Where’s Michele?  When does your medical leave end?  This is the second time since last year that mhn.com has asked the city – “Where’s Michele Sturgeon?”  Maybe there will be an answer this time as well as there was previously.  MHN.com has repeatedly asked the city, but has received no satisfactory answer from anyone in city hall….  “Wait ’til she’s available,” is the answer. ”Wait ’til she’s available.”  I GET it. She can talk to people just as soon as she is limited by a gag order not to speak to the press or anyone forever and ever? Amen. That would not be the first time the city has forced this silence on people.

My simple question to the city is:  How much longer does her medical leave last?  Last year the city informed the public that Sturgeon was on medical leave.  That was a long time ago.  Why can’t the city inform us again of when her medical leave ends and she’s back at work?  When will she be set free from the muzzle  placed on her by the city?  Free Michele!

To refresh your memory, Michele Sturgeon is the city’s health inspector whose name became inexorably linked with The Porthole Pub, 22 Custom House Wharf, late last summer.  That was when she  shut down the waterfront watering hole long enough for the owner to correct the serious health violations (including rats) she found there.  In fact,  it’s common knowledge that was an unsanitary place to eat or drink.   Even Ken Macgowan, wharf owner, acknowledges he knew of the unsanitary conditions at The Porthole and did nothing to correct them.  Macgowan has said it’s impossible to get rid of rats on the waterfront; oh?  Bowing to political and business pressure Doug Gardner, director of the city’s health office,  overuled Sturgeon’s shutdown order and reopened the Porthole prematurely. (This was not the first time that a restaurant of Keithley has been shut down for unsanitary  conditions.)   Despite plans to reopen under the same management, it never did.  Business owner Keithley said he could not overcome the negative PR this publicity caused.  Instead, wharf owner Ken Macgowan opened it late last month.  This controversy will live on with Sturgeon forever and the city may permanently thawrt her ability  to speak about it openly and honestly.  Sturgeon was right to do what she did, political and business pressure be damned!  Jeopardizing  public health is a serious matter.  Gardner needs  to be held accountable for betraying the trust that is inherit in his position.  Public health be damned!  For more background information, please visit Posts # 1,401, dated 4/22/13 and # 1,213, dated 9/15/12.

It’s a simple question:  When does Michele’s medical leave end?  Apparently, the answer is too complicated for public consumption.

The Public Art Committee narrowly voted not to support the proposal for Congress Square as presented to it by Rockbridge this afternoon at the Committee’s monthly meeting.   The vote was 4 – 3.   Pandora LaCasse, is the Committee’s representative to the Congress Square Redesign Study Group, which meets on Wednesday, May 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in city council chanbers. The CSRSG will vote on the proposal and make a recommendation against the proposal to the HCDC and City Council. The HCDC meeting is set for Wednesday, May 29th at 5:30 pm (The location has not been announced.)  Public comment will be taken at this meeting.

The reason the majority of the Committee opposes the proposal is that it does not leave enough room for the plaza – which is in the heart of the Arts District in downtown Portland. Jessica Lipton, who is a representative to the Committee from  Creative Portland, said CP supports the Rockbridge proposal with several caveats:  that Rockbridge provide ample opportunity for its guests to view the public art in Portland and that a staff person be designated to coordinate with the arts district.  Jim Cradock said he supports a public/private partnership in this situation and Terry DeWan said he was undecided whether or not the size of the plaza was adequate, but he could “live with it.”

The Committee vote was taken following a presentation by Studio 5 Canal, project architects.  By the time this phase of the process is completed, next Wednesday May 22, the team will have made a presentation to about 30 organizations – including five neighborhood groups, The Chamber of Commerce, etc.

On another matter on the Committee’s agenda, was a follow up report from the March meeting in which Jack Soley said that  there is an opportunity in the near future for Portland to receive carvings from the Estate of Bernard Langlais for indoor display in Portland. Chair Lin Lisberger, reported that following a recent visit to the Langlais farmhouse in Cushing to see the collection, she learned that Portland can have pretty much as many pieces as it wants.  Lisberger has been in touch with the Public Library, OceanGate Way, East End Commuity School, Portland Jetport and  the Red Claws to ascertain it they are interested in displaying indoors a sculpture from the Langlais Collection. This list is incomplete as of this time.

