Approved Payroll Warrant.
Preparing for Year End – audit work.
Staff and I met with St. Germain & Collins to go over preliminary plans for new layout of Transfer Station including the public works facility.
Attended the dedication of the book statue at the Rockland Public Library.
Participated in conference call with Wright Pierce and USDA as we are still closing out the Big Dig project.
Met with Promotions board on the Deputy Librarian Position – Congratulations to Patty King for being promoted to the Deputy Librarian position effective 9/22/14.
Met with Transco on photocopier needs.
Spoke with Gartley & Dorsky on Winter Street Project.
Met/spoke with Citizens on the following concerns:
o Steve Hale – 242 Old County Road Purchase
o Repurchase Bonds from 1934
o Reconveyance of 20 Katahdin Avenue
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 MUNICIPAL FISH PIER DIRECTOR
No permits were issued this week.
The f/v western sea has offloaded 620,000 pounds of herring.
The f/v western wave offloaded no herring this week.
The price per pound for new shell lobster is $4.05.
Weekly cleanup of pier and washing down of same.
OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
In direct contrast to Murphy’s Law, the transition from the Millennium software to the new Sierra system for the Library’s (and statewide) circulation, cataloging, and inter-library loan went remarkable smoothly. The functionality is very similar, but the interface is much easier to use.
Catinka Knoth’s Adult Drawing Class worked on the theme of “Harjula’s,” while the Children’s drawing class theme was “Barnyard animals such as cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, roosters, geese, and ducks.”
I attended the dedication ceremony for the Library’s granite sign—a lovely event, with PLEA Board member Brian Harden speaking to the attendees at the sign, and
refreshments following, in the Reading Room.
Judith Andersen was the guest Storytime reader again this week: Judith read
several titles, including some from her favorite Mo Willems. The craft activity which followed had youngsters coloring and cutting out fall leaves.
Jean Young held the third (Wednesday mornings in September) library skills class.
Jean Young hosted Maine Families, an organization which works with pregnant women, and new parents (up to 3 months-old). The Library visit was a field trip, to familiarize the families with the resources; they will be visiting monthly, on the third Thursday; Jean will make nursery rhymes and other items available.
I attended the monthly Friends’ Board meeting.
This Thursday evening’s Arts & Cultural Events program was a Camden
Conference event---international cultural exchange expert, Valery Kostin, shared
the ordinary Russian point of view on the past and present of his native country,
business opportunities, the changing governments, the Russian-USA relationships, the Ukrainian situation, and daily life today of its citizens.
The Northern Maine Library District (NMLD) Executive Board held a teleconference meeting, in which I took part.
Upcoming events—six week memoir writing class, led by local author & illustrator, Debby Atwell; a beginners’ knitting class (especially aimed at ages 8-12) taught by staff at Over the Rainbow Yarn.
OFFICE OF THE FIRE CHIEF
In addition to responding to the general response to fire and EMS calls, conducting apparatus checks, daily cleaning, routine repairs and maintenance to the fleet and of the quarters, the following occurred:
Rescue 1 went to Bangor for service last Thursday and returned one week later
with a new high pressure fuel pump. It is believed that this issue was the cause of a few issues affecting starting and day to day reliability.
On Monday we re-hired Paramedic Ben Mullane, whose position was eliminated last summer. He will be taking Paramedic Carrie Adam’s position when she leaves us for a warmer climate in Florida after ten years of service to the City. We will miss Carrie, but are very pleased to welcome Ben back.
Monday’s shift participated in an online Webcast about “Reading Smoke” which allows us to predict where a fire is and it’s intensity from what conditions are visible from outside. These skills are key to initiating the proper action, especially with limited personnel in the first few minutes of a fire.
I submitted a request for EMPG funding for EMA costs through the Knox EMA office. This is a continuation of a program that started a few years ago and
provides some funding back to the City for costs associated with all EMA
functions.
On Tuesday, Lt. Rick Johnson deployed to Oregon with the Forestry Service to fight a large wildfire. This is his second deployment this season. His absences are covered using personal time or swaps with the other two lieutenants.
On Wednesday all Confined Space certified personnel participated in a drill
testing our rescue capabilities. Two of the exercises were conducted at FMC
inside one of their agitator tanks. The team is required to train in spaces
“representative” of those we may be called for.
On Wednesday afternoon FMC and XNG held a class for our officers on the CNG trailers and off-loading site at the Crockett’s Point Plant.
Also on Wednesday, Paramedic Adams and I attended the Knox RCC executive and advisory board meetings. Carrie did a great job of representing EMS and the City for many years as an Executive Board member and her absence will be noted in many places.
