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FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011
VOL. 3 NO. 126
PORTLAND, ME
PORTLAND’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
699-5801
FREE
Mayor: LePage noncommital on by-catch person for Gov. LePage, had a slightly different interpretation of Thursday’s meeting. She thought all parties left Thursday’s meeting “on the same page.” “The governor did commit to do his best to have some things introduced next session,” said Bennett, adding that the bycatch issue needs to be studied
‘We discussed the big issues, but I was a little disappointed ...’ BY CASEY CONLEY THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
Mayor Nick Mavodoes said he left a meeting yesterday with Gov. Paul LePage feeling confident that the governor held no grudges against Portland. That said, Mavodones added that he was “disappointed” that the governor apparently wouldn’t commit to changing fishing laws aimed at drawing more fisherman back to Portland — despite apparently saying just that earlier this week.
“We discussed the big issues, but I was a little disappointed we couldn’t get a commitment to move ... legislation forward,” said Mavodones, as he drove home from Augusta on Interstate 295. “However, the governor’s office said they would continue to work with us on this.” Adrienne Bennett, a spokes-
Mavodones
LePage
PROP, YAI announce fall merger
High-tech meters in the wings
Two of the county’s largest nonprofits to join forces in October
City finds firm to install automated parking units
BY MATTHEW ARCO
BY DAVID CARKHUFF
THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
The city has chosen a vendor to install new solar-powered parking meters downtown that will accept coins, credit cards or smart cards and even will print receipts. Cale Parking Systems USA, of Tampa, Fla., has been tapped to supply and install between 10 and 20 multispace "pay and display" units in Portland. Details are still being hammered out, but the city's parking manager, John Peverada, said Thursday that the city hoped to "install the new multi space pay and display meters this fall." Peverada reported in a memo last week that a field of three vendors had been narrowed down to one — Cale — based on scoring of the proposals submitted under a request for proposal solicitation. The City Council in December approved spending $200,000 for a test see METERS page 7
see MAYOR page 3
Mike Brown with the city’s parking division inspects a parking meter on Thames Street with what appeared to be a worn-out lock. Nearly 1,600 traditional parking meters are maintained in Portland, many of them showing signs of wear. The city has chosen a vendor to install new, high-tech parking meters in the downtown area which will accept credit and debit cards as well as coins. (DAVID CARKHUFF PHOTO)
see MERGE page 8
Let’s take the ‘Civic’ out of the Center Big deals and America See Jeffrey S. Spofford’s column on page 4
Uncertainty over future funding prompted two of Cumberland County's largest social services nonprofits to announce plans to merge. People's Regional Opportunity Program and Youth Alternatives Ingraham board members voted to combine the two nonprofits, beginning Oct. 1. It will start the at least year-long process of bringing the two together, the providers announced Thursday. Both have a combined total of nearly 500 employees, operate tens of millions of dollars in annual budgets and together serve about 24,000 people. "It's obvious that we're in tough economic times," said Catherine Fellenz, interim CEO of PROP, adding that the organization has been in a transition period for about 18 months. The merger is expected to eliminate duplicated administrative costs and still maintain the two agencies' level of service, officials said. "We believe by bringing the two sets
See Pat Buchanan on page 5
‘Xanadu’ is solid gold
Shakespeare in Freeport
See the theater review on page 6
See the Events Calendar, page 9