The public is invited to attend a party to celebrate the launch of the Committee’s new website at the East End Beach, on the Hill.  The party  is scheduled for Wednesday, June 27th and will run from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.  June 27th is the rain date.

For more background information on the Bernard Langlais Donation, please visit Post # 1,320, dated March 22, 2013 herein.

Mayor Michael Brennan of Portland

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 1,420)

Today, the Mayor’s Coalition, sent a three page letter to Governor LePage offering three alternative suggestions to the pending budget proposal.  The Coalition’s letter was in response to a letter from Governor LePage, dated April 25, requesting “serious ideas” to offset his $200 million cut to muicipalities for the 2014 budget which begins on July 1st.  Most of the letters the Governor receives state he made the wrong choice in that decision.  However, the letter goes on to say no one has suggested other cuts that should be made at the state level to offset that $200 million.  “It is easy to find fault and hard to find solutions,” the Governor wrote.

The Mayors’ Coalition made three recommendations:

1. Suspend the pending income tax cuts.  This would raise $350 million which could be used to reinstate municipal revenue sharing at its current level, preserve the existing Homestead and c ircuit Breaker property tax relief programs, retain the vehicle excise tax for municipalities, maintain the state’s commitment to teacher retirement and provide additional support for K-12 education.  The proposal would spend the inome tax cuts passed during the last two  years until the state’s economy has fully recovered from the Great Recession.

2. Sales Tax Increase and Expansion.  This option would fund the same improvements to the budget as Option 1 by temporarily raising the sales tax from 5 to 6%, raising the lodging tax to 10% and modestly expanding the sales tax.

3. Tax Reform.  The Mayors supports comprehensive tax reform to balance the state’s reliance on the 3 major revenue sources – sales, income and property taxes.  The pending tax reform legislation, LD 1496, is a credible proposal to accomplish that goal.

The last day  the State Legislature meets  is around June 18th.

The bi-partisan Mayors’ Coalition was formed to support state policies that will grow Maine’s economy and to oppose policies that will shift costs to Maine municipalties.

Jen Burrall, of Jen Burrall Designs, has announced that she will be relocating her jewelry business to Congress Street on July 1st.  Currently, her jewelry boutique and studio are located at 76 Washngton Avenue.  She will be occupying the space vacated by Bakery on the Hill.

Burrall attended the Maine College of Art where her interest in methalsmithing was sparked.  A four yhear apprenticeship with a local jewelry designer gave her the building blocks to design her own work and start a business.  In 2007, Burrall opened the doors to a retail/studio space in on the East End of Portland. This location is where each piece of elegant jewelry has been hand sculpted.  That is up until July 1st when she opens her new Studio and Boutique.

Burrall who used to travel extensively out-of-state to shows to sell her line said that she has gotten tired of the travel and wants to do less of it.  She sells lots of her work on the Internet and wants the  increased exposure that she will receive in her new location.

Please visit www.jenburralldesigns.com or call 207 – 772- 1902 for more details.

Portland Mayor Michael Brennan and School Superintendant Emmanuel Caulk, encouraged voters to go to the polls tomorrow and vote in support of the proposed school budget.  Monday night, the Portland City Council approved the FY14 Portland School budget allocating $96,360,549 which represents a 3% increase in the school portion of the Portland’s property tax rate.  Pursuant to Maine’s School Administrative Reorganizatiaon Law, all school districts must hold elections for approval of their budget.

Due to state cutbacks, the District had to contend with a cut of nearly $1 million in its FY 2013 state subsidy and subsidy funding at that lower level in FY 2014.  In addition, Maine Governor Pajl LePage has proposed shifting a portion of teacher retirement costs from the state to local districts.  That measure, if approved by the Maine Legislature, would cost Portland schools more than $1.3 million.  The district also must cover tuition for city students who attend a new charter school opening in Portland in the fall.  However, at that time it’s expected that only a handful of Portland students will that advantage of that option.

