Mike Murray Receives Resolution of Thanks from Mike Richards, Chair of PIC.
At its monthly meeting last night and perhaps one of its last meetings as the Peaks Island Council, the advisory body to the Portland City Council, decided that two of its members would meet with Mayor Mavadones on October 20, at 4 pm at the city hall. The meeting is open to the public. The two who will meet with the Mayor are chair Mike Richards and Lynne Richard.
On September 3, 2009, chair Richards emailed the Mayor requesting a meeting with him to discuss the future of Peaks Island. Because there is a good chance the PIC will no longer serve as an advisory group after the November election, the PIC has focused on finding another body to interact with Portland. The “village corporation” idea which would require the approval of the state legislature as well as the city has surfaced. Chair Richards said that contrary to some reports, Peaks Island would continue to be a part of Portland under the “village corporation” structure. Portland would continue to collect taxes (same ones) and return some percentage of taxes to Peaks to spend on what the two entities have previously agreed upon. “This is unchartered territory and the legislature may not want to see us again. But this would be better than coming back to them every five years,” said councilor Lynne Richard.
A highlight of the agenda was the presentation to Mike Murray, neighborhood liaison from the city to the neighborhoods, with a resolution thanking him for his outstanding work on its behalf.
Peaks Island will have a candidates night at the MacVane Center on October 23, at 6:30 pm – rather than its regular workshop meeting. The next regular meeting of the PIC is Wednesday, October 27th at 6:30 pm at the MacVane Center.