MARCH 2022.VOL. 22, NO. 02. PORTLAND, MAINE.
PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!
Ocean Swimming in Deadline Looms for Charter Commission Winter?!? Portland Charter Commission will wrap up its work and present a final report to city council by this summer
What do you get out of it? Plus, tips and advice. Check out PelotonPosts interview with Portland Aquatics swim coach and winter swimmer, Jeannette Strickland on Pgs. 6-7.
By Tony Zeli The Portland Charter Commission must make major decisions on what to change in the city’s charter and present a final report by July 11th. As such, upcoming meetings in March and April are crucial.
To tackle all these issues, the commissioners set up committees on governance, education, elections, procedures, and departments. The committees are meeting regularly over the next couple of months. Visit the city calendar for details at https:// In 2020, Portland voters approved a www.portlandmaine.gov. review of the Portland City Charter. City Council appointed three members early The charter commission has just two the following year. Voters in Portland se- more months to decide on which revisions lected the other nine members in June to recommend and how to present them 2021. Coming together during a pandem- to the public – as one set of changes to be ic and a time of political change, various voted on as a package or several groups of groups saw an opportunity to change the recommendations that voters will decide city for years to come. Newly elected individually. Running out of time, commiscommissioners promised to address many sioners are working at a faster pace.
Calling All Candidates:
June School Board Election Nomination Papers Available for June 14th Special Municipal Election By Tony Zeli Portland residents interested in seeking public office and serving on the Portland Board of Public Education may now pick up nomination papers for the June 14th Special Municipal Election. Many candidates have already picked up their nomination papers and will likely be spotted around town in the weeks ahead petitioning voters to get on the ballot.
issues such as redistricting, clean elections, and creating an Office of Public Advocate.
Candidates may turn in signatures and papers no sooner than March 21st at 9:00 a.m. and no later than April 4th at 4:30 p.m. A district seat requires a minimum of 75 verified signatures from Portland voters and a maximum of 150 can be turned in. An at-large seat requires a minimum of 300 signatures and a maximum of 500.
PORTLAND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 2022 3 Open School Board Seats for June 14 Special Election: • School Board District Five 2-year term - 1 seat
At their February 23rd meeting commissioners workshopped competing proposals on mayoral powers, voted to change the way ranked choice voting works (although details remain to be decided), and discussed universal residential voting. At the meeting three proposals on mayoral powers were discussed. Out of the governance committee led by Robert O’Brien (representing District 2) was a proposal to keep an executive city manager and add a position of Chief of Staff. A counter proposal led by Nasreen SheikhYousef (at-large) places the mayor in the role of chief executive of Portland. Also, a compromise from Marpheen Chann and Ryan Lizanecz featured an executive mayor, but a final recommendation awaits.
The election is set to fill seats left • School Board At-Large vacant when school board members Ro6-month term - 2 seats Many issues will have to be decided Pick up papers in person at the Port- berto Rodriguez and Anna Trevorrow won For more information, please call the soon. And it is the last chance for the publand City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 389 election to city council and Jeff Irish reCongress Street. Use the Myrtle Street signed after serving less than one year on Clerk’s office at 207-874-8677 or email lic to weigh in. Cont'd on Pg. 15 elections@portlandmaine.gov. entrance. Masks are required. the board.
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