2026-10-05 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes and the agenda. A video is posted on the city portal; no transcript has been processed.

Called to order 5:00 PM; Councilor Ali absent throughout; Councilors Bullett (5:01) and Pelletier (5:08) arrived late; adjourned 6:19 PM after executive session. Executive session was to discuss compensation for the Corporation Counsel (1 M.R.S. section 405(6)(A)); the motion passed 8-0.
Five speakers in non-agenda public comment.
Recessed to hold the annual meeting of the Corporator of the Portland Development Corporation (8-0), which appointed Nathan Henry to the PDC board (Nathan Henry; Order 48, 8-0; board chair Beverly Werber spoke). Then held a special meeting of the Corporator of Creative Portland Corporation to appoint directors (Order 49, 8-0).
Approved minutes of September 21 (8-0). Proclamations read for Indigenous Peoples' Day and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Order 50, appointments to boards and committees, passed 8-0.
Consent items passed 8-0: Veranda Kitchen and Bar outdoor dining (Order 51) and The Velvet Dog indoor entertainment (Order 52).
Passed 8-0: Chez Biso license as amended, York Street modification, Seymour Becker Trust funds as amended, polling hours for the November 3, 2026 election (Order 53; Karsten Rees spoke) and deaccession of the Jewel Box bus shelter from the public art collection (Order 54).
First readings: Orders 55 and 56 (Boyd and Cumberland housing tax increment financing), Order 57 ($375,000 Lambert Woods North) and Order 58 (Forest Avenue crossing).
Council rules amendment postponed to October 19 (8-0).

Chez Biso Restaurant License

Passed as amended 8-0 after Amendment 1 (Michniewicz, Phillips).

Council Rules Amendment

Postponed to October 19 on motion of Mayor Dion, 8-0.

MaineDOT Pedestrian Safety Projects

Order 46 passed 8-0; Order 58 first reading.

Seymour Becker Trust Funds

Passed as amended 8-0 after the Mayor's amendment motion was withdrawn and two further amendments passed.

Boyd Cumberland Housing TIF District Amendment

Orders 55 and 56 first reading.

Lambert Woods North Housing Trust Fund Appropriation

Order 57 first reading.

Agenda

PDC annual corporator meeting and FY2026 report; board appointments; liquor/license approvals; Orders 46-54 incl. York Street bike-ped modification and polling hours.