There’s a lot going on in South Portland and Cape Elizabeth these days and a lot of compelling stories to follow. In particular, there are several issues that I’m especially excited to watch develop over the next few months. Here’s a sampling:
    -Who gets to paint the tanks? The Maine Center for Creativity is moving ahead with a contest they are holding that will determine the artist who gets to paint eight of the tanks in the tank farm adjacent to the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge. Jean Maginnis, who heads the center, says more than 500 artists from all over the world have expressed interest—some of them quite well known. Over the next months artists will be called on to submit a holistic design for the eight tanks, as well as the tops of fifteen tanks. A committee will then pick five designs to be presented to the public for feedback. And finally, a design will be chosen, maybe by as early as next fall. What will it look like? I’m excited to see.
    -What to do with the Armory? Although many question the city’s decision to purchase the 1940s-era, dilapidated former Army National Guard center, the process of figuring out what to do with it now that the city owns it has brought out a range of exciting proposals. All of the ideas being thrown about–from creating a new library or city hall to providing a home for an arts center or a business incubator–appear to have great potential to enhance the economy and quality of life of the city. Whether or not any of these bold ideas can be implemented with reasonable costs and city resources is the big question. Ultimately, the elegant brick building could become a new landmark of South Portland—like bug light or Mill Creek park—that creates a more desirable impression on visitors entering the city than the sprawling Mill Creek shopping area. In a few months the Armory Committee will make a recommendation to the City Council on what to do with the structure.
    -What to do with a bunch of extra cash? If the city’s plan to set up three additional tax increment financing districts goes forward as planned, South Portland may be able to harness a substantial amount of money that can be directed towards a number of dream projects. Most notably, there will likely be money available to invest in infrastructure that will help a vital downtown center flourish in the Knightville neighborhood. The city may also be able to hire a waterfront market director, alleviate major traffic congestion, make the city more pedestrian-friendly and direct money towards any other project that meets the state’s requirements for how TIF funds are spent. And all this could happen without placing any burden on taxpayers. People who complain about high property taxes and people interested in investing in the city’s future will want to keep an eye on the developments of these TIFs.
    -Steps toward sustainability? South Portland’s announcement last December of a “green” Christmas tree lighting was a welcome signal that the current city administration takes seriously the need to reduce energy consumption and find renewable sources of energy. More recently, at a council workshop, Director of Public Works Dana Anderson told the council that he was actively looking into using biodiesel for his department’s vehicles and was already trying to find good deals on energy-efficient vehicles when the city makes a purchase. Although there are some members of the Planning Board who seem to believe that the city would be better off if it were entirely paved from Scarborough to SMCC, others—including the new chair Rob Schreiber—appear to understand that they are in a position to encourage developers to make investments in their properties that will promote energy-efficiency. South Portland could become a real leader in the state on this issue—it will be interesting to see if the city is willing to take the steps needed.
    -Serious school consolidation? The Governor’s school consolidation plan has been variously called ambitious, vast, extreme and overdue. The plan would put South Portland and Cape Elizabeth in the same district along with the schools of other municipalities ranging from Portland to Cumberland. That’s a fairly odd mixture, with some of the largest cities in the state and some of the smallest towns, some of the best schools in the state and some of the most mediocre. Will the loss of local school board control and separate superintendents degrade the services offered by schools and lessen local control? Local officials have been hesitant to take strong positions so far, but once the plan starts to move forward there is sure to be dramatic change and significant controversy.