The Rockland Report February 13, 2015

OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
 Still processing mooring permits, they keep rolling in.
 Attended the pre-construction meeting of the Public Landing gangway project
with representatives of MDOT, Prock Marine, and Gartley & Dorsky. With a little bit of modification, we are still moving ahead and it should be in by the early part of the summer.
 Both Buoy Park food vendors have seen the new amended Food Wagon
ordinance and have said that they feel that they can abide by the new rules.
 All this snow has built up on the floats that are still in the water at the Middle Pier. I spent a few hours shoveling the snow and also had to reattach the floats to the pilings. These winter storms have taken a toll on the saddles that surround the
pilings

OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL FISH PIER DIRECTOR
 One lot storage area permit was issued this week.
 Updated pending accounts receivables.
 Audited revenue received to date.
 Shoveled snow off ramp and public floats.
 Removed snow from around fire hydrant.

OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 In last week’s report, I forgot to mention that we held the second Let’s Talk About It discussion; this is presented through a grant from the Maine Humanities Council, and the book discussed was A Maine Hamlet, by Lura Beam. Thanks to PLEA for the refreshments at this event.
 Catinka Knoth’s Children’s Art Class drew Chinese New Year Season - Year of the Sheep, Ram, Goat. No Adult Art class was held this week, either; Catinka
cancelled due to the snow.
 Jean Young held the second of five workshops in a series of Family Place Library™ programs. Ten participants joined since the first session, bringing the attendees to 28 this week. All the participants were new to the program; Mary Gale, former Friends’ President helped out, and took photos. Florence Baker, a clinical dietician from PenBay was present to address any parental concerns in this area
 Al Hodson and Eric Dube (Casco Bay Engineering), along with another man from Resurgence Engineering spent much of the day at the Library, reviewing
blueprints, and doing some physical inspections; they will return in a week or so, for further examinations.
 I attended a meeting of the PLEA Board.
 Public Works staff did a fantastic job in clearing the mountains and pathways
around the Library. I had been worried about parking for the Open House, but
they really came through! They came back, and also removed what looked to
be thousands of pounds of snow from the Children’s Garden; I am so grateful!
 The weekly Rockland Rhythm Masters Drumming Troupe met on Thursday
afternoon.
 We began the survey of patrons and community members with regard to Adult
programming at the Library.
 Patty King began training Howard Lowell, the last of several on-call/substitute
library assistants we recently hired. These part-time staff will be called in when
regular part-time staff are unavailable for scheduled hours.
 Jean Young made the weekly trip to the North Haven Community School.
 Jessie Blanchard, the new co-chair (along with Mary Jane Martin, who continues
in this role) held a meeting of the Committee.
 The Thursday Evening Arts & Cultural Event was Documentaries & Discussion:
Getting to Know Us-- a series of documentaries produced by six Midcoast Maine
nonprofit organizations (Georges River Land Trust, Herring Gut, Speaking Place ,Maine Women's Fund, Farnsworth Museum, and Midcoast Community Chorus).
 Friday, of course, was the long-anticipated Open House, but I’ll save the report on that for next week.
 The Maine State Library is publicizing the tax check off to support Maine Libraries; any Maine income tax filer can donate to the Maine Public Library Fund tax check-off by specifying a contribution amount on Maine income tax form schedule C-P. For more information about the program, visit
www.maine.gov/msl/tax Last year’s income from this went to enhancing the
Maine InfoNet Download Library.
 Children’s Librarian Jean Young hosted the weekly Baby Storytime, and Saturday Storytime. Upcoming: Milkweed Puppet Theater: Brer Rabbit, presented as part of The Arts for Kids and their Families series; Book Talk Kickoff Party: Have you read a really good book and are just dying to talk about it? Well we’d love to listen! We’re launching a brand new section to the library website where you can post your own recorded book talks. Others will be able to listen to your recommendations and find new books for themselves! To celebrate, we are having a kickoff party for teens. Teens who attend the party will have a chance to record their own book talks, up to two minutes in length. For every two book talks recorded a $5 gift card to Amazon.com is earned, while supplies last. There will also be free pizza, games, and a movie, so come join us in the community room! Ages 12-18 invited.

OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
 Treatment plant is running good, no CSO events in the past week
 Met with FMC to discuss the current Wright-Pierce study that is underway as well as the corrective action to address a past permit violation.
 Met with Amy Pollock from the HACH instrumentation company to develop a new inventory of the HACH instruments currently at the WWTP so we can place the equipment in the maintenance database. We are also looking at additional
instrumentation to be placed at the lift stations to monitor salt water intrusion.
 Andrew Lawson from Knowles Industrial Services visited the treatment plant to view the problem and discuss options for addressing the leaks in the headworks building.
 Sullivan Associates calibrated the effluent flow meters and the caustic tank level indicator.
 Began rebuilding the #1 polymer feed pump, expect to have it back in service
next week.
 Received addendum #1 to the Summer Street Sewer Replacement project from
Wright-Pierce to be distributed to all plan holders.
 Responded to questions from two contractors concerning the Summer Street
project.
 Received three Dig-Safe requests from Central Maine Power.
 The lab did two B.O.D. tests for Vinalhaven.
 Filed the monthly DMR.

OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 Trash pickup from buildings and receptacles for one day.
 Sanding call-in on Sunday.
 6” snow storm on Sunday through Tuesday morning. Plowing/sanding roads and priority sidewalks.
 Sanding off hours call-in on Thursday after 1” of snowfall.
 Snow removal crew worked Friday night Feb. 6th through Saturday morning
removing snow from downtown areas. This included 6 hired triaxle trucks.
 Hauling snow from dead ends, parking lots, sidewalks, and intersections all week using two loaders, pw trucks, and hired triaxles.
 Snow blowing sidewalks with both machines for most of the week.
 Preparing equipment, trucks, and plowing/sanding gear for predicted blizzard on Saturday through Sunday.
 Purchased a 12 foot snow scoop from McLean in Limerock, ME for Transfer Station loader to be used on the downtown streets for snow removal.
 2012 Case 590 backhoe hauled to Beauregard Equipment in Bangor for
transmission work which is warranteed.
 Ferraiolo Construction hauled Transfer Station Compactor with low bed to Milton Cat. in Bangor (Public Works pickup escorted). Front differential needs repair which is warranteed.
 Hired a 330 excavator for a day and 980 loader for half a day to move snow and pile at Transfer Station snow dump and make more room for future snow trucking.
 Using a loader and dozer (when dozer isn’t pushing demo.) to push snow when hauling operations are in progress.
 Major breakdown repairs include 2009 International dump truck wing repaired
and left rear brake work; gear box on MV sidewalk machine and welding work on Whacker sidewalk blower; bed chain, wing cable, new heater motor in 2001 GMC dump truck; front leaf spring on 2008 International dump truck; Transfer Station dozer track idler pulley replaced; 2 new tires installed on 1 ton.
 Opened up City Hall impound area of snow for Police Department.
 Mailbox repair work for a day.
 Half a day’s work cleaning out around Library (including hand shoveling) of
various areas of snow.

OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 The Code Office received a Subdivision Application for 520 Main Street
(Navigator) to convert Hotel rooms into Residential Condominiums. This
Application will go before the Planning Board on March 3, 2015.
 John, along with the Fire Department, did a pre conveyance inspection at 38
Grace Street.
 Dave attended the Comprehensive Planning Commission Meeting 2/12/15.
 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
o 2 Plumbing permits

OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 The 5th & 6th Grade Mid-Coast Basketball League held championship games here at the Recreation Building Wednesday night. The girl’s game was at 5:30 and the boys game was at 7:00. Both games went very well and the building was full of parents, grandparents and kids from the league.
 I am working on a grant with Alexis who has been doing the Saturday art studio here at the building on Saturdays from 12:00 to 4:00. This new grant will increase the programs she can offer throughout the year. I am also working on extended after school offerings next year.
 The staff here removed snow from the East and West roofs again this week. With another two feet coming this weekend we will most likely have to do this again next week.
 The travel team season is now under way and we are putting together teams here at the Recreation building and also getting ready to host two tournaments at the end of March.

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 CHIEF OF POLICE
Officers responded to 183 calls for service. Rockland Police Officers responded to 15 motor vehicle crashes and three animal complaints. Twenty (20) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. Officers charged or made 14 arrests of individuals for various offenses, to include Warrant of Arrest, Protection from Abuse violations, Domestic Assault, Disorderly Conduct, Bail violations Traffic offenses, Drug offenses and OUI.
 Chief Boucher attended the Maine Chief of Police Association Conference and
Training last week in South Portland.
 Chief Boucher and Deputy Chief Christopher Young attended the District 6 Chief’s council meeting in Searsport this past week.
 Officer assisted MDEA in drug interdiction investigations within the surrounding area.
 Sgt. Finnegan taught all last week at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy for
Drug Recognition Evaluation Certification School in Vasselboro.
 Parking Enforcement Officer Troy Peasley attended the 2015 Special Olympics Maine Winter Games at Sugarloaf and participated in the medal ceremonies.

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:
 Once again (five times actually) crews spent considerable time shoveling out
hydrants to ensure their readiness. This was over the previous two weeks.
 ACEO Kalloch and I conducted a progress inspection on a seafood business that will be opening here in Rockland.
 Gerry Leach, the State Fire Marshal’s Office sprinkler reviewer, and I met with a local business person and an architect to investigate future plans for a downtown building.
 I participated in an online Webinar to clarify issues with the National Fire Incident Reporting System, which tracks all of our calls for service and develops true incident data for statistical analysis. The use of this system is required for our eligibility for any federal grants and other programs.
 All three shifts operated Tower 3 on Main Street to remove large icicles hanging precariously over the sidewalk on Main Street.
 CEO Root and I conducted a progress inspection at 435 Main Street and a final inspection at the Apprentice Shop.
 CEO Root and I conducted an inspection for sale of an apartment building on
Grace Street as well as walk-through with a prospective buyer of the Knights of
Columbus building on Limerock Street.
 I attended a two day Fire Dispatch Protocols training program at the State Fire
Marshal’s Office. This was so that we could evaluate whether this system would be a benefit to Rockland and other communities served by the regional
communications center. It was clear to most in attendance that the system allows
for far better mission critical information gathering than the current system (or lack of) allows.
 FF Cole conducted an apartment fire safety class for residents of Stella Maris on Thursday afternoon. The residents and staff were pleased and asked that he return so they can make this “mandatory” for their residents.
 We responded to a few Carbon Monoxide alarms in the past week that serve as a reminder that people should make sure their exhaust areas are free of snow and
ice. In one case high levels of CO were discovered, thankfully in an unoccupied
dwelling.
 And just this morning it was determined that the Firefighters Union’s Chili-Chowder event on Sunday had to be cancelled due to the impending storm. As we’ve seen this winter, keeping as many people off the streets during a storm truly makes everyone’s life easier. Hopefully the event will be re-scheduled for some time in March.

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