OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL FISH PIER DIRECTOR
Two lot storage permits were issued this week.
The last bait cooler has been removed from the pier.
Submitted metered electric user bills to the Finance Department for payment.
OFFICE OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR
Catinka Knoth’s Adult Art class concentrated on the Chinese New Year, Year of the Ram, Sheep, Goat, and the Children’s Art Class drew Happy Chinese New
Year motifs, as well.
The Memoir Writing Workshop was held on Tuesday. This group meets weekly, and is open to anyone who wants to write, or just listen.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Rockland Library LEGO club met, led by LEGOMaster Jon; this week’s theme was robots.
Several planned programs were cancelled again this week due to weather,
and/or staff illness, including the Family Place Library™ workshop, which will be held this coming Wednesday.
Representatives from the City’s insurance toured the building, and directed us to have ice dams and the huge icicle in the Children’s Garden removed by steam. I am waiting on this service from Daggett Builders.
The Friends’ Board met again this week, which I attended.
The weekly Rockland Rhythm Masters Drumming Troupe met on Thursday
afternoon.
We continued a survey of patrons and community members with regard to Adult programming at the Library.
The scheduling of appointments 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.
The Thursday Evening Arts & Cultural Event was the film: King of Masks-- Desperate for his art to survive, the King of Masks finds an apprentice in a destitute child purchased on the black market. When the child reveals an unexpected secret, their relationship is suddenly tested by both the old man's stubborn sense of tradition and the established customs of China.
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
Keith Drago and Jessie Blanchard held the Book Talk Kickoff Party: Teens who attended the party were able 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. Free pizza, games, and a movie rounded out the event.
Upcoming: Friends’ Winter Clearance Book Sale with Bake Sale, and Finding
People for Fun and Profit--Donald Saastamoinen has been conducting legal
investigations since 1980. In that role, he gathers information for lawyers, but has developed a specialty in the area of finding people. If you have an interest in
picking up pointers in this area, come to this program.
OFFICE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY DIRECTOR
The treatment plant is running good.
Average daily plant flows were 2.0 MGD.
There were no CSO events during the past week.
The lab did BOD and TSS testing for Northhaven and BOD testing for Vinalhaven.
Finalized the DEP pretreatment report that is due March 1st.
Met with selectman Dick Carver from Owls Head to discuss a recent billing
question due to a faulty flow meter. After the meeting it was agreed that we will
follow the provisions outlined in the March 2000 interlocal sewer agreement
between the City of Rockland and Owls Head.
The city insurance risk agent visited the treatment plant for an inspection and
review of some of the plant operating procedures.
Scheduled with Protection Professionals to install fire and heat detectors in the
second floor computer and control room.
Began to look into installing cameras and monitors for the sludge processing area to allow remote monitoring of the equipment during processing.
Cleaned the weirs and baffles in the primary and secondary clarifiers.
Installed new ultrasonic sensors for the effluent flow meters.
Checked with Power Products on the status of the new trailer mounted
emergency generator. The tentative delivery date is the first week of March.
Ordered new pump guide brackets and 6 inch check valves for the FMC
equalization basin.
Scheduled Somatex to begin the annual crane/hoist inspections.
OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
Picked up trash from city receptacles and buildings for a day.
Hauled off three large damaged hazardous trees (Shaw Ave., Lake Ave. and
Willow St.) that Lucas (CMP) cut down for Public Works and the property owners at no charge.
Call-in for plowing and sanding Saturday/Sunday 5” snowstorm. Plowing all roads, parking lots, and priority sidewalks.
Monday call-in for sanding/scraping roads for 1” snowfall.
Call-in for plowing and sanding Wednesday for 6” snowstorm. Plowing all roads, parking lots, and priority sidewalks. I have now recorded 108” of snow so far this season.
Snow cleanup crew came in at midnight Wednesday to clean up roads and plow priority sidewalks. 2 plow trucks, and 2 sidewalk machines worked all night.
