD Electric completed MDOT signal upgrade project at Broadway/Park Street.
 Public Works excavated approximately 25 test pits, 16 feet in depth, at southeast area of transfer station for Gartley & Dorsky engineers to analyze soil for possible new Public Works facility location. They have also delineated and surveyed wetland areas to be plotted on a map along with the test pit locations and other features.
 Seed and hay installed along Lindsey brook where topsoil was placed between Talbot Avenue and Summer Street.
 Extra trash cans removed for winter season throughout city. Reduced from approximately 75 to 50 locations.
 Removed large city tree on Broadway that posed a safety risk because of poor condition.
 Stored both street sweepers for the winter at Ferraiolo Construction building in the Industrial Park.
OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 Moe was back this week! This gentle giant (Scottish Deerhound) and member of Therapy Dogs International along with his handler, Steve Seekins, delighted children during the weekly Wednesday Story Time. This ongoing program is a wonderful addition to the Library’s line-up.
 A new Children’s Writing Club is starting up this Thursday with the intent of publishing a monthly newspaper; the program is aimed at third to seventh graders, with registration requested as supplies are limited. Know anyone who would like to participate?
 We have been receiving very nice feedback from patrons on the recent articles on the Library’s five years of Star status.
 Local expert and author, Greg Marley, will be giving a talk on mushrooms this week as part the ongoing Thursday Evening Arts & Cultural Events programming.
 The Children’s Room will host the Annual Tree Decorating Party this Saturday (December 1), with delicious cookies from the Friends, and the chance to craft an ornament for home.
 Please do not forget that the Book Stop will have extended hours on Saturdays beginning this coming weekend through Christmas, for holiday shopping (the best bargain in town—after the Library itself, of course); these special Saturday hours will be 10 am to 4 pm.
 Our newest part-time member, Penny Eustis, found her full-time job requiring more hours, and has left the City’s employ. Another candidate, who postponed acceptance, is now available and will be offered the part-time hours.
 From the Maine State Librarian: The Maine State Legislature approved adding a "Maine Public Library Fund "check off to the 2012 state income tax forms. In addition to receiving adequate funding to pay for this addition to the CP (voluntary check off form), the Fund must raise $10,000 for calendar year 2012 with increasing increments of $3,000 each year until $25,000 is reached in 2017 and succeeding years. All money deposited in the fund and the earnings on that money remain in the fund to be used to provide grants to free public libraries for use in providing services identified as priority services by the State Librarian.
OFFICE OF THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR
 Conducted a pre-inspection on the Landfill Compactor and the D5M bulldozer prior to delivery. The equipment statement of work was reviewed to make sure all items specified have been included. We expect equipment delivery by 12/14/12.
 Contacted the product support Representative for CAT. I am working on setting up a preventative maintenance & fluid testing program. The maintenance program will be for the Loader, Dozer and Compactor and will include all fluids, wear items and filters for the year for budgeting purposes.
 Worked on scheduling a training session for the new landfill equipment. The training session will be conducted by CAT and will include safe equipment use and technique as well as pre and post inspections and general maintenance and operation.
 I have scheduled an inspection of the Western Star long haul tractor. I am looking into the economics of rebuilding/refurbishing the tractor vs. buying new down the road. Milton Cat refurbishes Western Star tractors.
 Landfill environmental sampling and monitoring was conducted.
 Waste water sampling was conducted.
OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT DIRECTOR
 Repaired belt press No. 2 sludge pump.
 Repaired No. 1 RAS pump suction valve.
 Continued No. 1 secondary clarifier prep for re-coating of metalwork.
 Measured and recorded invert depths and orientation of the pipes in manholes from Willow Street to Summer Street (approximately one block each side of Broadway).
 Worked on lay-out and scheduling of sewer and drain pipe replacement on Talbot Avenue.
 Worked on a draft of the revised job description for the upcoming job opening at the Pollution Control Facility.
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
 Recreation Building
o The Front slab has been removed and they will pour the new slab on Thursday. This will force us to use the back entrance for a couple of days.
o The metal roof caps are going in this week, moving us closer to completion of this phase.