Hello-

After much debate, the PIC voted to fund ½ of the cost of school-year ferry passes for non-public school students out of our $50,000 transportation allowance.  You may recall that this item, formerly paid by the city, was cut during last spring’s budget process. The PIC is committed to finding ways to help keep families on the island and we hope that this measure will offer a little help.  If, after consideration of other ideas, we find that we have funds left in that account in the spring, we’ll add to this allocation. 

An ad hoc committee is looking at various ideas for how we might use our $50K allocation to do the most good.  Among other topics, we are concerned about the potential loss of our island volunteer taxi service.  While Peaks can boast of a dedicated group of volunteer drivers; the administration, scheduling, and promotion of the service is up in the air now that George and Cevia Rosol have left the island.  The PIC is brainstorming about ways we can help to continue this important service. 

Rob Tiffany has chaired two zoning meetings, and, with the help of the Peaks Information Exchange, we’re investigating language for and the potential  impacts  of accessory dwelling units (sometimes called “in-law apartments”).  Meanwhile, a group of PI Councilors provided input to the development of an affordable housing survey to be administered soon.  We hope this survey will help us to know how the community feels about various facets of the affordable housing issue on Peaks.

Have you seen the Police information sheet yet?  Tom Bohan created a one-page flyer with photos of each of our officers along with a brief bio- it’s a terrific way to learn about the eight officers regularly assigned to Peaks.  You can pick one up (the flyer; not the officer) at various locations down front.

We continue to seek a second meeting with the City Council to discuss development of a working relationship, but we’re finding it difficult to make a date.  City Councilors have many committee assignments and city meetings, and now with elections coming some City Council members would rather wait to meet with us after November.  Last year our first meeting was delayed for months due to the budget process which begins in January.

The PIC voted to ask our Chair, Mike Langella, to draft a meeting request to the State & Local Government Committee; as they had requested last winter.  Senator Schneider and other members of that committee strongly urged us to develop criteria by which to measure success, and to use those to report back about our first year. 

Good news:  On Monday night October 6^th, the Portland City Council will take up our resolution to rename the community room in honor of Doug MacVane.  The PIC passed this on August 27, and our District 1 Councilor Donoghue immediately supported our request.  We have also heard strong support from Mayor Suslovic.  Kevin Donoghue will sponsor the resolution at the City Council meeting and I’m sure it will pass. 

Finally, a big THANK YOU to Kathie Schneider, who has offered to serve as the PIC Secretary.  We have limped along for a few months without a leader for this important function and we’re looking forward to improvements in posting of minutes and other news to our website www.peaksislandcouncil.info.