Pushing back intersections of snow for better site lines for a day.
Opening up catch basins of snow and ice on Wed. to minimize flooding issues.
Hauling snow from parking lots with Public Works trucks and equipment to the
Transfer Station for three days this week. Loader pushing snow at dump area.
Backhoe and loader working sand pile for a day removing frozen chunks of sand
and preparing it for next storm.
Demonstration of a newer version of our MacLean MV2 sidewalk machine. Tried it out for a day.
At least one sidewalk machine working all week (except Friday) on sidewalk snow removal. Remaining sidewalks that have not had snow removed yet will have to be taken care of with larger equipment as time permits.
Digging out snow/ice from scales at Transfer Station. Problem with load sensing cells not working properly most likely due to moisture problems. Northeast Scale provided us with replacement dry packs on Friday.
Picking up repaired Transfer Station Western Star tractor at O’Connor’s on
Saturday.
Attended Transfer Station annual operations training on Monday at City Hall
conducted by Woodard and Curran.
Picked up repaired 2001 John Deere grader at Hammond Tractor in Union on
Friday.
One crew all day and another crew half a day cold patching potholes on lower
Broadway, North Main St., and Old County Rd. areas on Friday.
Cleaning out snow from around Harbormaster building for better access for
Superior Maintenance to clean it out because of a water line break in the
building.
Met with Travelers Insurance regarding Public Works and Transfer Station
operations.
OFFICE OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
License inspections were done along with the Fire department at the Landings
Restaurant and the Home Kitchen Cafe.
John and David attended a Maine Indoor Air Quality Council Workshop on
Ventilation, held at the Shelter Institute in Woolwich on 2/26/15.
John and David also attended the REDAC meeting on 2/26/15.
David attended the Comprehensive Planning Commission meeting 2/26/15.
There were two complaints filed this week.
The following permits were received by the Code Office this week:
1 Driveway permit
3 Electrical permits
1 Plumbing permit
OFFICE OF THE RECREATION DIRECTOR
The Dodge ball league has begun the season this week and we are at 13 teams
now. This will run on Wednesday for the next five weeks.
The walk ways around the building are getting high but they are clear to walk in, we need a few days of above freezing temps to melt the snow banks. There is nowhere left to put the snow.
All the travel teams are practicing and getting ready for the busy month of
March. They will be traveling around the state representing the Rockland
Recreation Department. Good Luck to them all.
We held the end of the year meeting for the Mid-Coast Basketball league to
review any changes that need to be made to improve the program for next year.
We also met with a representative from the YMCA as they are interested in joining our basketball league next year.
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 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:
Hydrant shoveling continued through Friday, Saturday and into Sunday due to
staffing and emergency calls.
Monday our staff held EMS training on new airway devices that will allow us to more rapidly secure a patients airway in an emergency. This included the
introduction of the King Airway device and an updated Cricothyrotomy kit that
allows our paramedics to insert a surgical airway.
On Monday afternoon the FD responded to a reported basement fire on
Samoset Road. Upon arrival it was determined that the central vacuum system
had sucked up a hot ember and began to burn the vacuum itself which was in
the basement, causing a growing smoke condition. Thankfully the fire was
contained and the smoke was removed from the home with no ill effects.
Without a doubt another case proving that people fail to recognize how long
wood embers can hold heat and remain a danger for igniting a fire.
Dave Kalloch and I conducted an apartment inspection for the General
Assistance program. Our inspection revealed no safety issues that would
preclude the City’s program from assisting the tenant(s).
On Tuesday afternoon B-Shift personnel utilizing Tower 3, removed dangerous icicles from the McLain School.
David and I also inspected the Home Kitchen for their upcoming license
renewal.
C Shift removed snow from the valleys on the Fire Station roof on Wednesday
afternoon to help minimize water intrusion that is certain to come with the
warmer temperatures we’re all so anxiously waiting for.
