Shape your City: Current City Board & Committee Vacancies

The following is taken directly from the city website and can be found here:


Civil Service Commission 1 seat

Employment Subcommittee

The Employment Subcommittee has three Commissioners and one alternate. The Employment Subcommittee approves written examinations for Civil Service testing and other elements of the testing process such as fitness and medical and job suitability exams, participates in oral interviews with candidates, and may hold hearings on discipline cases.

Qualifications: A resident of Portland and a person of good moral character. Although a familiarity with employment practices and the legal process would be helpful, they are not required. What is necessary is a desire to be involved in a critical but background role, a capacity for objective judgments, and good communication skills

Disqualifications:

 1. Any present or former employee of the City, who was employed by the City within the previous 10 years.

 2. Any present or former member of the City Council who has held that position in the previous 10 years.

 3. Any Civil Service Commissioner who has completed 3 consecutive full terms of three years as provided in Chapter 2 Article III.

 Anyone who is or has been a City employee or City Councilor or anyone who is a relative of a present member of the Police or Fire departments.

Must be Portland Resident


Fair Hearing Officer – 2 seats

Responsibilities: Review any dissatisfaction stemming from any action concerning applicants for general assistance. Decisions must be in accordance with applicable State Laws and City Ordinances. The Fair Hearing Officer is required to render a written decision regarding the outcome of a hearing within five working days. In addition, serve as a hearing officer as needed for administrative hearings established by City ordinance, including for example, taxi licensing violations.

Qualifications: Ability to conduct hearings with a five-day notice.

Ability to be fair, impartial, unbiased, and have no personal or financial interest, direct or indirect, in the hearing or its outcome. The Fair Hearing Officer is scheduled to attend hearings on an as-needed basis.


Fish Exchange 1 seat Exchange C- Portland Resident

Fish Exchange

The Portland Fish Exchange (PFE) is America’s first all –display fresh fish and seafood auction operating on the Portland Fish Pier since April of 1986.

The Exchange offers a fair and open market place bringing together fishing vessels (sellers) with seafood whole- sale and processors (buyers) of fresh fish and seafood.

Seafood is unloaded directly from fishing vessels daily and displayed for buyers to make purchasing decisions. Sunday to Thursday, Auctions begin at 11:00 A.M. and are conducted electronically via the internet.

Class C Directors: There shall be two Class C Directors from the public at large; A Class C Director will be a resident of the City of Portland, the other, a resident of the State of Maine.


Housing Authority 2 seats 1 Resident Seat and 1 Non Resident Seat

The Portland Housing Authority was established in 1943 to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing for low-income citizens of the Greater Portland area. Today, it owns and manages twelve housing developments totaling 1,038 units, serving families, elderly, and persons with disabilities. This locally owned program operates with an annual $5.6 million dollar budget. In addition, the Authority administers the HUD Leased Housing Program that provides rent subsidies in the private market for qualified applicants. This program currently provides approximately 2,100 Section 8 vouchers to low-income residents and operates with an annual contract authority over $14 million dollars. Together these programs provide assistance to over 6,000 residents, which equal roughly 10% of Portland’s population. The Authority employs over 90 people to manage and operate these programs.

Please see Cities website for meetings and agendas.


Board of Assessment Review -3- 1 Board member seat 2 Alternates

Responsibilities: The Board has power to grant property tax abatements pursuant to state law and to determine the tax-exempt status of real and personal property. It functions in a quasi- judicial capacity and members must be able to hold public hearings, make findings of fact and conclusions of law in accordance with state law, and issue written decisions setting forth their findings and conclusions.

Qualifications: Members need the background necessary to be able to determine the value of real and personal property. Members should be familiar with the several geographical areas of the City, e.g. the waterfront, downtown, Munjoy Hill, Deering, etc.


Land Bank Commission – 3 seats

Land Bank Commission is responsible for identifying and protecting open space resources within the City of Portland. The Commission seeks to preserve a balance between development and conservation of open space important for wildlife, ecological, environmental, scenic or outdoor recreational values. The Commission responsibilities include: working for the acquisition and conservation of open space within the City; recommending to the City Council on a priority basis acquisition or conservation of significant properties; and the pursuit of gifts and funds from private and public sources for the acquisition of open space as approved by the City Council. The Commission has developed an inventory of open space resources within the City. It is engaged in an ongoing effort to proactively protect properties from development through easement, deed restriction, or acquisition.

Responsibilities: Pursue funding resources for the acquisition of open space; create an inventory of open space property in the city and make recommendations for the protection and/or acquisition of open space that is environmentally significant. Meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:00 P.M.

