The South Portlander

UPDATE: With two leading contenders, how did the seven-member Council manage to deadlock Monday night in balloting for the next SoPo mayor?
When the tie-breaker was Mayor Jim Soule—who renominated himself!
As things stand now, Councilor Tom Blake has three votes. Councilor Linda Boudreau has three votes. And Mayor Soule has one.
The whole mess—er, process—seems headed toward a Monday night workshop at the community center, where more secret ballots will be cast and perhaps a new mayor will be named.

ORIGINAL POST, Monday, Nov. 17: The caucus for the next South Portland mayor will follow tonight’s City Council meeting, and there is sure to be some last-minute lobbying and deal making among Councilors, who will appoint one of their own to fill the one-year term. Word is that both freshman Councilor Tom Blake and veteran Councilor Linda Boudreau have expressed interest in the post that Councilor Jim Soule will leave in December… unless he is renominated.
Here is a copy of a letter I recently received that former Councilor David Jacobs wrote to the Council in support of Blake:

Dear Councilors,
I am contacting you on my own volition; I am not writing you as a representative of any group to which I belong, nor as one with a vested interest in the outcome of next year’s Mayor-ship. I am writing solely as a citizen and constituent; however, I draw from my previous experience as a City Councilor and my many political involvements in making the following comments.
Tom Blake was elected to the City Council last year, which was the beginning of the political movement for change that has swept our country.  Citizens so believed in his ability to make a difference on the local level, that he received more votes than anyone, including long-time public servant Linda Boudreau. 
It has come to my attention that Linda is hoping to be our next mayor with the rationale that she has the experience to lead us through this upcoming tough budget season.  My intent is in no way meant to diminish Linda’s decades of service, nor her multiple years of serving as our Mayor. However, for many common sense reasons I believe Tom Blake would be the best choice for this upcoming year.
As we all know, Linda is almost done serving her last term and cannot run again in 2010.  When she leaves, she will be taking with her some very valuable experience and institutional knowledge creating a void that will be hard to fill. So, if she truly wishes to do what is in the best interests of South Portland residents, she will utilize her remaining time by coaching and supporting the new voices on the Council.  Similar to the adage about giving a man a fish vs. teaching him to fish, Linda could lead us again as Mayor or she could help the next generation of public servants by letting them lead with the assistance of her experience; I am hopeful Linda makes the right choice.
This election brought two new voices to the Council, Patti Smith and Tom Coward; and there are few that doubt that this will be the last year of service for both Maxine Beecher and Jim Soule, bringing two more new voices next year.  This information, coupled with the fact that because of term-limits, both Linda and Jim Hughes are serving their last terms, makes it imperative that these new voices be given the opportunity to learn all they can in the short time left with these seasoned Councilors.  Again, Linda has served us well during her many terms as Mayor—but she has had her time—now should be the time for new leaders, like Tom Blake, to take the reigns.
Tom Blake has proven himself as an effective leader this past year. His grasp of the issues and his constituent work has been exceptional. My experience working with him on local issues is that Tom listens and he does his homework, he draws on other’s experience, he strives for consensus, and he is capable of making educated yet tough decisions.  In light of this, as well as his tremendous popularity with residents, I am convinced that Tom Blake is the most logical and rational choice for our next Mayor.  I encourage you to consider not just the coming year, but the future of the Council when casting your vote tonight during the caucus for Mayor.
Thank you for your attention and consideration.
Sincerely,
David Jacobs

Tweeter—a high-end electronics retailer—is going out of business.
The Massachusetts-based chain will close all 94 stores it operates in the U.S., including in South Portland.
A large sign is draped over the Maine Mall Road store proclaiming that the big box retailer is going out of business.
The closing of once-thriving retailers has become one of the more visible signs of the tough economic times, as consumers spend less, employers trim work forces and prices for goods and services rise.
With consumer spending down, retailers that sell big-ticket items are feeling the squeeze the most, with people buying fewer cars, fewer big-screen TVs and less furniture.
Tweeter has about $165 million in debt, and filed for bankruptcy a little over a year ago. The company is advertising 20 percent to 50 percent off the price of everything in the store.
Meanwhile, Maine Mall owner General Growth Properties is trying to stave off bankruptcy, with close to $1 billion in debt payments due Dec. 1. Linens ‘n Things, one of the mall’s anchor stores, also plans to go dark after Christmas. The bedding store is another victim in the sharp drop in consumer spending.