Also this week we welcome three new Call Division Firefighters to the Department. FF Harley Colwell comes to us with prior experience with Thomaston FD and is a recent graduate of the local Firefighter 1&2 Academy. FF Justin Uyttewaal and FF Patrick Garlock are both USCG personnel at the Rockland Base and will be attending the regional Fire Academy this winter.
Thursday evening I attended the Local EMA Directors meeting at Knox EMA.
OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
City receptacle and building trash pickup for two days.
Roadside trash pickup for two days.
Cold patching city streets for a day.
Resetting driveway culverts, adding new drainage culverts, and ditching work on New County Road. Included matting, loam, seed, and hay. A crew for three and a half days.
Prepped and paved road cuts from various Public Works repair projects for a day.
Sign maintenance work for a day.
Sweeping city streets for two days.
Reviewed ditching and shouldering plan for Old County Road with Gartley &
Dorsky engineers. Plan to start work next week.
Attended Thorndike parking lot phase 1 project planning meeting.
Attended St. Germain Collins consultant meeting to review a concept plan for the combined Transfer Station/Public Works facility. Presented options to Gartley & Dorsky for their review.
Roadside tree trimming for a day.
Installed concrete base and mounted a new bike rack in the ferry terminal park.
Cleaned catch basins all week.
Removed 4 shrubs, 2 signs, a bench, a trash receptacle, and 3 cedar trees in the
Thorndike parking lot pocket park in preparation of phase 1 construction work.
Ditching and shouldering work for half a day on West Meadow Road between
Dodge Mountain Road and Lake Avenue.
Roadside mowing for one day.
OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
Picked up the latest donated picnic table and it is being painted at this time and
will be in a park by the end of the week.
The varnish was put on the mural this week and Alexis would like to put one more coat on it Sunday. This completes the project and it will be ready for the Ice Cream Social on October 4th.
This is the last week that we will keep the beach house at JMP open during the
day. Over the next two weeks we will be closing up the beach house and the
swim area.
The soccer program is underway, we have all of our coaches, and the games
have begun.
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.
OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Reviewed, advised and sought additional financing for startup business.
Attended our Chamber breakfast, speaker on business and social media, local
business.
Continued to develop regional effort for Creative IT Cluster with Midcoast
Economic Development District.
Continued outreach, development and drafting of Maine Arts Commission
Creative Community Economic Development grant.
Attended Maine Real Estate and Economic Development District event; follow up on new business seeking site in Midcoast.
Revised draft and memo to RMSI Design Committee on sign recommendations.
Met with Landscape Design Contractor on designs for 4th ME Memorial and
Lermond Cove Harbor Trail.
Attended Chamber Education & ED Forum.
Responded to site inquiries for existing small eatery seeking to expand and request
from Maine and Company.
Attended Economic Development Council of Maine annual meeting on Food
and Economic Development.
OFFICE OF THE SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR
Stained the decks around the outside of the scales.
Attached new numbers for all the monitoring wells.
Began cover placement prior to moving into the southernmost cell in preparation for gas collection pipe installation.
Painted caution yellow around the entrance of the recycle building and the
cement walls around the hoppers in the transfer station.
Pulled weeds out between the recycle building wall and asphalt as well as
weeded the area south of the gatehouse alongside the scale.
Packaged and shipped out a load of E-Waste.
Cleaned out swap shop.
We had to replace the airbag on one of the waste trailers. Public works installed the air bag.
Obtained a quote to have the tractor trailer frame blasted and painted, as well as have the rust repaired around the back window.
Met with Consultants to review the solid waste facility master plan with the City Manager and the Public Works Director.
OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
Completed the last sewer repair on Mechanic Street, some site restoration
remains.
Continued inspection, testing and mapping of sewer and storm drains in the
Tillson, Winter and Park Drive area.
Worked with Wright Pierce on the Summer Street sewer separation project.
Investigated a complaint from 15 Simmons Street about a drainage problem on
the street.
Met with a contractor to review plans for a new sewer lateral to the rear of 192
Broadway.
Submitted our monthly Discharge Monitoring Report to DEP.
Replaced a control board relay at Waldo Avenue Pump Station.
Worked on bid write-ups for capital improvement projects.
OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
Dave attended the Mid Coast Regional Planning Commission Meeting 9/17/14.
John has spent a lot of time this week reviewing the plans for the 5 story hotel at 250 Main Street. He issued a partial building permit for foundation work only so ADZ, LLC can get started on the project.
The Code Office has also received permits from O’Hara Corp. to start work on the reconstruction of their building at 130 Tillson. The project involves demolition of a portion of the existing buildings and reconstruction of multiple structures in a similar footprint. The use of the new structure will continue its existing use of boat repair, commissioning, maintenance and storage.
There were two complaints filed this week.
The following permits were received by the Code Office this week:
o 6 Building permits
o 5 Electrical permits
o 1 Floodplain permit ○ 3 Plumbing permits
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