The Rockland Report January 13-19

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
 I would like to welcome John Holden to the team. John has hit the ground running reaching out to businesses, meeting with staff, and reviewing plans.
 Along with the Community Development Director and Public Works Director, we met with representatives from MDOT to discuss Main & Union Street paving work.
 Along with the Public Works Director, met with representatives from the utilities to discuss pole locations in order to clean up utilities with the 2013 road work.
 Held monthly department head meeting.
 Continue to monitor state budget proposal and potential impacts on the City of Rockland.
OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
 Staff orientation, office set up, etc.
 Outreach to existing businesses. Introduction to Downtown Rockland, Dream Kitchen Studio, FMC.
 Introduction Meeting with City Manager and Councilor Isganitis.
 Coordinate follow up with State contacts, recurrent grants and other projects.
OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 The new ski program starts this week with kids going to the Snow Bowl to ski, board, take lessons and enjoy the mountain at a good discount. Night skiing until 8:00 PM.
 Brenda Harrington and her Sorority had a bake sale at the Pee-Wee Games Saturday. They were raising money to sponsor kids for a week at our Summer Day Camp.
 Travel Team season is drawing close and we will be hosting two tournaments and sending our kids around the state to compete in tournaments.
 Work with Gartley & Dorsky will continue and we will be revising the sidewalk plan to incorporate recommendations made by Council.
OFFICE OF THE POLICE CHIEF
Rockland Police Officers responded to 186 calls for service; including six motor vehicle crashes. Fifteen (15) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. The officers made multiple arrests of individuals for various offenses, including bail violations, warrants of arrest, OUI, criminal threatening, criminal trespass, hindering apprehension, thefts, drugs and various traffic infractions.
 Sgt. Don Finnegan presented information to the Community Health Coalition about substance abuse and local trends.
 The Department learned of concerning social media postings by an RSU 13 student. An extensive investigation and full threat assessment was conducted and it was determined that there was no violation of law.

OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 A final inspection was done for Certificate of Occupancy at the Knox County Public Safety Building.
 The Code Office received a complaint of a possible carbon monoxide issue in an apartment on Camden Street. The Code Office ordered that the apartment be vacated until the problem can be identified and eliminated.
 Liberty Hospitality of Maine, LLC has submitted a Subdivision Application for Navigator Motor Inn at 520 Main Street, requesting to turn six existing motel rooms into three condominiums.
 There were four complaints filed this week.
 Reviewed for, inspected, and issued the following permits:
o One Building permit
o Two Electrical permits
o One Sign permit
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATOR
 Handled 24 different calls, walk-ins and e-mails: Heat; Rent; Evictions; Homelessness; Cell Phone; Electricity; Miscellaneous and Follow-Ups.
 Handled six different appointments: Haines Fund Requests; Rents; Funeral; and Electricity.
 Met with new DHHS Disability Advocate.
 Updated client files.
OFFICE OF THE FISHERMAN’S PIER DIRECTOR
 The price for lobster is over $4.00 per pound.
 Permits issued: one lot storage, one lobster buyer
OFFICE OF THE CITY ASSESSOR
 November 2012 real estate sale have been received. A total of 17 transfers, with eight good sales. The average ratio of the eight sales is 87%. For the 11 months of 2012 the average ratio is 99%.
 Processing the transfers from the prior month.
 Finished an abatement request from Jameson Point Road.
OFFICE OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR
 Approved Payroll Warrant.
 Worked with Auditors.
 Worked on Tax Increase with Governor’s Proposed State Cuts.
 The contract for Repairs & Acquisition Financing was awarded to Key Bank, NA at an interest rate of 1.53%. The funds will be used to pay for Summer Street sewer line replacement and stormwater separation; Public Library chimney repairs; and the purchase of a sewer and stormwater collection mobile imaging system.
OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
 Working on a better system for winterizing our water pipes for the winter.
 Met with a painter for an estimate on the trim on the Harbor Building.
