The Rockland Report March 6, 2015

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
I had a very busy and productive introductory week considering it was my
first week. The following describes some of activities in this office:
 Met with Finance Director to get a briefing on the city’s financial structure and current status.
 Met with the City Clerk to discuss local process for the legislative procedure.
 Met with the City Attorney to discuss the framework of the charter. This included discussions regarding the City Manager’s authority, the Council authority, and administrative procedures.
 Prepared for and attended the Council Agenda Setting Meeting and City
Manager welcome reception.
 Held a Department Head meeting. There was 100% attendance including the
City Attorney and City Clerk. Department leaders were engaged, inquisitive, and
prepared for new leadership. This was a very positive first step.
 Participated in a radio interview with Chris Wolfe, WRFR. It was fun and a variable I hadn’t considered when compiling communications strategies.
 Met with Assessing, Code, and a private vendor about providing some of our GIS data for public consumption and service. This was a great meeting and will
provide some momentum in redistributing current resources for more expansive
service.
 Met with Commissioner Moody and Andy Hart, Knox County. We had a very
productive introductory conversation on government overlap and things the city
and county can do together.
 Had several tracks of communication on legislative and project initiatives from several councilors.
 Participated in the briefing of sewer issues that will be presented to the Council on Monday with Wright-Pierce and WWTF staff.
 Met with leaders from FMC about the city’s relationship with a major community partner.
 Coordinated a technology network assessment and discovery study. This will help planning technology improvements in a practical manner. I hope to have some first steps in time for the budget discussions.

OFFICE OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR
 Approved Payroll Warrant.
 Attended Agenda Setting Meeting.
o Presented CIP Budget
o Update on Condo Association Finances
 Working on FY2016 Budget.
 Payroll Department finished upgrade with Munis Software.

OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL FISH PIER DIRECTOR
 No permits were issued this week.
 Attended City Council agenda setting meeting.
 Attended City Manager’s department head meeting.
 Replaced chain on float that had parted.
 Users of pier coming into office to see who may buy lobster on pier this year and other general inquiries.

OFFICE OF THE HARBORMASTER
 Yet another week spent mostly processing mooring permits, with a great
percentage of in-person visits.
 Attended the Fisherman's Forum at the Samoset.
 Met with a hopeful operator of a new charter boat company that wants to set up business in the harbor.
 A week that feels like it was all paper-work of permits, projects, and follow-up
letters, phone calls and emails.

OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
 I attended the Agenda Setting meeting of the City Council and the first
Department Head meeting with the new City manager. I met with individual staff, and with Ann Morris, Curator of the Rockland Historical Society; Warren Bodine, RHS Member; and Howard Lowell, who in addition to being the Library’s in-training on-call/substitute part-timer, was previously Senior Advisor and External Coordinator for Disaster Preparedness and Response, National Archives and Record Administration and Deputy Assistant Archivist. Ann has begun working on a Disaster Plan for both the Historical Society and Library. I also met with the Friends again this week.
 Jessie Blanchard received her diploma for completing her MLS (Master of Library and Information Science), from the University of Washington!
 Jessie also became a (sworn) Notary Public, meaning the Library can also offer this service to the community.
 Catinka Knoth’s Adult and the Children’s Art classes both concentrated on
Iditarod sled dog races and sled this week.
 The Memoir Writing Workshop was held on Tuesday. This group meets weekly, and is open to anyone who wants to write, share, or just listen.
 Daggett Builders was able to place some channels in an ice dam, and to remove the giant icicle via steam (as per the insurer’s request); however, this process also caused water to pour into the Break Room, at which point we halted the process.
 Sargent Lock & Safe replaced the exterior door locks; I don’t think they’d been replaced since the renovation in 2001, and there has been many a stray key, lost key, and replaced cleaning crew in that time. With the help of Chief Miceli, I am looking into getting a Knox Box for the Library, which will be shared with the Historical Society, which, I believe, will also help with the cost.
 The last in the winter series of the Family Place Library™ workshops was held this week. Former Friend’s Board member (and retired teacher) Nancy Eugley helped Children’s Librarian Jean Young; the specialist was music instructor Megan Rogers.
 Judith Andersen, guest storyteller extraordinaire, has returned from her time away, and led Wednesday Storytime and Crafts, all about mice, this week, with two picture books featuring mice, and a non-fiction work on keeping them as pets.
 Jean Young made the weekly trip to the North Haven Community School.
 The weekly Rockland Rhythm Masters Drumming Troupe met on Thursday
afternoon.
 Also held Thursday afternoon, Creative Crafts with Artist Susan Beebe. This week participants made fairy houses. Susan will lead a different project each Thursday afternoon in March.
 The scheduling of appointments for, and hosting of, the AARP Tax Aide Volunteer Income Tax continues; there are still some openings in March and April, but they are filling up fast. They are here on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
 The Thursday Evening Arts & Cultural Event was a Food Safety Symposium cosponsored by the Good Tern Co-Op, which invited the community to hear a panel of members of the Good Tern presenting three topics each, with the presentation followed by discussion.
 Funky Necklaces Jewelry Contest!( a free craft program with all materials
provided) was held on Saturday, with local artist Sue Reed. All ages were
welcome, with emphasis on ages 9 to adult.
 The third (of five) of the Let’s Talk About It book discussion series was held on Saturday morning. The Mirror of Maine: The Maine Community in Myth and
Reality book for March was Wildfire Loose: the Week Maine Burned. Mary Alice Brennan, a scholar provided by the Maine Humanities Council facilitates the discussions. The facilitator, in a recent email to Deputy Director Patty King,
mentioned that she is “very pleased with how the series is proceeding. There's
clearly a core group who value the opportunity to meet with others who share
their interest in books. I think the social component is valued too. (Last time one
woman came up to me after the session seeking suggestions for how to meet
people in this area.) The range of types of reading is an interesting feature of this
particular series. We've dealt with fiction, then with an almost anthropological
study, and now we'll be discussing a book of non-fiction reportage. Following
that, a whole session based on 12 poems, and then back to fiction. I think that
participants' basic interest in getting together to talk and listen will sustain our
numbers.” Books for the program are available for loan at the library, and the
selection for next month (in recognition of Poetry Month Rockland) is Wesley
McNair’s Twelve Journeys in Maine.
 Keith Drago held an Email Basics class on Saturday afternoon. Participants were able to create an email account using Gmail, as well as learn how to send and reply to emails. Attendees could bring their own laptop or tablet, or reserve one of the Library’s laptops for the class.
 Upcoming: of note: Friends’ Winter Clearance Book Sale—an entire bag of books for just $5.00! - with Bake Sale; and Author Talk: Malcolm and Jillian Bedell, the bloggers behind fromaway.com, which receives more than 150,000 unique visitors each month.

OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
 The treatment plant has been running well all week.
 Average daily plant flows were 3.0 MGD.
 Flows increased with the warm weather on Wednesday but not enough to cause a CSO event.
 The lab did BOD and TSS testing for Northhaven and BOD testing for Vinalhaven.
 Completed the safety inspections of fire extinguishers, ladders, emergency
lighting, and emergency shower/eyewash stations.
 Completed installation of the new ultrasonic transmitter for the effluent flow meter in the west channel of the final contact chamber.
 Pumped and cleaned the primary and secondary clarifier scum boxes.
 Ordered a new gear reducer and motor for the mixer on the Acrison Polyblend
polymer machine.
 Don Fowles setup the JobCal maintenance program to allow the operators to
have remote access to the program.
 Met with JT Trinward from Woodard & Curran to discuss options for maintenance and calibration services on the electronic instrumentation and also programing on the SCADA system at the treatment plant and pump stations.
 Met with George Belmont and Robert Bowman from Casella Organics to review our current contract for hauling, composting, and disposing of wastewater sludge. We also reviewed where we are in terms of trailer life so that we can incorporate in trailers as part of our five year CIP if necessary.
 Met with Enpro and Clean Harbors to review a grit removal job in various locations within the wastewater process, in addition both vendors are developing a quote to remove some hazardous waste which has accumulated over the years.
 Met with Terry Newton from CIANBRO to look at the large duplex basket strainer for the plant water pump system that needs to be replaced. We should have a proposal for the work next week.

OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
 Call-in on Sunday for 2” snowfall. Plowing and sanding roads and sidewalks
through Monday.
 Tuesday night call-in for 3” snowfall. Plowing and sanding roads and sidewalks through Wednesday. I have recorded 110” of snow so far this winter and 84 of those inches have come since January 24th.
 Hauling snow with Public Works trucks and equipment from parking lots and
restricted roadways/sidewalks on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Loader pushing snow at dump site during hauling operations.
 Cold patching potholes primarily on main arteries such as Old County Road, lower Broadway, North Main Street, South Main Street, etc. Two crews Tuesday, one Thursday, and two Friday.
 Picked up a load of cold patch at All States Asphalt, Windsor.
 Loader reworking winter sand stock pile for two days removing frozen lumps.
 Snow blowing and plowing sidewalks with a least one machine all week (except Friday). Also, salting them for a day.
 Picked up repaired Transfer Station compactor with Ferraiolo Construction low bed trailer. We escorted with pickup.
 Hired steamer to unthaw frozen water pipe at Transfer Station on Tuesday. We
assisted with backhoe and exposed the pipe. (This has been the coldest February
ever on record).
 Opening catch basins and snow banks with a crew on Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday to address various flooding problems.
 Spring heavy load limited road signs posted on Friday. Coordinated with Town of Thomaston. This includes Mountain Road, Bog Road, West Meadow Road, Sherer’s Lane, Thompson Meadow Road, Tolman Road, and a portion of
Thomaston Street.
 City receptacle and building trash pickup for one day.

OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 Dave started his vacation on March 3rd and will return on March 16th, he gets to escape to St. Maarten.
 John met with a Vacation Rental Company to discuss proposed regulations for
short-term rentals. Overall the businesses did not object to most of the proposals,
but they provided some valuable input that was passed on to the Council.
 John met with a representative of the Farnsworth to discuss murals painted by
teenagers through one of their education programs, proposed to be placed on
the Oak Street brick walls of Planet Toys. Provided there is no advertising these are not considered signs. A check with one of Rockland’s historians confirmed that the building is not in the Historic District and she likes the idea. A letter was requested from the Farnsworth detailing the proposal.
 John met with the new owner of a Rankin Street property to discuss opening a
daycare as a Home Occupation. Because Planning Board Review is required, he
also assisted the owner in developing a site plan from an ArcGIS template used for home occupations.
 John began review of a new timber-framed house proposed for Thompson
Meadow Road. In order to qualify for the sprinkler exemption, some relatively
minor modifications would have to be made. The owner is looking into the cost of
a sprinkler as he may consider installing one anyway.
 John met with the owner of a residence on Broadway to discuss zoning. The
owner just sold a gallery on Elm Street and wishes to display and sell paintings from a home they bought in a Residential A zone. Home occupations only permit the sale of items produced by the home occupant, so only their paintings could be
displayed and sold.
 John met with a young entrepreneur, who was featured in several newspaper
articles, to discuss opening a Lunch Wagon in the City. He would like to be
situated in Buoy Park, but the two spaces permitted by ordinance are filled. The
Harbormaster said there was room for more and John referred Malcolm Bedell to
Councilor MacLellan-Ruf who will work to see if the Council will amend the
ordinance to allow a third vendor. Harbor Management Commission approval is
also needed.
 John, the Assessor and the City Manager met with Joe LaBranche to discuss
ArcGIS Online as a way to provide GIS data to the public via internet.
 John had telephone discussions with Scott Teas, the architect for the 250 Main
Street Hotel. They discussed the use of fire retardant treated lumber as an
alternative to steel studs on non-rated, non-bearing exterior walls. It was
determined this can be done.
 There was an interest expressed in starting an indoor marijuana grow facility in a C-1 Zone. It was determined that this use could only be permitted as agriculture and is not permitted in that zone.
 License inspections were done along with the Fire Department at Roselyn Thai Restaurant and Eclipse Restaurant (formerly Chowder House).
 John attended the City Council Meeting on 3/2, the Department Head Meeting
on 3/3 and the Planning Board Meeting on 3/3.
 John attended a WebEx meeting of the State Ortho-Imagery subcommittee of
which he is a member. This committee organized the inexpensive acquisition of
aerial photography, through a partnership with the State, counties and
municipalities. They are working on the next round slated to begin in 2017.
 There were two complaints filed this week.
 It was a relatively slow week for permitting, which is typical for this time of year and especially with the snow.

OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
 I am working on the final steps of the White Street sidewalk grant from the State. The right of way is the final step for this project to be shovel ready.
 The staff was on the roof again removing snow for the third time this year. I hope that the snow is coming to an end for the season.
 The Saturday art studio has been going well and they are working on a special
project for the next few weeks.
 The gym is very busy after school, now that winter sports are over at the schools. The game room is also busy after school until we close at 6 PM.
 The Parks Commission met at 5 PM Thursday.

