Smaller cities are big in a BusinessWeek article that explores the advantages of starting and operating a business in small and mid-sized cities.

In an article titled “Best Small Cities for Startups,” BusinessWeek offers state-by-state examples of hot cities for entrepreneurs and picks South Portland to represent Maine.

Reporter John Tozzi bypasses the high-growth commercial ares in South Portland for the quiet waterfront business district in Knightville-Mill Creek.

Interviewed is Julie Wright, who owns Soma, which offers massage and wellness services. Here’s what Wright has to say about owning and operating her business in Knightville-Mill Creek: “We have a small downtown historic district. It’s like many other Main Streets in towns across the country. There’s a handful of little shops, lots of pedestrian traffic. We’re located just a few minutes from downtown Portland, which is really the big draw.”

Other U.S. cities highlighted ranged from Doral, Florida, to Hilo, Hawaii. BusinessWeek noted it used 11 criteria for picking the best cities for business startups, including the percentage of workers who are college graduates; the “young and educated” population; and workers in “creative” professions.”

City Manager Jim Gailey said in an e-mail Monday that the city will not release a written report by ex-Rec Center Manager Deb Smith detailing concerns she had about events that took place prior to her layoff.

Gailey wrote:
“We have come to a decision. The City cannot provide you with a copy of it because it is confidential under Maine State statute, 30-A M.R.S.A. Sec. 2702(1)(B).  Note that I have reviewed Deb Smith’s statement of concerns and am in the process of engaging a third party to conduct an independent review of her concerns.”

Smith—a 28-year employee who grew the popular Recreation Dept.—has said that she believes conflicts she had with city leaders led to her termination. She has declined to comment further based on advice from her attorney. Smith’s request for a formal exit interview was denied by Gailey, who told her to submit a written statement instead.

Smith had said publicly she hoped that the city would make her report public but Gailey disclosed Monday it would stay confidential.

Here is a copy of the law, which pertains to personnel records of municipal employees. Note Section B, which Gailey made reference to:

1. Confidential records.  The following records are confidential and not open to public inspection. They are not “public records” as defined in Title 1, section 402, subsection 3. These records include:
A. Except as provided in this paragraph, applications, resumes, letters and notes of reference, working papers, research materials, records, examinations and any other documents or records and the information they contain, solicited or prepared either by the applicant or the municipality for use in the examination or evaluation of applicants for positions as municipal employees.
(1) Notwithstanding any confidentiality provision other than this paragraph, applications, resumes and letters and notes of reference, other than those letters and notes of reference expressly submitted in confidence, pertaining to the applicant hired are public records after the applicant is hired.
(2) Telephone numbers are not public records if they are designated as “unlisted” or “unpublished” in an application, resume or letter or note of reference.
(3) This paragraph does not preclude union representatives from access to personnel records which may be necessary for the bargaining agent to carry out its collective bargaining responsibilities. Any records available to union representatives which are otherwise covered by this subsection shall remain confidential and are not open to public inspection; [1989, c. 6, (AMD); 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD); 1989, c. 402, §3 (RPR).]
B. Municipal records pertaining to an identifiable employee and containing the following:
(1) Medical information of any kind, including information pertaining to diagnosis or treatment of mental or emotional disorders;
(2) Performance evaluations and personal references submitted in confidence;
(3) Information pertaining to the creditworthiness of a named employee;
(4) Information pertaining to the personal history, general character or conduct of members of an employee’s immediate family; and
(5) Complaints, charges or accusations of misconduct, replies to those complaints, charges or accusations and any other information or materials that may result in disciplinary action. If disciplinary action is taken, the final written decision relating to that action is no longer confidential after the decision is completed if it imposes or upholds discipline. The decision must state the conduct or other facts on the basis of which disciplinary action is being imposed and the conclusions of the acting authority as to the reasons for that action. If an arbitrator completely overturns or removes disciplinary action from an employee personnel file, the final written decision is public except that the employee’s name must be deleted from the final written decision and kept confidential. If the employee whose name was deleted from the final written decision discloses that the employee is the person who is the subject of the final written decision, the entire final written report, with regard to that employee, is public.
For purposes of this subparagraph, “final written decision” means:
(a) The final written administrative decision that is not appealed pursuant to a grievance arbitration procedure; or
(b) If the final written administrative decision is appealed to arbitration, the final written decision of a neutral arbitrator.
A final written administrative decision that is appealed to arbitration is no longer confidential 120 days after a written request for the decision is made to the employer if the final written decision of the neutral arbitrator is not issued and released before the expiration of the 120 days; and [1997, c. 770, §3 (AMD).]
C. Other information to which access by the general public is prohibited by law. [1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); 1989, c. 6, (AMD); 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
[ 1997, c. 770, §3 (AMD) .]

SPECIAL NOTE TO READERS:
The South Portlander is now letting readers join as members, which provides the following benefits:

* The ability to post press releases, calendar items and letters to the editor directly to the news blog;
* A place to share information about yourself, though you will have the option to use a moniker and not your real name on profile pages. Your email will not be shared with readers unless you decide to do it, just like it is done the Comment Pages now. (However, press releases and letters to the editor will require the author to use his/her real name);
* The chance to read and learn more about other members by visiting profile pages and reading comments and postings;
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Membership is free and the information you provide will not be disclosed or sold.