 Processed another 2 dozen+ mooring permits.
 Met with a mooring inspector to review our rules and his responsibilities.
 Met with our new Buoy Park food vendor and accepted his application.
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 Fire Chief attended the city department head meeting.
 Responded to a call for assistance at an apartment which had experienced multiple carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, although this was the first that was reported to the Department. Transported the tenant to PBMC and given further discovered evidence of a CO problem within the unit, RFD and the Code Office condemned the apartment until the occupancy can be made safe for habitation.
 The Department is in the process of moving to a new internet-based National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) which replaces our increasingly incompatible reporting software.
 Attended the Knox County Fire Chief’s Association Annual Meeting.
 Conducted multiple Life Safety Code enforcement and consulting inspections.
OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 An all day Wednesday 3” snowfall kept the crew busy plowing roads and sidewalks as well as sanding/salting. There was an additional city wide sanding call-in on Thursday morning.
 Met with MDOT personnel, City Manager, and Community Development Director for pre-planning purposes for the spring paving project on Main Street and Union Street. Limerock Street, between Union Street and Main Street, will also be included as a piggy back to the MDOT project for a final surface pavement to help minimize disruption to the downtown businesses. The City Manager and I also met on site at a separate utility coordination meeting with MDOT, Fairpoint, Time Warner, CMP, and Maine Water Company personnel.
 Several sewer issues this week including Thomaston Street sewer plug removed near Moran Drive (a towel and roots) and this issue included a call-in after hours; Summer Street at Lincoln Street sewer plug removed (roots) and this line is planned for replacement this year; Berkley Street at Broadway sewer manhole was unplugged (roots).
 The new 2012 MacLean MV2 sidewalk snow blower was returned to us after being repaired by Beauregard Equipment under warranty. Reinforced sides and replaced hub assembly. Also, our 2012 International dump truck was repaired at Portland North under warranty. There was an electrical issue.
 Camera work by Interstate Septic at Walnut Street sewer main.
OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 Wednesday Story Time was made even more special this week; not only did the lovely lurcher (and therapy dog) Maggie join the event, but a special puppet show was presented to a lively group of youngsters.
 Staff member Dan O’Connor attended a grant-writing workshop from Maine Archives, and is looking at pursuing a grant with the Rockland Historical Society and the High School available to community partnerships. Successful grantees will participate in, organize, and host a number of activities to engage participants in local, state, and national themes related to the Civil War.
 This Thursday Evening’s Arts & Cultural Events program is co-sponsored with the Camden Conference; The King & I: I taught him how to Serve
 The Children’s Department has begun a club discussing the Maine Student Book Awards; this year it has an online component, and some youth are participating online only. , will chronicle American Maureen O’Keefe’s time as a coach to King Hussein of Jordan.
OFFICE OF THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR
 Out of the consultants that were requested to provide quotes for the proposed concept plan for the future transfer and handling of C&D; St Germain and Collins came in the lowest at $4,200. I will be carefully reviewing all three proposals one more time and providing the City Manager with a recommendation.
 The final drive seal was repaired on the D5M bulldozer.
 The cardboard recycling opening was trimmed out with bent steel and the siding next to the cardboard opening was replaced.
 The overhead door in the old section of the recycling building is being reinforced and repaired and the opening is being re-trimmed and painted.
 The small one yard bucket on the loader is being reinforced with a steel plate.
 Shoveled snow clearing public areas and used salt to clean up the ice.
 Finalized DM&J solid waste contract. Working on finalizing the Simpson contract.
 Ordered and replaced the photoconductor for the copier at the gate house.
 Collected, and sent out for testing, monthly waste water samples.
OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT DIRECTOR
 Installed a new composite sampler.
 Completed replacement of the sewer and storm drain pipelines on Talbot Avenue east of Broadway.
 Continued work on the controls and SCADA upgrade at the treatment plant.
 Held a project meeting with the contractors and engineers to discuss the upcoming pump station controls upgrade.