On Nov. 5, the residents of South Portland will be asked to support a $14 million bond referendum in support of a new Municipal Service Facility. The facility will house the City’s Public Works, Parks and Transit operations through the construction of a new, single building located at the city’s transfer station off Highland Avenue. The City Council ranks this facility as the No. 1 public improvement priority for the city. The current 1930s facility is past its useful life and no longer provides the amenities for efficient operations. The facility lacks safe working conditions, ADA accessibility, and segregated facilities for men and woman who, during storm operations, could be at the facility for upwards of 48 to 72 hours straight.

The city is proposing to build a modern LEEDS designed (green building) single building facility, housing all three departments under one roof, which will enable the city to gain greater efficiencies through the workforce and utilities. As the existing facility has homes as close as 25 feet, the proposed facility will be over 500 feet from the closest residential home and over 40 feet lower than the elevation of Highland Avenue. The consolidation of fleet services, installation of a truck wash and the incorporation of a “swap shop” at the transfer facility are all key aspects of the plan.

What will be done to the existing facility? Staff has proposed selling the land for redevelopment and integrating the property, as single-family homes, back into the residential fabric of Meeting House Hill.

The construction costs for the facility is $15.7 million. The city is asking the voters to approve a $14 million bond. The bond will have a total of 9 cents of “new” money added to the tax rate over a two-year period. In FY2019, the city proposes to shift bond proceeds from an existing bond that would be paid off in FY18 to cover the cost of the new facility. A median home in South Portland of $200,000 would see an annual tax impact of $22.26 a year or $5.56 a tax quarter.

Please refer to the city’s website at www.southportland.org or pick up an informational pamphlet at one of the many city buildings for more information. This facility is the City Council and city staff’s top priority and the proposal set forth is a financially responsible plan.

James H. Gailey

South Portland City Manager