.The Council just held an Executive Session and brief workshop to discuss the passage of Question A and how the City will be implementing it. 

When the Council returned to open session, the Mayor announced that the Council, after consulting with Corporation Counsel, is choosing to interpret the ordinance associated with Question A according to its plain language.

What this means is that we are interpreting this ordinance based on exactly what it says, and what it says quite plainly is that there will be no change to the minimum wage until January 1, 2022.

That means that hazard pay does not go into effect at this time and that the minimum wage remains at $12 until January 1, 2022 when it will go to $13 and the hazard pay will go into effect if there is a state of emergency that geographically applies to a Portland workplace. 

Also, as the Mayor said, there will be clarifying language posted to the City's website this evening, so please check there for more information.

UPDATE: Below, please see the Council guidance regarding the interpretation of Question A (minimum wage) and the impact of Question F (marijuana licensing) on first round applicants. 

If you're looking at your absentee ballot—or taking a sneak peek of what awaits you at your polling place on July 14th—you'll notice Question A, asking if you want a Charter Commission to be established to revise the City's Charter. So...what's this question about, and why is it on the ballot? Good questions.

Given the number of people killed by police in the U.S. each year and the disproportionate impact of police violence on people of color, we will be reviewing the policies and procedures of the Portland Police Department at our next Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at 5:30pm.

​Here's what we're looking to cover at the meeting:

It's not easy running a business in good times, let alone during a pandemic requiring so many shops, stores, restaurants, and offices to shut down their public facing facilities. Here in Portland, our small businesses--the shops and restaurants, bars and bookstores, artist studios, coffee roasters, yogis, makers, retailers, and manufacturers--are the lifeblood of our city. Here's how you can support them in this era of social distancing. 

As if it's not bad enough to be termed "non-essential," businesses in Portland--from book stores to art shops to music purveyors and more--have been faced with local restrictions that have prohibited them from pursuing any form of revenue stream during the COVID-19 pandemic. I've been hearing from A LOT of folks on this one over the last few days, and here's the gist of what I've been writing in response.

Tonight at HHS & PS I expect we'll vote on a resolution that provides guidance to staff around the CIty's shelter policies. I'll post the resolution including that guidance once it's approved, but in the meantime, I wanted to let folks know where we are in our process to replace the aging and inadequate Oxford Street Shelter. I created the pdf below to help clarify the process to date, illustrate the process yet to come, and give people some basic information about the requirements the shelter will have to meet. Take a look!

It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to announce that I will be withdrawing from the mayoral race. This has been a very difficult – I would even say grueling – decision to make, but I am convinced it is the right one for me and for my family.

At this point I'm sure many of you are aware that unprecedented numbers of people seeking asylum in the United States are arriving in Portland, Maine. I know there are disagreements about the role Portland should play in issues that ultimately require state and federal assistance and that people have different perspectives with regard to how the City should handle its Community Support Fund. We will be discussing those issues at our City Council meeting on Monday, June 17th, and public comment will be taken at that time. 

Right now, however, we - as a city, a region, and a state - need to find a way to deal with the crisis at hand. 

To that end the City of Portland is working with community partners, the American Red Cross, and the State Center for Disease Control & Prevention to operate a temporary emergency shelter at the Portland Expo. That facility opened on Wednesday, June 12th at 5pm. 

Numerous people and groups have reached out to learn how they can help. If you are interested in volunteering or making donations to assist in this effort, here are some things you can do.
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• To volunteer to help at the Expo, please visit this page on the United Way website. And please be patient. As shelter security is of the utmost importance, volunteers need to be screened before they can be admitted to work with families and children residing at the shelter. Please do not show up at the Expo without receiving a volunteer assignment. You will be turned away. 
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• The most pressing need at this time is still for financial resources. To donate directly to the City to cover shelter/housing needs and basic necessities, visit this site where you'll find an online donation form and information about where to send or drop off checks. You can also donate by texting the word EXPO to 91999 and following the prompts. All funds received through any of these channels will go directly toward supporting asylum seekers in our community.
  
  
• If you are a social service agency or business that is looking to be involved in the city's coordination of resources, email Mo Puia.
  
  
• Physical donations are not being accepted at the Expo at this time. Please be patient. We will continue to need help beyond this week, and we need those of you who wish to donate items to be on standby for now. As soon as it becomes clear which items we need assistance obtaining, the city will make a list available and instruct people where to bring those items. 

Thanks to all who have already reached out to learn how they can help!

One of the things I've always loved about Portland is how willing people are to get engaged with issues that are important to them. We are a tremendous community, folks. I'm very proud to call this City home.