Cape Elizabeth budget hearing will be Monday

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council will hold a public hearing at 7:30 p.m., Monday on proposed general and special funds budgets for fiscal year 2011. 

The overall general fund budget proposal, which includes municipal, school, county and community services, amounts to $31.4 million, up 2 percent from this year, and poses an overall tax-rate increase of 32 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, up 1.8 percent from this year’s rate of $17.54.

At a special meeting May 13, the council voted 5-2 to send the amounts to public hearing. Councilors Anne Swift-Kayatta and Jessica Sullivan were opposed, citing concerns over increased spending for schools.

South Portland hires energy coordinator

The city of South Portland has hired Portland resident Ann Archino Howe as its energy and sustainability coordinator.  

Howe will work in the city manager’s office together with municipal departments and the city’s energy and recycling committee as it drafts the city’s first Climate Action Plan.  

Her tasks will also include working with Siemens Industry Inc., the firm chosen to perform energy audits on a number of municipal buildings in preparation for a city energy performance savings program.

The goal of the program will be to reduce municipal energy use, emissions and costs.   

Archino Howe is a licensed civil engineer and president of Sustainable Design Studio, a green-oriented civil design firm.  

She also is a national board member of the U.S. Green Building Council and founding member of both the Maine chapter and Upper Northeast Regional Council of USGBC. 

In 2008 she was chairman of a task team with representatives from New England and Upper New York State who established the first regional credits for the USGBC LEED rating systems. 

Memorial Day events planned in South Portland

The South Portland War Veteran’s Memorial Association, which consists of VFW Post 832 and American Legion Post 35, will gather 9 a.m. Saturday, May 29 at VFW Post 832 on 50 Peary Terrace to place flags in the city’s five cemeteries. All volunteers are welcome.

On Monday, May 31, the group will hold its Memorial Day parade, starting at 10:30 a.m. at Southern Maine Community College at the end of Broadway. It will continue down Broadway to the roundabout on Ocean Street for a short ceremony.

A wreath laying ceremony will be held at the public boat landing.