Parks Commission - 4 seats


The Parks Commission is a group of volunteer members of the community who are interested in the stewardship of the City of Portland Parks. Each month the Commission meets with the Director of Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department and the Parks Director to review projects and proposals.

The Commission also receives citizen input prior to and during each monthly public meeting to provide recommendations to the Director of Parks, Recreation & Facilities and the City Council. Meetings are on the First Thursday of each month at 5:00 – 6:30 P.M. in room 24 of City Hall.


Pesticide Management Advisory Committee - 3 seats

1 License Applicator

1 Agronomist

1 NOFA( Northeast Organic Farming Association) Certified

To support the implementation and administration of this ordinance the City Council established the Pesticide Management Advisory Committee (PMAC). Duties of this committee include:

Advising the Sustainability Coordinator and the Sustainability and Transportation Committee about implementation of the ordinance and recommended amendments

Implementing an ongoing education and outreach program in coordination with the Sustainability Coordinator that will inform residents, property owners, and landscaping companies about the ordinance and ways to manage their property organically.

Creating an annual report about the ordinance to the Sustainability and Transportation Committee

Hearing and ruling on waivers submitted by property owners who believe they have an emergency situation on their property that requires the use of synthetic pesticide to remedy.


Police Citizen Review Subcommittee - 2 seats

The Police Citizen Review Subcommittee (PCRS) is a subcommittee of the Civil Service Commission. The PCRS has six commissioners and one alternate. The PCRS will review the process of police investigations of citizens’ complaints, solicit public input on the police citizen complaint process, report to the City Manager on the results of their case review, and issue recommendations for improving the police investigation process, training and public confidence in the citizen complaint process.

Qualifications: A resident of Portland and a person of good moral character. Ability to be analytical and objective. Good communication skills.

Disqualifications:

Presently employed by the City, or employed within the previous ten years;

Present member of the City Council, or a member within the previous ten years;

Immediate family member is a Portland police officer or has been within the previous ten years;

Applicant or a member of his/her immediate family member has been arrested by the Portland police within the previous ten years, or the final disposition of any resulting criminal proceedings has been in the previous ten years, whichever is longer;

Applicant or an immediate family member has filed a complaint with the IA unit of the Portland Police Department within the previous ten years; and

Applicant or a member of his/her immediate family has sued the City of Portland, the Chief of Police, the Portland Police Department, or any Portland police officer within the last ten years.


Portland Public Art- 4 seats

The Portland Public Art Committee is responsible for administering the Public Art Program to preserve, restore and enhance the City-owned public art collection. The Committee develops and presents to the City Council an Annual Art Plan that recommends expenditures from the municipal percent-for-art allocation, reviews potential gifts of art to the City’s collection according the Guidelines for the Public Art Ordinance, seeks private donations to care for the public art collection, and recommends appropriate locations for the installation of permanent public art. Members must live or work in Portland. Experience, training or expertise in one of the following disciplines is desirable: architecture or landscape architecture, accomplishment as an artist, art curator, commercial real estate or development, and/or experience with foundations and development. Members are appointed to three-year terms. The Portland Public Art meets on the third Wednesday of the Month from 4-6. Must work or live in Portland.


Rental Housing Advisory Committee: 2 seats

The committee members shall be residents of Portland and shall be appointed by the City Council to serve staggered terms set by the City Council. The Committee shall be co-chaired by one (1) landlord representative and one (1) tenant representative as agreed to by the members of the Committee. The Committee shall be not less than quarterly and shall undertake the following duties:

1. Provide the Housing Committee with recommendations or proposals for improvements, modifications, or changes regarding landlord and tenant policy issues; and

2. Identify educational opportunities, seminars, and materials that would be useful to landlords and tenants.

Rental Housing Advisory Committee -2

1 – Landlord

1 – Tenants


Rent Board – 2 Seats

A set of appointed individuals responsible for the administration of Article XII. Rent Control and Tenant Protections. The Rent Board shall consist of seven (7) members. Members of the Rent Board Shall be residents of the City and shall not be officers or employees of the city or any of its agencies or departments.

One (1) Member from District 1

One (1) Member from District 2


Additional information is available on the City’s website at www.portlandmaine.gov or at 874-8677. Deadline for submission is February 4, 2022. Please send a resume and cover letter to Appointments Committee Chairman, c/o City Clerk, 389 Congress Street, Portland ME 04101 or klj@portlandmaine.gov. Applicants will be contacted for interviews.

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