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Community Newsletter

Issue #327

Having difficulty viewing the newsletter? View this and past issues here. 
In this Issue:
Photo by Shara Dee

Upcoming City Council Meetings
Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 PM - City Council Meeting (hybrid)
Note: There is no Council Meeting Tuesday, January 31.

See the City Calendar for all scheduled City Council and board meetings + locations/links to participate. All agendas and packet material can be found on BoardDocs. This material will be posted by 4:30 PM on Friday the week prior to the scheduled meeting. See summaries of Council meetings here.

License Dogs by January 31
License your dog by January 31, 2023! All dogs in the City must be licensed by state law. Proof of a dog's current rabies vaccination is required to be licensed. If your dog has been fixed (neutered/spayed), you must show proof, and the cost is $6.00. The cost is $11.00 for an unaltered dog. Visit the City Clerk’s office or license your dog online! After January 31, there will be a $25 late fee.
 

AARP TaxAide Free Tax Preparation
AARP TaxAide offers free tax preparation services to low and moderate income individuals and families with particular attention to those over 65. All volunteer preparers are IRS certified. In the greater Portland area, 8 sites are open a total of 6 days/week from Mon-Sat.
  • Multiple Locations
  • Free!
  • 9AM - 5PM, every day through Apr 15, 2023
For more information and to schedule an appointment, call (207) 518-8579.
 

Winter Weather Reminders
  • The Winter Parking Ban is in effect and being enforced. Cars parked on any City street overnight between 12AM-6AM December 1-April 1, or during an Extended Parking Ban, should expect to be ticketed and towed.
     
  • Do not block sidewalks with cars or push snow into the sidewalks or roads. This is not permitted.
     
  • Seniors and residents with mobility challenges can request sand buckets through DPW's and Age-Friendly South Portland's Sand Buckets for Seniors program. To order a Sand Bucket, please call DPW (207) 767-7635, or email publicworks@southportland.org.

Seeking Human Rights Commission Youth Representative
The City is seeking a Youth Representative member on its Human Rights Commission!

What does the South Portland Human Rights Commission (SPHRC) do?
The South Portland Human Rights Commission provides support for the people of South Portland, specifically marginalized groups, in order to build community; provide education and training; celebrate diversity and inclusion; increase community engagement; and review policies and provide policy recommendations to the City Council and the City Manager. The SPHRC will work closely with Black, indigenous and people of color; LGBTQ people; people with disabilities; and low-income families. The SPHRC will work to prevent hate and discrimination in the City. The HRC annually provides input and feedback on the proposed City budget. 

What are the requirements?
The Youth Representative is a strategic voting member of the SPHRC.  The Youth Representative member MUST be between the age of 16-22 and is appointed for a one year term, and may be reappointed for an indefinite amount of terms so long as they remain eligible to serve.  The Youth Representative may live anywhere in the City and does not need to attend a South Portland Public School in order to serve.  All members should be able to attend regularly scheduled meetings, held via Zoom and/or in person, usually in the evenings at 6PM.  Interested residents are encouraged to look at the SPHRC’s recent meeting agendas and attend an upcoming meeting to learn more about the current work of the committee: https://www.southportland.org/our-city/board-and-committees/human-rights-commission/

How do I apply?
All interested persons should submit an application online here (be sure to select “Human Rights Commission” from the list of Boards & Committees): https://onboard.southportland.org/apply. Please indicate in your application your specific interest in being appointed as the Youth Representative member. 

PARENTS/GUARDIANS – Please share with your eligible family/household members!

All eligible applicants will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration and appointment at an upcoming Council meeting.

Upcoming Events
Please join us on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 to celebrate the South Portland business community at the 2022 South Portland Business Awards!

The Economic Development Committee welcomes you to join us in celebrating our business community in recognizing the award recipients. It will take place at South Portland High School from 5-7:30 PM. Doors open at 5 PM for hors d'oeuvres and in-person networking (for the first time in a few years). The awards ceremony will start promptly at 6:00. We are coordinating tours of the high school to start at 4:30. Please reach out to bizsupport@southportland.org if you’d like to join the tour.
Join us for the next Coffee & Climate, Friday, February 10 from 9-10AM for this month's topic: Being Bird Friendly and Bird Safe!

Nick Lund of Maine Audubon and Addy Smith-Reiman of the Portland Society for Architecture will be joining us to discuss wildlife conservation and the importance of bird safe architecture here in Maine and why we should be considering the same in our homes. Grab a cup of coffee and join us online for this event!
 

MaineDOT Seeks Public Input
MaineDOT will have an on-demand presentation available for a Formal Public Meeting to discuss the reconstruction of the I-295 exit 4 interchange and Ramp SP4 Bridge #1367 carrying U.S. Route 1 over I-295 and the railroad. The presentation can be viewed any time, and comments submitted, now through February 8, 2023.
 

Food Waste/Recycling Survey
The South Portland Sustainability Department is conducting a survey to better understand food waste/recycling activities among City residents. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey!
 

Employment Opportunities
Start your new year with an exciting new position where you'll make a difference in your community! The City currently has open positions of Social Services Director, Fire Chief, and more. Visit our website to learn more about these and other open positions.
 
 

News from the Board of Health
Open to South Portland families (residency in Portland is not a requirement).
 
For more information, email vaccines@portlandmaine.gov.

Applications Open for Art in the Park
Scheduled for August 12, 2023, Art in the Park, the City's annual fine art show and sale, is one of the best events in town! Interested vendors can now register and pay online, or download and turn in the paper application.

Stay tuned for more updates as the event approaches!
 

Vision Zero Survey
The Greater Portland Council of Governments, a regional planning agency, is working to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the region. Take this short survey and/or drop a pin on this transportation hazard map to tell planners what roads, intersections, crosswalks, etc. make you feel unsafe. Your input will help shape their Vision Zero Action Plan, a draft of which will be ready this spring. Sign up here to stay up-to-date on project progress. 
 
Some events are subject to change. Check spsd.org for up-to-date information.
Hello, my name is Shara Dee and I'm very happy to serve as the City of South Portland's Communications Officer!

I'd love to hear your feedback on our newsletter and other City communications, so feel free to send me a note any time at news@southportland.org.
This City of South Portland Community E-Newsletter includes information about City sponsored events, projects and special announcements from South Portland's non-profit community.
The City of South Portland Community Newsletter is published by the City of South Portland.  It is a compilation of the best available information at the time of publication.  Events may be subject to change without notice in the time between publication of this e-newsletter and the actual event.  To send information to be considered for inclusion into this newsletter, send to news@southportland.org.
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