Larry Bruns: "I'm glad to see the arts community getting involved in this. It's a step in the right direction."

Tensions between street artists and the Portland Farmer’s Market on Monument Square have existed for several years now said Larry Bruns, its market manager. At its second meeting today at noon at city hall, the task force looked for solutions that will ease those tensions between the two factions.

Last July, city manager Mark H. Rees, issued new rules and regulations that said on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 2 pm Monument Square and Monument Way are reserved for the Farmer’s Market and that street artists may only be located within the “sidewalk portion” of Monument Square. Street artists may set up providing that a minimum of four feet of open space is preserved for free passage of pedestrians within the sidewalk area and entrances to the businesses on the square are not obstructed. According to Bruns artists don’t abide by those regulations. “People ignore the rules even if they know them,” he said. And he, Bruns said, ends up being the enforcer for the city.

Jan Beitzer, Portland Downtown District, said the “city needs to step up and enforce these rules. It is not doing its job.” City attorney Ann Freeman will talk to the Code Enforcement office about enforcing the rules as they stand currently. Bruns said that often artists plead ignorance of the ordinance and wondered if there is any way to legally get artists to register at city hall and receive a copy of the rules simultaneously. What is the penalty for not obeying the rules? Freeman agreed to find answers to these questions for the next meeting.

It was also agreed that task force members will work to produce an appealing educational sheet to be distributed by the arts community. The material will be created under the auspices of the Maine College of Art. This will be done on an experimental basis initially and the results reported back to the Public Safety Committee in June.

At the end of the meeting, Bruns said: “I’m glad to see the arts community getting involved in this. It’s a step in the right direction.”

The next meeting of this task force is scheduled for May 17th at noon in the State of Maine Room, City Hall.

For more information, please visit Post # 1,007, dated March 25, 2012 herein as well as Post # 1,085, dated 2/19/12.

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Peter Murray: "We thought it was for a benign use of this property. We didn't expect this."

Professor Frank Monsour Made His Case to the Planning Board on His Zoning Application

Professor Frank Monsour appeared before the city’s planning board late yesterday afternoon to make his case as to why it should recommend to the city counsel that it act favorably upon Monsour’s application for a zoning change; a change that would permit him to establish office space for his start-up company, build a substantial home for his family and caretaker’s unit on the site of the historic Williston West Church on the west end of Portland.

Monsour, 74, told the planning board that if the requirements for the zone change are reasonable, he will go through with the restoration of the former Church. However, he was careful not to threaten to withdraw the application throughout the almost three hour meeting. He cited his own interest in preservation of historical locations and his desire to do the same at Williston. All of his financial dealings so far and until the council approves the zoning change, must be cash since no bank will back him until the zoning change is made.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, seventeen testified in opposition to the zoning change and twelve testified in its favor. The most dramatic testimony came from Peter Murray, a member of the church’s board of trustees who made the decision to sell the historic property to Dr. Monsour last year. “I feel terrible the Board sold the church to this individual. We had one other interested person…we thought it was for a benign use of this property. We didn’t expect this. I apologize to everyone.”

Following the meeting, Edward Herszwg, a commercial realtor, who was one of the conference call participants that negotiated the sale said: “It was clear that Professor Monsour was purchasing this property as a residence, office space and that there would be a staff presence on site. There was never any doubt as to his intention.” Professor Monsour purchased the property in late December for $700,000. in cash. The church board refused to make the sale contingent upon the approval of the zoning change said Professor Monsour.

A public hearing before the planning board is expected to be held next month with the matter going to the city council is June. Professor Monsour will be traveling to the west coast on business the end of this week, but will return to Portland for the city council meeting in June.

For more background information, please see Post # 1,002, dated March 14, herein.

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By Carol McCracken (Post # 1,125)

Attorneys for the plaintiffs in the nationally recognized lawsuit against Maine’s Governor Paul LePage have filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. District Court’s decision granting the State’s motion for summary judgment and denying the plaintiffs their day in court.

In March of 2011, Governor LePage ordered the mural depicting Maine’s labor history removed from the Department of Labor’s walls, because it was perceived as being pro-labor. Reportedly, an anonymous business person had complained that the mural was “propaganda to further the agenda of the Union movement.” The plaintiffs filed suit against the State last April to compel Governor LePage to return the mural, reveal its location and ensure it is in good condition and protected. The removal of the mural has received worldwide attention as an act of abridgment of First Amendment rights. The relatively new concept of “government speech” will be tested by the appeal.

The appeal will be heard in Boston. The reason for that is that the First Circuit Court of Appeals covers a wider area – and the Boston location is the next step up from the US District Court in Maine, according to a source close to the case.

For more background information on this lawsuit, please visit Post # 1,006 dated March 23rd, 2012 herein.

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By Carol McCracken (Post # 1,125)

City shelters are straining to meet the needs of those who require shelter during this economic downturn which is expected to continue making a slow recovery in the State of Maine. To address this situation more fully, last November, Doug Gardner, Director, Health & Human Services Department for the city sent a memorandum and order to the city council establishing a task force to develop a strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness.

According to the Order, the number of homeless in Portland has increased by twenty percent since the recession began in 2008 and thirty-four percent of all new shelter intakes are homeless for the first time.

The task force has met monthly since January, except for April, has been charged with coming up with a multi-year, measurable, strategic plan to reduce and end homelessness in Greater Portland. It has also been charged with focusing on access to healthcare services, suportive and affordable housing. This plan is to be provided to the City Council by June 5, 2012. Tri-Chairs of the Task Force are: Suzanne McCormick, President/CEO United Way of Greater Portland, Jon Jennings, President/General Manager, Maine Red Claws and Dory-Ann Waxman, former City Councilor.

To date, the task force met on January 24th, February 25th and March 29th. The next meeting is scheduled for May 9th.

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