The Rockland Report

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
 Met with representatives from the Farnsworth to discuss plans for October celebration for the 75th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz and we are coordinating efforts to ensure this is a successful event for residents and visitors alike.
 Completed the last of the Department Head annual reviews.
 In order to be proactive and stay ahead of any potential issues, I have set October 4th as a reserved date for a city-wide safety stand down. Staff is now busy finalizing the training events and coordinating the day’s activities. We will be posting advance notices at various locations in order to inform the public of closures. In addition to the required DOL training programs we will be covering other topics such as sexual harassment, discrimination and workplace violence to ensure we are current with relevant employment laws.
 Along with the Public Works Director, I met with representatives from MDOT and Lane Construction to review completion for the punch list items of work as well as paving of Limerock and Claremont Streets.
 We have begun to de-clutter the city’s webpage as we try to ensure current information is posted and older information that may still be relevant is moved to appropriate sections. Although it is good to have the information available, having too much information on a single page can be confusing and make finding relevant information difficult. This will be a work in progress and we always welcome feedback as to ways to help make the webpage user friendly.
OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
 Inspected Upper Park Street sewer line and found significant I/I from a lateral. Dye testing will be carried out on the suspected lateral and will work with property owner to correct.
 Inspected the sewer line on Purchase Street and found two caved in sections of pipe.
 Inspected the sewer line from Pen Bay Acres and a found the pipe was not laid straight. Corrective action may be tied to the pending stormwater upgrade project in this area.
 No. 2 Secondary Clarifier was taken offline again and the sludge collection box was repaired.
 Oil was changed in the sludge trailer screw conveyor gear box. The gear box seals are leaking, therefore the spare gear box will be installed on the weekend and the leaking gear box will be repaired.
OFFICE OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR
 Approved Payroll Warrant.
 Conference call with Munis to continue set up of software upgrade.
 Month End work – reconciliations, general ledger work.
OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
 More switchover - fewer transient boats, but getting ready for the four cruise ships we have this fall. No longer hectic, just busy.
 A few more late mooring permits are trickling in; there shouldn't be many unpaid by the end of the summer.
 Rene Dorr and the Recreation Department have been a big help getting ready for the cruise ships, cleaning up and bringing down some planters!
 It will take a month, but many of the summer boats are leaving the harbor and getting hauled out; for lots of folks, summer is over.
OFFICE OF THE POLICE CHIEF The officers responded to 200 calls for service. Rockland Police Officers responded to five motor vehicle crashes. Twenty nine (29) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. The officers made multiple arrests of individuals for various offenses, to include bail violations, domestic assaults, OUIs, and disorderly conduct.
 Officers Bagley, Solorzano and Redmun are currently attending a one-week training course in CIT, Crisis Intervention Team, to add to the growing roster of Rockland officers trained in Crisis Intervention. The goal of the Department is to obtain this training for all of the officers. This vital training assists the officers in their increasing encounters with people displaying mental illness.
 The Detective Division assisted the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency in several drug incidences during the past week, to include the arrest of three individuals in Thomaston who were trafficking a large amount of heroin and cocaine in the Rockland area.
OFFICE OF THE CITY ASSESSOR
 Processed Property Transfers.
 Reviewed a number of property assessments after receiving complaints.
OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 The Code Office received plans for the 36,000 sq.ft. addition to an existing warehouse located at 341 Park Street.
 The Code Office has had several discussions about possible locations for new businesses coming to Rockland.
 Dave Kalloch attended the MUBEC Board Meeting in Augusta.
 There was one complaint filed this week.
 The following permits were received by the Code Office this week:
o 6 Building permits
o 1 Electrical permit
o 2 Plumbing permits
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 trained with the new stokes basket carrier.
 The Department began repairs to the General Berry Building.
 The Fire Chief, in his capacity as EMA Director, made a presentation to a small group at Pen Bay Medical Center regarding emergency preparedness.
 The Department held a brief remembrance ceremony for the 9/11 victims and responders with many members of the public, city government and staff, and the American Legion Honor Guard in attendance. It was a chance for all to pay their respects and to view the new landscaping improvements donated by Farley & Son.
 Paramedic Adams met with a group of Girl Scouts to talk about first aid and general safety.
OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
 Prepared and reviewed the Tillson Avenue (Downtown) and Fisher Engineering Tax Increment Financing Districts and Development Programs in preparation for September 23 Public Hearing.
 Submitted City portion of budget and scope of work to Maine Department of Economic and Community Development for Communities for Maine’s Future project.
 Reviewed progress at Ferry Terminal Park and made recommendations for signage of Harbor Trail as well as input on dedication of Park. Prepared recommendation, as well, for designation of Harbor Trail north of Ferry Terminal Park and south of Front Street.
OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 I was contacted by Annette Nagel of the Georges River Land Trust, with the offer of a piece of art from the Bernard Langlais collection. After contacting Susan Kelly of the Kohler Foundation, I’ll be taking a look next week. These are smaller (indoor) pieces, which will need minimal, “common-sense” care.
 Peaches, peaches, peaches! Yes, again; Linda Barnes unburdened the tree, and peaches are ripening in my office. We’ll be putting out the ripe ones for patrons to enjoy. They have the most delicious flavor, so please stop by.
