The Rockland Report November 22, 2013

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
 Continued working with Finance Director and staff on debt service analysis, reserve funding, and capital improvement planning.
 Followed up on PenBay Drainage Project throughout the week.
 Accompanied Councilor MacLellan-Ruf on site visits to Finance, General Assistance, Community Development, Fire, Police, Recreation, Wastewater, and Transfer Facility. We will be completing the site visits with the remaining departments in the coming days.
 Met with Chuck Kruger in his capacity as the President of the Lobster Festival and discussed issues relevant to the festival and city.
 Met with Jim Sharp, owner of the Sail, Power and Steam Museum.

OFFICE OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR
 Approved Payroll Warrant.
 Discussed changing Credit Card Vendor with the Director of the Transfer Station – less fees for the City.
 Audit Work.

OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
 Got the last two floats out at the Middle Pier, they will be re-manufactured and hopefully turned into finger floats at the Middle Pier, making more space available for small commercial vessels.
 Attended the Harbor commission's monthly meeting. Three boats were approved for berthing at the Middle Pier: Capt. Jack, Morning in Maine and Two Toots. They will all be back again for next summer.
 Visited with the Fish Pier Director, and discussed his construction projects and the changes to the SHIP grant program. I encouraged him to meet with the Community Development Director and apply for the available grants under the new system.
 Started into a backlog of paperwork and the usual fall buildup of "stuff."

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.
 September transfers had 10 qualified sales with an average ratio of 1.03%.

OFFICE OF THE POLICE CHIEF
 The officers responded to 161 calls for service. Rockland Police Officers responded to six motor vehicle crashes. Nineteen (19) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. The officers made 11 arrests of individuals for various offenses, to include bail violations, OUI, drug violations, Protection from abuse violations, Bail violations and arrest warrants.
 Officers worked with U.S. Air Marshalls, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security on a detail at the Ferry Terminal in Rockland. This detail is designed to be a highly visible, high impact security detail. The purpose of this detail is to detect and deter criminal activity at densely populated transit points throughout the U.S. The Ferry Terminal in Rockland has been selected for one of these enforcement details. This was a random selection and not the result of a threat against this site.
 Chief Boucher and Sgt. Camporaile participated in an FBI audit of the Departments Uniform Crime reporting procedures on 11/18/2013. Follow up review will occur in a few months.

OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 Attended a Floodplain Workshop in Auburn.
 Attended a two day Energy Code Training in Portland and Waterville.
 Along with John Holden, plotted the southern portion of the Harbor Trail on GIS.
 Interviewed with a local television station to discuss the FEMA flood zone maps.
 There were two complaints filed this week.
 The following permits were received by the Code Office this week:
o 2 Building permits
o 5 Electrical permits
o 1 Plumbing permit
o 2 Sewer Connect permits
o 2 Street Excavation permits

OFFICE OF THE FISH PIER DIRECTOR
 Met with a prospective Bait dealer and a Lobster Buyer who wanted info on what exactly is available for use on the pier. The applicants were provided with an application for submission if they decide to conduct business at the pier.
 The Fish Pier has received a 2014 permit application for a Bait Dealer.
 A meeting has been scheduled for next week with a Prock Marine representative to conduct a maintenance survey of the piles, chocks, and whalers around the pier. Cost estimate for repairs to follow.
 Current Lobster price is $3.80 a pound.

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 its annual testing of all Department-owned fire hose.
 The Fire Chief taught a Hazardous Materials Awareness refresher class at the Owls Head Fire Department.
 The Fire Chief/EMA Director attended the monthly Knox County Emergency Management Agency’s local directors meeting. Damage assessment training was offered.
 The Fire Chief escorted the City Manager and Councilor MacLellan-Ruf on a tour of the fire station while discussing fire and EMS topics.
 The Department participated in a multi-agency response to a suspected drug lab in Owls Head.

OFFICE OF THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR
 Conducted monitoring well data collection.
 Changed out the radiator and replaced the hydraulic valve seals in the Skid Steer.
 Ordered and installed the rear rotors on the 2006 GMC pick-up.
 Ordered the air ride seats for the D5M & 816F.
 With the assistance of the Waste Water Department we continued the leachate line jetting and inspection. The annual inspection is complete and no discharge line problems were found.
 We had semi-annual scale calibration & inspection.
 Attended the DEP Materials Management Advisory Committee in Augusta.

OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
 Met with three businesses for the Knox County Regional Microloan Program.
 Reviewed draft contract and attended bid opening for Community for Maine’s Future Program project—Thorndike and Thorndike Parking Lot.
 Finalized, compiled, and submitted Recreational Trail Program Grant application for Harbor Trail.
 Attended Economic Development Council of Maine presentation on Foreign Direct Investment and efforts to attract FDI in Maine. Also attended Board Meeting for EDCM.
 Compiled documentation and application materials for submittal of amendment to Fisher TIF to DECD.

OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 The Adult Art class by Catinka Knoth welcomed students, as did the Children’s Drawing class which continues each Tuesday afternoon.
 The Children’s Writing Club met, and the Library purchased their first bound publication: a beautiful book, which is a collection of their “early writings”. Look for it soon in your Library’s collection.
 We are still collecting for the food drive, which will run through the end of December; this initiative was begun as part of World Kindness Day and the collection will be given to the AIO Food Pantry.
 Jean Young read Brown Bear to her enraptured audience for Wednesday Storytime; Steve Seekins brought therapy dog Leeloo to the event, which added another, lively dimension and many families stayed to interact with them for another half hour or so.
 National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo) continued this week; the challenge: to complete a 50,000 word novel in a month.
 I attended a meeting of the Friends’ Board, and met with Library staff.
 Thursday evening Arts & Cultural series featured the fourth of a six-part series, Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness. U Rock student and Vice-president of the Honors program, Richard Fortuna led the discussion, which this week features Montaigne, on self-esteem.
 I worked with the other member of the Nominating Committee of the NLMD Executive Board, to recruit a candidate to replace a librarian who has moved to a different District.
 The Langlais collection has been installed at the Library; so come take a look.
 Saturday brought Storytime and crafts in the morning, with Thanksgiving crafts all afternoon. Each year, Jean Young collects dried flowers and other items, which children turn into beautiful displays for the Thanksgiving table.
 REMINDER, REMINDER: There a 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---however, you might want to try for one of the beautiful and value-laden trees, so generously donated by local businesses!!
 Upcoming events of note: a Simple Gifts Craft Night and the live performance by the Hampstead Stage Company of Dickens’ immortal A Christmas Carol.
 Did you know—the Library has display space for your special collection (or information about your organization) to be shared with the community? Please contact Patty King, if you’d like to schedule a showing.

OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 The 5th and 6th basketball has officially started here in Rockland. Lots of fun will be coming in the next few months. This is a great way to spend a Saturday in the cold winter months.
 The game room is progressing each day and we look to be on schedule to be open the first weekend of basketball season.
 The Kindergarten basketball sign-ups will be going out this week to all the area schools. This program will be starting the first of December.
 There were three good events her this last weekend:
o Petcha Kucha had about 300 people turn out Friday night.
o The Good Turn Co-Op had a social in the Tower room Saturday night.
o The Senior Class fundraiser also was well attended and went very well.

OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 Conducted trash pickups, including roadside cleanup, city-wide leaf and stick pickup, sign maintenance, and street sweeping.
 All underground work was completed for Pen Bay Acres drainage project. .
 Main Street decorative light pole was reset by CMP near the Brass Compass restaurant.
 Main Street flags were removed and wreaths mounted on poles.
 Mechanics working on plow wing hookups on three trucks and other preparations for snow plowing including winter tires, mounting plates, plow shoes, etc. Also worked on oil cooler leak and general service on 2001 GMC dump truck.
 There is a short week, next week due to Thanksgiving Day; however, we will complete the final cleanup of leaves, set out barricades and signs for parade, and install two bench pads in Merrill Park.

OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
 Continued to clean and inspect the landfill leachate sewer pipe.
 Replaced a corroded pressure dampener on No. 2 Sludge Pump.
 Continued support of Kruger pilot study.
 Continued upgrades to Park Street and Glenwood Avenue pump stations.
 Finished sandblasting and recoating of No. 1 Primary Clarifier.
 Sent No. 2 Return Activated Sludge Pump out for repair.
 Continued work on response to DEP proposed consent agreement.
 Finalizing cost to overhaul the gravity belt thickener and the two belt presses.