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.
 There is one appeal from Wal-Mart to the State Board that is waiting
scheduling.
 I am waiting for information on five appeals. They are, Ocean State,
Trade Winds, 42 Fulton Street, 26 State Street, and 101 N Main Street.

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:
 Friday afternoon Engine 1 went to the Landfill to help wash the ice and snow from under the truck scales.
 Saturday morning Tower had to be utilized to remove an injured worker from the roof at Hannaford. Personnel were able to secure him in a litter and place him on our bucket “rescue arms” to lower him to the ground level. This eliminated the far more time consuming and difficult operation of carrying him down a ladder or lowering him using a rope/pulley system.
 Tuesday morning a tire on Rescue 1 was replaced due to excessive wear.
 The Duty Crew spent most of Wednesday clearing hydrants ahead of the next
deep freeze, which always makes the task far more difficult.
 Wednesday morning we had a Labor/Management meeting the Union President, VP and myself to review internal issues and identify parts of the Bargaining Contract they feel are outdated or in need of correction.
 On Wednesday I also followed up on a report of dangerous ice hanging from the rear of 419 and 421 Main Street. One very large icicle was hanging precariously over a 240 gal. Propane tank. It appeared that if we attempted to remove the ice with our Tower there was a high probability to cause damage to multiple building services, so we determined that making the area safe by cordoning it off was the safest move. PW rendered the area safe for pedestrians with barricades and I found the responsible party who was going to have Maritime remove the tank when it was determined the ice had already fallen and was no longer a hazard. Somehow the ice managed to miss all vital gas lines and the commercial exhaust hood. The barricades remain as it appears that other icicles in the same area still could present a hazard to pedestrians.
 On Thursday morning I received two anonymous complaints of snow blocking exits at the Middle School. I found this indeed was the case and met with the principal who began to work on immediate corrections. I also checked Oceanside H.S. and found one marked exit and two other unmarked egress paths hampered by inadequate snow removal. I met with the principal there as well who also was
seeing to immediate corrections. I then visited the Superintendent of RSU 13 to
discuss these issues and ensure we were all on the same page. I’m confident
we’re all looking to ensure the path of egress is ready for use whenever the
schools are occupied.
 Renee Thompson, the Oceanside Principal, noted they may have parking issues this weekend that could hamper emergency vehicle access to the H.S. I told her we’d deploy barricades to the ends of the rear access road around the school to ensure we had access to all sides. DPW was kind enough to free up some “horses” for this use.
 Also on Thursday I met with Amy Levine to discuss the selection and placement of
a Knox Box on the Library to ensure we had rapid access to the building in case of alarm or fire.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
Officers responded to 195 calls for service. Rockland Police Officers responded to ten motor vehicle crashes and no animal complaints. Thirteen (13) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. Officers charged or made arrests of thirteen individuals for various offenses, to include Warrant of Arrest, Alcohol violations, Domestic Assault, Threatening, Bail violations Traffic offenses and Operating under the Influence.
 Officers attending training in investigation and applications of Concealed
Handgun Permit application process.
 Chief Boucher attended a Knox County Sheriff promotional process interview
board this week.
 Chief Boucher attended a meeting with area Law enforcement officials and
Emergency management officials to discuss procurement of First Aid material and First Aid training for Officers within the Knox county area.
 Chief Boucher met with representatives of RSU#13 concerning assistance in
training for area Law Enforcement on the School’s respective Crisis plans over April break.
 The Detective division continues to work with Coast Guard Criminal Investigative
service on an ongoing investigation.
 Deputy Chief Young will attend a meeting and training at the Knox County Airport concerning the Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response program by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Air Marshal Service.
 Sergeant Camporiale was notified that the Police Department will receive a grant from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety for (OUI) operation while under the influence enforcement.

OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
 Meetings with six businesses to discuss assistance and advice on the Knox County Microloan and other business assistance programs and collaborations between the City and businesses.
 Attendance at the Community Partners monthly meeting to discuss arts and
cultural event coordination.
 Meeting with Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner to discuss
funding partnership for infrastructure upgrades.
 Meeting to discuss the Brownfields program and progressing the reuse planning of sites that have been assessed.
 Meetings with Department Heads to discuss grant applications for infrastructure projects.
 Continued preparation of Community Development Block Grant Downtown
Revitalization application.

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