08-05-22 Newsletter

Property Tax Stabilization for Senior Citizens, also known as the Property Tax Stabilization Program, is a new State program that allows certain senior-citizen residents to stabilize, or freeze, the property taxes on their homestead. As long as you qualify and file a timely application each year, the tax billed to you for your homestead will be frozen at the amount you were billed in the prior tax year. Eligible residents who move may transfer the fixed tax amount to a new homestead, even if that new homestead is in a different Maine municipality. The filing deadline is December 1 of each year and must be applied for annually. Read More

While Drew will handle most of the City’s communications efforts, Firefighter Robb Couture will continue to serve as that department’s Public Information Officer, though the two will collaborate on media releases.
“South Portland is a very special community full of engaged, hardworking people who care about each other and their city,” said Drew. “I look forward to getting to work on their behalf as Communications Officer.”

Since 2019, Drew has served as the Managing Director of the Celebration Barn Theater in South Paris, Maine, where she co-led and managed communications for Maine’s center for theater training and creation serving over 350 artists from 18 countries and 2,000+ local community members annually. From 2017-18, she served as the Program Director for New Dream, where she directed the “Kids and Commercialization” program for the premier U.S. nonprofit agency tackling the issue of commercial consumption by youth. Prior to that, Drew previously worked for the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood in Boston, MA between 2009-2016, first serving as the Program Coordinator and then, for the final period, as the Associate Director. In that capacity, she managed communications and operations for this high-profile national nonprofit child advocacy group.

Drew holds a master’s degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, the same institution from which she earned a B.A. in Communications.

“It was important for us to find the right person for this newly created position,” said City Manager Scott Morelli. “This person will need to build their office from the ground up while simultaneously hitting the ground running to help us improve our outreach to the public, as well as our internal and external communications to the media. Shara is more than qualified to take on these important duties and our community is fortunate to have someone of her caliber dedicated to improving the flow of information to and from City government.”

Drew was selected from a competitive field of 37 applicants.  Please join us in welcoming Shara!