Updated 8:07 pm: After a long discussion, the Council amended its proposed regulation on tattoo parlors and then tabled further action until the city’s attorney can look at the amendment. The Council passed an amendment proposed by Councilor Claude Morgan to exempt employees of tattoo parlors from having to undergo criminal background checks. This amendment, which was adopted 5-2, came after Councilors Blake, Linda Boudreau and Jim Hughes objected to wording in the proposed regulation that would require background checks. Councilors were concerned that all employees would be required to undergo checks, not just the license applicants. Blake, who has strongly objected to special regulations for tattoo parlors, then suggested the overall regulation be held until the city attorney can look at the amendment. The Council agreed with Blake’s proposal to delay final passage, by a 6-1 vote, with only Mayor Jim Soule opposing.

Updated 7:37 pm: The Council agreed to lease a piece of land at Bug Light Park to the South Portland Historical Society. The land will be used for the society’s new headquarters—a historic brick building that Portland Pipeline is donating to the nonprofit, as long as the group can move it. Under a generous lease with the city, the nonprofit Society will be able to start plans for moving the Cushing’s Point House to its new location. “This is a project that when it’s done is going to be gem,” said Councilor Tom Blake, who is a member of the Society. Blake said he expected the project to get national attention.

Updated 7:30 pm: The City Council OK’d a sign for Mill Creek Park asking for donations for a service monument to be built in the park. The sign will be placed near where the monument will be built, and can stay in place for up to one year. The Council had previously issued a temporary permit for the sign. The Friends of Mill Creek Park erased any doubts Councilors may have had that the group does not support the endeavor. However, co-chair Stephanie Gilbert said the group will place a priority on completing a master, long-term plan for which the Council can use as a guide for future rule-making. The master plan may want to limit the postings of signs in the park.

City Manager Jim Gailey makes several announcements. He says that City Hall will close at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Also, the City Council canceled its workshop scheduled for Monday, Nov. 24.

Raising suburban chickens is not just a phenomenon that has taken hold in SoPo, it is happening in neighborhoods across the nation, according to a newly published article in Newsweek, titled the “New Coop de Ville,” which looks at the trend and mentions South Portland.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
“Over the past few years, urban dwellers driven by the local-food movement, in cities from Seattle to Albuquerque, have flocked to the idea of small-scale backyard chicken farming—mostly for eggs, not meat—as a way of taking part in home-grown agriculture. This past year alone, grass-roots organizations in Missoula, Mont.; South Portland, Maine; Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Ft. Collins, Colo., have successfully lobbied to overturn city ordinances outlawing backyard poultry farming, defined in these cities as egg farming, not slaughter. Ann Arbor now allows residents to own up to four chickens (with neighbors’ consent), while the other three cities have six-chicken limits, subject to various spacing and nuisance regulations.”

The South Portland Dog Owners’ Group meets tonight at 7 in the community center and welcomes the public to attend.
DOG is making a push for new members, especially in the Willard Beach neighborhood, as the city takes a closer look at existing rules that allow dogs on the beach year around. DOG is hoping to keep the rules but increase enforcement and education efforts.
An opposing group called Save Willard Beach is lobbying for much tighter restrictions on pet access.
DOG Prez Crystal Goodrich said her group will meet from 7-9 p.m. in the senior wing at the community center.
The group is encouraging attendees to bring pet food or cash donations for the Furry Friends Food Pantry.
“People in need have animals in need and the Refuge League has a food pantry for people who have pets,” Goodrich said in an email.