Click on Become a Member on the Tool Bar to join. If you just want to browse for now, click on Members to see examples of profiles. The member “Joe Sample” will take you to a sample profile page. After you join, make sure you click on YOUR CONTROL PANEL to fill out your profile and download a photo or avatar to display to other members.

Please note, if you want your previous comments to be listed under your profile, please register using that screen name. The computer will then look for every comment you have made under that name and list them under your profile. For example, take a look at my profile, Linda, and see my comments.

If you have questions about joining, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Here is a press release from Rise Photography on Broadway about an unusual event:

Rise Photography in South Portland will be hosting a Wearable Arts show on April 4th from 6-9pm.  Over twenty artists, all are from Maine, will come together for the show to celebrate art that one can wear.  There will be a variety of pieces on display, including: jewelry, handmade clothing, knitwear and more. 

Live models will also be showcased and DJ Cattillaxxx will be playing for the night.  RISE is a new location that has been created to support and showcase local artist… we offer classes, events and will be turning into a artist co-op.  We will be celebrating being open for one year this April 4th, 2009!!!

Contact information is:
Sophie Dougher
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Mexico Lindo, next to the Howard Johnson’s on Main Street, has closed its doors.

Located at 671 Main St., Mexico Lindo was part of a chain that included restaurants in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

The City Council will not meet Monday, which is the fifth Monday in March.

Whenever a month has five Mondays, the Council does not typically meet. The next time the Council meets is Monday, April 6, for a regular City Council meeting, starting at 7 p.m.

On Wednesday, April 8, the Council and School Board will hold a joint meeting at City Hall to introduce the new budget and accept public comment.

Residents who are war veterans and at least 62 years old may qualify for what is known as a Veterans’ Exemption on property taxes, which enable them to get an exemption of $6,000 from the assessed valuation of their home. In South Portland, that means qualifying veterans get $84 off their annual tax bill.

Tax Assessor Elizabeth Sawyer is relaying that message to Vietnam Vets, in particular, because many have “come of age” to qualify for the exemption. The only other way for war vets to qualify, who may not meet the age requirement, is to be disabled and receiving a federal pension for a military service-connected disability.

Vets interested in applying for the exemption for the 2009 tax year should contact the Tax Assessor’s Office by April 1, Sawyer said. Application forms also are available on the city’s Web site.

“I could be wrong, but I think we have more Vietnam veterans that are qualified than are applying,” Sawyers said.  “I think many aren’t aware of or haven’t bothered to apply for it, but $84 added to the $182 for the homestead exemption is a decent benefit that they should getting,” she said.

South Portland now has 136 Vietnam veterans receiving the exemption, 22 of which will be added for 2009/10 fiscal year, according to city records.

UPDATE, Thursday: Organizers offered the following details on the protest and rally:
WHEN: April 6, 6:15p.m.
WHERE: In front of City Hall.
WHAT ELSE: Bring signs.

ORIGINAL POST, March 22: The following call-to-action e-mail is being sent to South Portland residents regarding the layoffs of five veteran city workers and the closing of the popular teen resource room at the main library:
Dear Fellow Citizen of South Portland:
Outraged by the recent layoffs of five valued municipal employees and the egregious conduct of management?
Confused as to how the City’s leadership is planning for the future given the economic downturn?
It’s time to speak out for better communication with our City Council and Leadership. Let’s unite together to face this economic hard time in creative and positive ways.

Camilla Whitehead     .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Perhaps it’s a sign of the times or a reflection of changing habits of South Portland residents.

But use of the Main Library has risen dramatically since 2006. Close to 153,000 materials were checked out at the library in 2006, a sizable number, but not nearly the 173,649 items—books, CDs, etc.—that were borrowed in 2008.

Month-by-month library figures show a steady increase over time, despite the fact that there has not been a major upgrade of library materials, with officials acknowledging that outdated books from the 1960s still have yet to be weaned from shelves.

By contrast, the small library branch on the west end also has seen increases but they are a fraction of the traffic at the Main Library. In 2008, 29,000 materials were checked out, up from 28,400 in 2006.

As library use hits record levels, the money budgeted at the main library for hourly workers dropped from $415,000 in 2006-07 to $404,000 in 2008-09. It’s on a path to go down again in 2009-10. The City Manager wants to drop the budget for hourly wages to $356,000.

Part of the reason may be a contract dispute the city and employees have been waging since 2006, when workers at the main library voted to unionize. I examine library cutbacks in an article that runs in today’s Current newspaper.

Interestingly, hourly wages at the small branch have gone up over time—from $40,200 in 2006-07 to $63,600 in 2008-09. They may rise again, with the City Manager requesting $74,698 in 2009-10.

Here is a press release from a SoPo neighborhood association:
The next Ferry Village Neighborhood Conservation Association meeting is April 9th at 7 p.m. at the Betsy Ross House downstairs meeting room. Mayor Tom Blake will be our featured guest speaker, as well as a brief update from Kathy DiPhilippo of the South Portland Historical Society and a representative of the South Portland Land Trust to talk about Earth Day events!
We hope you can attend. And please tell your neighbors to come, too!
David Jacobs, FVNCA President - 2009
http://www.ferryvillageme.org