Board of Appeals – 1 position

Responsibilities:  Assists in the administration of the City’s Zoning ordinance by reviewing decisions of the Building Inspector, approving conditional uses and granting variances.  The Board functions in a quasi-judicial capacity and members must be able to hold public hearings, make findings of fact and conclusions of law based upon applicable state and local zoning laws, and issue written decisions setting forth their findings and conclusions. 

CDBG Allocation Committee – 3 - 4 positions

The City of Portland receives approximately $2.1 million annually of federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Community Development Block Grant.  This group’s task will be to review and score funding applications for the CDBG program, and make recommendations to the City Council for the allocation of CDBG resources.

Responsibilities: Thoroughly review and score each funding application based upon identified priorities and agreed upon scoring criteria. As a result of deliberation and scoring, make recommendations for resource allocations to the City Manager and to the City Council, both in writing and in person at a scheduled Council Meeting.

Qualifications: The City is looking for a diverse group of Portland residents who are fair-minded and analytical. Background or knowledge of accounting or finance a plus. In order to minimize conflict of interest, no staff, board members, contractors or anyone receiving financial gain from an applicant’s proposal can participate on this committee.

Creative Portland Corporation (Creative Enterprise Sector) – 1 position

The Creative Portland Corporation (CPC) is a newly established non-profit organization created to receive donations, grants, and contributions in support of and to assist the City of Portland’s economic development efforts which enhance, support, and create creative economy business and arts district development and employment opportunities.

The Board of Directors shall consist of thirteen individuals, two of which shall be ex officio members (the Mayor or City Council member, and the City Manager or designee associated with the Economic Development Division). Qualifications: three representatives from each private creative category (creative enterprises, creative organizations, and artists), and two members representing higher education and real estate.  All Directors, with the exception of the ex officio members, must be either residents of, own a business located in, or work in the City of Portland.

Downtown Portland Corporation – 2 positions

Responsibilities:  Institute economic development programs in the Portland area to insure compliance to City’s goals, objectives and requirements.  Review loan and underwriting applications for financing programs. Qualifications: Some or all of the following experience is required: commercial financing, small business operations, commercial real estate, marketing, and have an interest or be active in economic development.  Residency in Portland not required.

Friends of the Parks – 3 positions

This Commission serves as an advisory group to help promote parks, trails and open space needs   in the City.  Meets monthly to review projects, proposals and receive citizen input to provide recommendations to the Department and the City Council.

Planning Board – 1 position

The Portland Planning Board has responsibility to recommend adoption and amendments to the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Portland, and to advise the City Council and Departments on implementation measures for the Plan.  The Planning Board makes recommendations to the City Council on applications for zoning text and map amendments, contract rezonings, substantial revisions of the Site Plan and Zoning Ordinance.  The Board has jurisdiction to hear, review and approve applications for development including site plans, subdivisions, and conditional uses and other regulations governing development as appropriate.

Portland Fish Exchange B – 1 position

Portland Fish Exchange C – 1 position

Portland Public Art – 2 positions

The Portland Public Art Committee is responsible for administering the Public Art Program to preserve, restore and enhance the City-owned public art collection.  The Committee develops and presents to the City Council an Annual Art Plan that recommends expenditures from the municipal percent-for-art allocation, reviews potential gifts of art to the City’s collection according the Guidelines for the Public Art Ordinance, seeks private donations to care for the public art collection, and recommends appropriate locations for the installation of permanent public art.  Members must live or work in Portland.  Experience, training or expertise in one of the following disciplines is desirable: architecture or landscape architecture, accomplishment as an artist, art curator, commercial real estate or development, and/or experience with foundations and development.  Members are appointed to three-year terms.

Additional information is available in the City Clerk’s office, on the City’s website at www.portlandmaine.gov or at 874-8677.  Deadline for submission is August 7, 2009.  Please send a resume and cover letter to Appointments Committee Chairman, c/o Linda C. Cohen, City Clerk, 389 Congress Street, Portland ME 04101 or lcc@portlandmaine.gov. Applicants will be contacted for interviews.