Wednesday evening’s fire department drill was on utilizing our air bags and
high lift jack to lift, move or stabilize vehicles or other objects that have trapped
people.
On Thursday I attended the local EMA directors meeting at the Knox County
EMA office. Much of this focused on securing future grant funding for regional
projects and how to document storm related costs for possible reimbursement
in a declared disaster. It appears to me that there is very little chance that
we’ll see any money related to this winters’ snowfall totals although that
continues to be something that EMA is looking at.
A big thank you to Mayor Isganitis, whose Facebook post resulted in All For You donating time shoveling hydrants on Thursday. Between their crew and our onduty staff all the hydrants in the City were cleaned up by 2:30 pm. Of course, a
big “thank you” to Jim Gamage and crew for their assistance, as well as all of
those other citizens who chipped in to help clear hydrants. We are fortunate to
have people out there that understand that while ensuring the hydrants are
ready for immediate use is our job, spending the day shoveling is physically
taxing and can diminish personnel’s effectiveness later on in their 24 hour shift.
On Friday I met with a local building owner seeking details on the Life Safety
Code and how they might apply to the proposed “Short Term Rental
Ordinance”.
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
Officers responded to 200 calls for service. Rockland Police Officers responded to 16 motor vehicle crashes and two animal complaints. Twenty-two (22) traffic stops and traffic violations were conducted. Officers charged or made 14 arrests of individuals for various offenses, to include Warrant of Arrest, Tobacco product violations, Domestic Assault, Trespassing, Bail violations Traffic offenses, OUI, Assault, Harassment and a Drug offense.
The department continues to engage in community outreach concerning safety
tips for pedestrians via our social media face book page.
Chief Boucher attended the Knox County Community Health Coalition Board
meeting this week.
Chief Boucher attended the Sexual Assault Support Services of Mid-Coast Maine board meeting this week.
Note: We are warning the community that the following ‘IRS” Scam is occurring in
our area:
o The sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers where victims are told they
owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly or they will be sued. Callers
are being instructed to call this # 202-684-3436 to speak to an IRS official. The
victim is instructed to pay the debt through a pre-loaded debit card or wire
transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with
arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many
cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
“This scam has hit taxpayers in nearly every state in the country. We want to
educate taxpayers so they can help protect themselves. Rest assured, we do
not and will not ask for credit card numbers over the phone, nor request a prepaid
debit card or wire transfer,” says IRS Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel.
“If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to be from the IRS and threatens
police arrest, deportation or license revocation if you don’t pay immediately,
that is a sign that it really isn’t the IRS calling.” Werfel noted that the first IRS
contact with taxpayers on a tax issue is likely to occur via mail.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here’s what
you should do:
o If you know you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at
1.800.829.1040. The IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment
issue – if there really is such an issue.
o If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any
taxes (for example, you’ve never received a bill or the caller made some
bogus threats as described above), then call and report the incident to the
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1.800.366.4484.
o More information on how to report phishing scams involving the IRS is available on the genuine IRS website, IRS.gov.
OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Organized and met with Town Managers and Elected Officials from Thomaston,
Owls Head, Rockport, Camden and Belfast to reach an agreement on
participating in and funding a High Speed Broadband Planning Study.
Meetings with three businesses to discuss working collaboratively, assistance and
advice on the Knox County Microloan program, CDBG Economic Development
program and business planning.
Rockland Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting with attendance
from members of the Comprehensive Planning Commission with guest speaker
Jane LaFleur who discussed lessons learned from Damariscotta with Form Based
Code.
Compilation and analysis of housing data and formulation of potential draft
options for a housing strategy.
Attended Midcoast Economic Development District Board of Directors Meeting.
Discussed sustainability of the organization moving forward and the need to
transfer the Economic Development District designation to the Midcoast Council
of Governments. This will impact Rockland because membership to an Economic Development District is important for access to federal grant funds
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