Superintendant Caulk told students, staff and teachers gathered at East End Community School on the Hill that “during tough economic times, character isn’t defined it is revealed.  “And the character of our community here in Portland, is about pulling together to find our schools, to care for the future of our children and invest in the limitless possibilities that exist in every child.”  Caulk listed what this budget does for Portland students.  Some of them are: keeps commitment to providing a pre-kindergarten program, maintains the district’s programming in World Languages, art, music, physical education and co-curricular activities.  “We are committed to these programs despite significant state revenue loss,” Caulk said.

The Mayor, whose mother taught school for 45 years and never missed one day of school, said:  “Nothing we do is more important than to provide a quality education. I’m disappointed we had to make the cuts we did, but I urge you to support this budget….Lastly, I ask voters to vote against continuing the referendum.  Each election costs the city between $13,000. and $15,000.  Vote for the state to free Porland on this needless expenditure.  I hope you students here can follow the example my mother set by not missing one day of school like her.”

One Fifth Grade student in the Gifted & Taltended Program at  EECS, Charlie Scalia-Bruce asked the Mayor what were the benefits of the budget? The Mayor respondeds that the benefit keeps multi-lingual programs. Charlie who is interested in performance and theater opportunity at School was pleased at the Mayor’s answer.

Superintendent Caulk said:  “We have a revenue issue in trying to get our Governor to be an equal partner rather than placing the burden on tax payers.  Planning the budget on the backs of our students, school and administratgors is not the answers.  It does not put students first.”

Four hundred tickets were sold for the Portland Kitchen Tour which took place on Friday and Saturday, May 10& 11th, said the  event planners late this afternoon from Tour headquarters - the St. Lawrence Arts Center on the Hill.  Four of the seven kitchens featured on the Tour were located on the Hill.  The event was organized by Marcy Boynton, “A Divine Time,” and Lana Wescott of “Lana Wescott Events.”

One of the most popular kitchens of the Tour was located at 4 St. Lawrence Street - at the corner of Fore Street –  with a sweeping view of Casco Bay clear across to South Portland.  CSI Builders owner, Adam Rosenbaum, (Falmouth) said his company took an old house, gave it the proper views of the water and modernized the systems in the way that people live today. ”It’s a contemporary style project with an open floor plan, that retains a nod toward its historical roots with its five panel doors (turn of the century elements), a floor that gestures toward reclaimed wood  (ash floor) and Shaker style cabainets.  These elements work harminously juxtaposed to exposed steel structures,” Rosenbaum said. Steel stairs leading to the second floor from the open kitchen/dining area created a striking contrast and as did the steel beams in the ceiling.

Another impressive watefront kitchen/dining area was at 114 Eastern Promenade.  Lee Proscia, of Wright-Ryan Homes and WR Millwork, of which he is manager, said the 20th century home was rennovated to provide a better floor flow for a young family.   The company created one bright and sunny space by taking two separate rooms, the kitchen and the dining room, and combining them into the one space.  This way the separate kitchen that previously did not have a water view, does now.  Wright-Ryan Millwork, of which Proscia is the manager, builds its own cabinets and  were used in this kitchen. (Formerly, he was a boat builder with the historic boat builder, Hodgson Boats, formerly of East Boothbay.)  A special treat at this kitchen was the presence of Kate Shaffer, owner of Black Dinah Chocolatiers.  She is from Isle au Haut, and has become well known for her fantastic chocolates.  “It’s a good place to be located because of the chocolate, said Proscia admiring them.

Boynton and Wescott, (see above photo) the two planners headquartered at the St. Lawrence have combined talents previously to work on similar events. “This works because we are both extremely busy, so sharing the workload really works.  Bringing our different strengths together is good,” said Wescott. Blynton has a design background and knows some of the contractors involved.  Wescott is detail and logistics oriented.

A portion of the proceeds from the two day kitchen tour will be donated to the non-profit –  St. Lawrence Arts Center.