 We’ll be losing three shelving volunteers, at least for a while—two due to illness, and one is going back to her winter home. However, we have picked up Barbara Bittner, and we will be training another new volunteer at the end of the month.
 Marty Schindler’s reading aloud of the Redwall books continued...come in on Thursdays as he reads though the series.
 Thursday evening Arts & Cultural series featured Amy Jenner, teaching participants to eliminate, or at least ease, stress through the use of acupressure.
 Upcoming events of note: The Teen/Tween book cover craft program which was held last Sunday was so well-attended (32), it will be offered again on the 15th and/or the 22nd, if there is still interest. Also, there is still time to sign up your very young child (0-3 years) and participate in the next series of Family Place™ Libraries workshops.
 Did you read the Maine Readers’ Choice Award finalists? Voting has started!!
OFFICE OF THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR
 We had a facility DEP audit this week. The facility did well and did not receive any Notice of Violations.
 We replaced the front breaks, rotors and tires on the 2006 GMC pick-up.
 Preparing the second half of the transfer station floor for painting this weekend.
 I met with Bill Cross form Casella Recycling in regards to moving our recyclable material. We are currently having difficulty moving 1, 3-7 plastics due to the Green Fence in China. Since the green fence started the domestic mills have gotten much pickier, resulting in new specs on what they want for plastics. Our bailed 1,3-7 plastic on average consists of 70% clear number 1(PET) plastic and 20% number 5(5 gallon pails, tubs and butter lids) and the remaining 10% is 3,4,6,7. Bailed 1,3-5 (our current mixed plastic bail) has little to no value. #1 & #5 has a value of $200-300 per ton bailed separately and 3,4,6,7 have no value bailed separately or together. Based on the new market specs I will change the 1,3-7 plastic container to two separate containers of number 1 and number 5 and discard the 3,4,5,7 which is low volume. I plan to change the recycling container signs and install a banner explaining to the public the economic difference and reasoning for the change. I will also create a public television commercial on the “why and how” for the change and how best to identify the right kind of plastics to recycle.
 The proposed updated Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP) was submitted to DEP and almost all of the revisions were acceptable. We have made the recommended DEP comment changes and re-submitted the document. The next step is to incorporate the new EMP into next year’s operations manual.
 We loaded and sent out 9.46 tons of tin cans to be recycled.
 Sent out 10 boxes of florescent bulbs for recycling
 Attended safety meeting and assisted with planning for Safety Day.
 Ordered new wheels for recycling bins. We are planning to focus on improving the recycling building operation in the next several weeks.
OFFICE OF THE FISH PIER DIRECTOR
 Attended Harbor Commission meeting.
 Submitted second and final payment billing for 2013 Herring Carrier permit holders to the Finance Department.
 The F/V Western Sea and F/V Western Wave off loaded no herring due to the herring spawning closure.
 Lobster price is around $2.95 a pound.
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.
 Assisted in the planning and organizing for city-wide safety day.
OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 Soccer sign-ups have been coming in and we have divided teams up and are in the process of getting them out to coaches. We are still short a couple of coaches for the 1st and 2nd grade teams, making phone calls to find willing parents.
 The two planters have been filled with mums and dropped off at the Harbor Masters Office. There was also an empty planter that was left and Ed said he would find a few plants to put in that one.
 With the help of Betsy Poulin we have developed the punch list for the Ferry Terminal Park. The crew from Farley & Sons has been down to the park to address all these issues. I will be doing a walk through Friday afternoon. We are still waiting on the light fixtures to arrive, in order to finish the remaining electrical work. We have spoken with the electrician and are hopeful to see this remaining work completed next week.
 Benjie is very busy setting up schedules and team rosters as well as setting up fields. Busy time of year with school starting and getting ready for fall sports.
OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 Completed trash pick-up and roadside debris, watered pole flowers, completed roadside mowing, and painted catch basins and marker arrows.
 Cold patched primarily on Mountain Road and Bog Road.
 Backside asphalt sidewalk curb installed on Main Street between Rockland Street and James Street and backfilled with gravel.
 Graded Thompson Meadow Road and Gay Street Place.
 Repaired broken guard rail on Thompson Meadow Road bridge.
 Stockpiled 3000 yards of winter sand all week.
 Prepped and installed portion of concrete sidewalk on east between Museum and Elm Street and backfilled some sidewalk areas with loam, bark mulch or gravel depending on locations.
 Two employees attended all day safety training by Maine Local Roads in Belfast.
 Met with MDOT and Lane’s regarding punch list items remaining on Union/Main Street project and the planned paving for Claremont Street and Limerock Street. They plan to do the preparation work during the day on September 25th while maintaining one lane of traffic and paving the night of the 26th starting with Claremont Street during the early evening hours.
 Assisted Transfer Station driving garbage truck all week.
 Cleaned catch basins of leaves/debris and swept roads for two days.
 Set a basin cover on Limerock Street.
 Mechanics worked on 2007 GMC dump truck compressor and coolant lines, turbo, brake drums, rear rims and tires; serviced both engines of 2004 Vactor; three hydraulic lines replaced on 2001 GMC dump truck; service work on 2008 Tymco street sweeper.
 This week plan to complete painting crosswalks and basins, paving sidewalks on Main Street, Talbot Avenue paving work to be completed including sidewalk/driveway aprons/backfilling, and tree trimming.

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