Public Works
Regular spring cleaning for our public works department began a few weeks ago as street cleaning spread across the city. Dirt roads like Mount Pleasant and Beauchamp Point have been graded and gravel added for a smoother ride. The tailings ponds are currently being cleaned and stripping should begin on Friday given the recent good weather tide.
Maine DOT plans to provide light capital paving along Pascal Avenue, Central Street and Union Street this summer. Signs were recently erected, but were hidden until the start of the project, to alert motorists to the project’s work zone.
graveyards
As of May 1st, the cemeteries are open for the season and the city’s contractor is completing spring cleaning in the next few days. Some cemetery roads can still be quite wet, so be careful when driving through the cemeteries.
sewage
Construction on the Route 1 sewerage project resumed late last month and we expect the project to be complete by the end of June. This phase of the project may be more impactful for motorists as the installation of water and sewer lines will require a single lane.
Whilst the City received a letter from the City of Camden demanding payment of what they believed to be unpaid sewer bills, the letter did not include a date for the Management Committee meeting as requested by our Select Committee. Hopefully a meeting date can be set soon and unnecessary legal costs for both communities avoided.
harbor
I am pleased to announce that we have hired two new Assistant Harbor Masters, Rob Parent and Drew MacMullan. Rob spent over 24 years in the Coast Guard with stations in Nantucket and Chatham as station chief and lived in Rockport for several years while stationed in Rockland. Drew is no stranger to the Midcoast, having worked for years at Alford Lake Camp in Hope but wintering at marinas in Georgia and Florida. I’m excited about what Rob and Drew can do for our port and won’t be surprised if you see them around town expanding our efforts to improve our parks.
All of the town’s swimmers are now in the water after challenging weather and tides through April. However, despite difficult conditions getting swimmers into the water, our roofing projects gained momentum as the Harbor Master’s building and picnic kiosks all replaced their roofs. Many thanks to Anthony Simaitis for the quick work and extra help with some rotten boards.
Harbor Master Abbie Leonard is preparing to issue dinghy stickers on a first come, first served basis to those who have been granted a berth from May 1st to June 1st. For those without a berth, Abbie will be displaying the remaining available stickers at the Harbor Master’s office on June 1st at 8am.
Abbie works through the waiting list and matches available berths with vessels of a similar size on the waiting list.
Two new dinghy floats are being built this week and should be in the water soon.
Events of the summer concert series in the port