Tom Franklin Encourages All Bikers to Wear Helmets

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 1,416)

“I’m easily entertained!  I didn’t learn anything at all,” said Tom Franklin, 75, grinning his warm and welcoming smile that is  uniquely Tom.  He was talking about his numerous bike excursions that have tested his endurance and won the admiration of many for his pluck.  “People often ask me what I learned from my trips,” he said.  “Nothing much is my answer,” he said, adding that signature smile.

Last month Franklin and a friend from his Harvard Law School days, flew to Pittsburgh via Jet Blue, where they started their 10 day 200 mile trip along a former railroad track turned bicycle trail to Cumberland, MD.  The two friends chose this route because there was no automobile traffic for the 200 miles and thus it was impossible to get hit by a car since the area is restricted from cars.  It took the two five days to cover the 50 – 60 miles a day – spending nights at inns along the way.  “It was a nice time of the year to do this because there were few others on the bike trail.  We saw dogwood, redbud, and cherry trees in  bloom. We did not expect the two days of snow we saw, though,” he said.

His big trip was ten years ago, when he biked from British Columbia to Tijuana, Mexico – that was 1,800 miles and he did it 10 years ago.  That was a trip that he doesn’t expect to duplicate.  But he is comtemplating a trip in the near future in Texas; the Big Bend Park area.

His second wife of over a year, Anna Ginn, shares his passion for biking.  The two are embarked on another adventure of their own with lots in common.  Ginn  is on the board of Adventure Cycling, the largest of its kind non-proft in the world.  Likewise, she  has completed the same 200 bike excursion that Franklin did last month in Pittsburgh.  The two divide their time between the Hill and New York City.  That’s because Ginn is Senior Director of Synergos, an international philanthropy for “special justice programs around the world.” Founded by David Rockefeller’s daughter, it facilitates programs that improve communities around the world by supporting local organizations, such as creating the first blood bank in Lebannon, and founding a major agricultural program in Ethopia.

Franklin is also a seasoned off-shore sailor who hung up his sails a few years ago at Portland Yacht Services to have more time for biking adventurers.

A  three year old phenomenon is sweeping the country and under the right circumstances, it could come to Portland as well.  So said, two representatives of a company hired by the EPA to present the BikeShare Program to the public at a meeting late this afternoon at city hall.

ALTA representatives were hired by the EPA to conduct a two day workshop in Portland to determine whether or not Portland has the necessary interest to become a site for this innovative bikeshare program. The two representatives met with city officials today, conducted a public forum and tomorrow will meet with potential stakeholders in such a venture. Their recommendation to the city will depend on public as well as stakeholder input. (Some of the stakedholers include: Bicycle Coaltion of Maine, Metro, Down Easter, city staff and city councilor David Marshall.)  The team from ALTA will prepare a report on their findings to be forwarded to the city in the near future.

In his introductory remarks, Jeff Levine, Director of the city’s planning office said that Portland is a good place for this program for a number of reasons including its density.  “Lots of the pieces are in place.  We’d have to figure out how to pay for it and determine whether or not people want it.  We’d also have to find a business model to follow.” Levine was involved in the expansion of a bikeshare program in Boston to area suburbs before coming to Portland last year.

The bikes are heavier than normal and can go no more than ten miles an hour to ensure public safety.  The number of bikestations within a given area need to be determined, the number of bikes at each station and their locations.  Are bikes to be put in tourist areas or in low-income areas to help provide exercise where it otherwise may be limited?    Who will administer the program? A city office or a private or public/private partnership?  Could a non-profit run the program?   These are a few of the many questions brought up at the city hall meeting requiring answers.

The three year old Washington, D.C. bikeshare program is the largest program in the country.  It has 175 bikestations with over 4,000.000 riders to date. Tourists are a large part of the District’s patrons. A moderate climate and long tourist season adds to the program’s success.

Bruce Hyman, the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Coordinator said following the meeting:  ”Certainly as the EPA team outlined, Portland has a good opportunity to create a successful bikeshare program, but we need to be very deliberate about the challenges as well as the opportunities.”

