The Rockland Report January 16, 2015

OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL FISH PIER DIRECTOR
 The following permits were issued this week.
o 3 lobster vessels
o 1 annual lot storage
o 1 6 month lot storage
o 1 bait dealer
 Submitted deposits and updated accounts receivable at City Hall.
 Removed snow from public ramp leading to floats.
 The price per pound for lobster is $5.25.

OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
 We've reached that time in mid-winter when most of our time is spent processing mooring permit renewals and entertaining visits from mooring holders. It's pretty much just paperwork, but it has to get done.
 I spent most of Thursday at a Maine Harbormaster's Association board meeting discussing our annual training in Castine. We also met with the new regulator at the Maine Submerged Lands Program and an engineer with the Maine Coastal Program.

OFFICE OF THE CITY ASSESSOR
 Processed Real Estate Transfers, updating parcel cards, sales book,
property splits.
 Processed Personal Property accounts, updating ownership, owned items,
depreciation, State BETR’S 801 returns, BETE exemptions.
 Processed 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 property owner’s request.
 Updating Tax Maps and posting to the web site.

OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 Catinka Knoth’s Adult Drawing class concentrated on both penguins and winter sports, and the Children’s Drawing Class drew penguins.
 Patty King trained a new part-time, on-call/substitute library assistant, Melissa
Bryan, who will be scheduled when the Library’s regular part-time staff are
unavailable.
 The new Library LEGO Club held its first meeting on Tuesday. Please take a look at
the Library’s Facebook page for some great pictures, taken by Jessie Blanchard.
We are also looking for more LEGOs, so if you have some you are willing to
donate, we’d be thrilled to share them.
 Teresa Verrill met with a new volunteer, Lisa Ignaszak, who will be doing most of the deliveries to homebound patrons this winter.
 Jean Young reported that Wednesday Storytime once again featured snow... with a snowman 3-D craft to enjoy and take home. She read Sam the Snowman, by Susan Winget, 100 Snowmen, by Jennifer Dussling, and A Perfect Day, by Carin Berger. Then just before craft time, Miss Jean shared the photos of individual snowflakes from the nonfiction books, Secret Life of Snowflakes, by Kenneth Libbrecht, and Science of Winter's Wonder, by Mark Cassino.
 The Rockland Rhythm Masters Drumming Troupe met on Thursday afternoon.
 I attended the Board meeting of the Friends of Rockland Public Library.
 Jean Young made the weekly trip to North Haven Community School.
 Some mix-up in communication meant the Camden Conference Lecture which
was planned for the Thursday Evening Arts & Cultural Event was cancelled.
 I attended the video meeting of the Northern Maine Library District Executive
Board, and recorded the minutes of same (a rotating task).
 Dale from ABM worked on the failed gasket of the radiant floor system.
 Keith Drago held an “eBooks for Tablets” class on Saturday afternoon.
 Children’s Librarian Jean Young hosted the weekly Baby Storytime, and Saturday Storytime.
 Upcoming: Documentaries & Discussion: “Getting to Know Us,” a series of
documentaries produced by six mid-coast Maine nonprofit organizations; the
Second Annual Library Open House, a valentine to the Community—yummy food, fun events, prizes, and more! Mark your calendars for Friday, February 13th, and plan to attend.

OFFICE OF THE FIRE CHIEF
In addition 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:
 I met with an individual looking at a building that may involve multiple units being built over a time period. We discussed how best to work with the sprinkler
requirements in the Life Safety Code and the details of the exemptions in our City Ordinance.
 Attended the local EMS Service Chief’s meeting Monday evening. This group
meets quarterly to discuss issues in providing emergency care in Knox County. This covers dispatch items, mutual aid, training needs and possible group purchasing for improving our “buying power” to help lower costs.
 Tuesday, after the morning routine duties were complete, B-shift went out
shoveling hydrants. While the accumulation was low, the plowed snow still
required many hydrants to be cleared out. The City has just over 200 hydrants
that require being kept clear and visible for immediate use at all times.
 Also on Tuesday, extra staff were “On Duty” to cover confined space entries at FMC. Again, the costs incurred by these details are fully covered by FMC.
 Wednesday evening our personnel trained on the use of breathing apparatus. The class focused on becoming intimately familiar with our SCBA to ensure total trust in the equipment and the ability to use it with little conscious thought.
 Wednesday evening we also hosted the Knox County Firefighter Academy in our training room, where the class was conducted by RFD Firefighter Chris Whytock.
 CEO Root and I attended a Technical Advisory Group meeting at the State Fire Marshal’s Office in Augusta. The session revolved around sprinkler systems in new townhouse style structures and sought to clarify discrepancies between the Life Safety Code and the International Residential Code. The final decision will impact how all communities in Maine review these types of projects.
 On Friday morning I participated in an “on-air” discussion on WRFR requested by Chris Wolfe of Village Soup. Many topics of Fire and Emergency services were covered. One hour goes by far faster than I anticipated!
 Friday Engine 2 was sent to Roadside Rescue in St. George to have the exhaust system replaced as it was in danger of falling off in the near future. We anticipate it will not be out of service for more than one or two days (Roadside is a seven day a week operation!)

OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
 Continued shoveling and snow removal at the treatment plant and pump
stations.
 Repaired leaks in the piping for the hypochlorite and caustic chemical systems in the sludge handling building.
 Pumped down the CSO vortex separator.
 Thayer Corp. replaced the blower for the unit heater in the vortex pump room.
 Continued painting the walls and piping in the basement of the headworks
building.
 Worked on lubrication and P.M. maintenance of equipment in the sludge
handling building.
 Began entering manhole and pipeline inspection photos into G.I.S.
 Bid notice for the Summer Street sewer separation project was received from W-P and will be posted next week.
 Marked a dig-safe location on Old County Road for Central Maine Power.
 Received an update from the Coast Guard on the sewer repairs at the Base on
Tillson Avenue. The work is out to bid, they will notify the City when it is scheduled and when it has been completed so that another inspection can be done.
 The WWTP lab did TSS and BOD testing for Vinalhaven and FMC Corp.
 Average treatment plant flows this week have been normal and there hasn’t
been a C.S.O. event for over a week.
 Terry Pinto and David St. Laurent met with Jim Crowley from DEP on Thursday, January15th.

OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 City wide trash receptacle and building pickup for two days.
 Cleaning off catch basins of snow and ice and checking brooks and culverts for
drainage. Preparing for predicted rainfall on Sunday into Monday.
 Plowing and sanding/salting roads and sidewalks on Monday for a 3” snowfall.
 Scraping and sanding/salting roads on Thursday.
 Off hours call-in on Friday to sand/salt roads. Scraping sidewalks during regular time.
 Sign/mailbox damage maintenance work. New sign coordinator onsite training.
 Sidewalk rental machine, Wacker-Neuson, delivered from Central Equipment Co., Stillwater, Maine to be used in replacement of 2009 Holder machine which is too costly to repair. It will be rented through March. This will also give us the
opportunity to try another machine type before replacing the Holder. The rental
cost can be applied to purchase of a new machine.
 Washing and cleaning trucks/equipment.
 Reviewing Transfer Station duties with Director.
 Met with Lucas Tree Service, CMP arborist, and City arborist to review tree
trimming plan and give input on trouble locations. For approximately the next six
weeks, Lucas will be pruning limbs on five circuits throughout the City as part of
their once every five year tree trimming plan. They will be notifying abutting
residents if they observe any potential issues. The circuit plan is available at City
Hall or the Public Works Department for review if there are any questions.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
Officers responded to 157 calls for service. Rockland Police Officers responded to eight motor vehicle crashes and seven animal complaints. Twenty-nine (29) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. Officers charged or made eight arrests of individuals for various offenses, to include Bail violations, Traffic Offenses, Criminal Trespass, Theft, Criminal Mischief, and OUI.
 Officers Neal and Solozarno have been assisting our local schools with pedestrian safety and crime prevention education during school visits this week.
 Officer Neal assisted Mid-Coast School of Technology with education for students on harassment and threatening on Social media.
 Detectives have been busy this week with several ongoing investigations of
felonious matters.
 Officers foiled a burglary in progress this week that resulted in one male being
charged with Criminal Trespass.
 Chief Boucher attended the third meeting of the Prevent Use/Abuse and Support
Recovery Group this week.

OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 John attended the City Council Meeting on 1/12/15. He also attended, along with Fire Chief Miceli, the MUBEC Board Meeting in Augusta on 1/15/15.
 David attended the Mid Coast Regional Planning Committee Meeting on 1/14/15 and the Comprehensive Planning Commission Meeting on 1/15/15.
 There was one complaint filed this week.
 The following permits were received by the Code Office this week:
o 1 Building permit
o 1 Electrical permit

OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 A couple of college kids, home for the winter break, have been put to work
getting some projects done. They’ve laid the floor in front of the TV game area in the game room.
 The old TV has been installed in the snack bar and we have tapped into the
cable.
 The carpet has been relocated under the pool table and the game room has a
better look and feel.
 Dodge ball signups have begun, hoping for another good group of teams this
year.