“We’d have to be really creative to pull this off,” said Levine.  “Really, really creative,” he said grinning.

Please see Post # 1,412, dated 5/5/13 herein.

“The bill we are debating this week – which should be called the ‘Right to Work For Less Act’ – is designed to let employers avoid paying overtime and could force workers to take comp time instead.  But the comp time could only be used when it suits the employer,” Pingree said ont the House floor.  “Rolling back the clock to do away with the 40-hour work week is a step backwards and is a lousy deal for American workers.”

The bill, H.R. 1406, would give employers the ability to offer compensatory time off in exchange for any overtime wages the worker has earned.  Under this bill, the employer can take all of those wages earned above 40 hours and put them into a pot for future time off that is controlled by the employer.  In other words, the worker would not get paid for the work they are perform during their current pay period.  But the employer can deny requests to use that comp time off if it isn’t convenient to the company.

Unused time would be paid back at the end of the year, amounting to a no-interest loan to employers from workers.

Dozens of organizations around the country, including the Maine Women’s Lobby, have written to Congress to oppose the bill.

A vote in the House is expected tomorrow.

Peter Plumb & Peter Murray Celebrating Their 40th Anniversary at Lincoln Park

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 1,413)

“There is a Rennasance happening in Portland at this time and especially around the Park, with a new hotel going up adjacent to it, several other hotels within walking distance of the Park, the renewal of India Street and the exciting plans to redo Franklin Street,” emailed Frank E. Reilly to mhn.com late last week.  “Lincoln Park wants to be part of the Renascence.”

Last October 5th, Reilly, a playwright, cum ad executive, cum director and actor, toured Portland’s oldest park during a First Friday tour, Art in our Front Yard series, hosted by the city’s  Public Art Committee, about the rich history of the Park.  “That’s when it hit me to do what I can to motivate the Park’s renewal and so Sharon and I began a series of “biscuit meetings” at 9 am at our home…it was certainly rewarding to see how many important people in the city want to see Lincoln Park brought back to its glory days.”  (For more background information, please see Post # `1,227, dated 10/5/13 herein.)

The energetic Reilly is currently writing a Master Plan and constructing a web site .Law firm Murray, Plumb and Murray is  constructing the non-profits’ 501c-3 plan because of its affiliation with the Park.    Please visit: loveinlincolnpark.org. for more.   In addition, the group, including Jeff Tarling and   Earle Shuttleworth, is preparing a slide presentation to be given at the Portland Public Library entitled:  “Yesterday Today Tomorrow.”  The May date has not been  established yet.

The non-profit is looking for all the support it can muster from the public.  Some of the  objectives it has include: repairing wrought iron fences and gates, replacing and adding benches, repaving paths, placing Big Belly trash cans in Park, replacing and adding new trees and reinstating gardens.  Most importantly, however, is restoring the fountain’s spire (added to the Park in 1871) and get running water in the Park. The non-profit would like to convert to a recycling method in order to save water and city funds. (For more information on a recent cleanj-up day of the Park by Murray, Plumb and Murray,  please see Post # 1,407, dated 5/1/13.)

Lincoln Park came into being following the Great Fire of 1866.  It was originally intended to act as a firebreak if needed in the future.   The Park was for a long time the centerpiece in the city. It was originally called the Phoenix Park because of the Great Fire.  The name was changed to Lincoln Park following his assassination. Thee churches were built around its periphery and in the 20th century civic structures were added around it.  However, this historic Park became neglected – until now.  Under the guidance of loveinlincolnpark.org, it could once again rise to its centerpiece prominance  in Portland.

Reilly, the “spear carrier” here, retired from the advertising business that he and his wife, Sharon,  started in San Francisco. Simultaneously, he was founder and artistic director of his own theater company in the Bay Area:  acting in or directing dozens of plays there.  Coolest of all, is his “Hollywood stint.”  He acted in more than a dozen feature films, opposite Carol Burnett, Clint Eastwood, Valerie Harper, Elliot Gould, Loni Anderson, ETC. Ten years ago, he and his wife found a house built in 1803 overlooking the Fore River and snapped it up.