09/02/10
Manager submits update on energy grant other 'Odds 'n' Ends' for September
Savings on energy upgrades, Museum at Portland Head Light news and changes at Fort Williams, Donald L. Richards pool and the Fitness Center are among topics covered by Town Manager Michael McGovern in a Sept. 2, 2010 "odds 'n' ends" memo to the Town Council. Here is the text of the update:
Grant successful, bids for lighting retrofit in below budget
Earlier this year we applied for a stimulus grant to undertake lighting retrofits in the school buildings and in the community center. (See news story) A grant was received for the maximum $85,000 and we offered a local share of $51,412. The total project cost was estimated at $136,412. Ernest MacVane, our facilities manager, bid out the supplies and the electrical work separately. The bids came in at about $110,000 or $26,000 below
budget. In addition, he applied for rebate monies from the Maine Efficiency Trust formerly known as Efficiency Maine. We have now been awarded rebates in the amount of $34,785.47. The work is now over 90 percent completed and instead of a $51,412 local cost, we will have almost $10,000 available for other energy projects. The school department will also be saving an estimated $56,000 annually from reduced energy usage.
Portland Head Light
 The Museum at Portland Head Light had its second best August ever with gift shop sales of over $107,000. For July and August, the sales increase from 2009 to 2010 was 16percent or $28,588. Annual gift shop sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, were $502,000. This was an increase of $44,000 from the prior 12 months. Volunteers at the gift shop and the museum are being recognized at a dinner in late September.
Pool news
The Donald Richards Pool and the Town Fitness Center has a new supervisor. Andrew Kemp has worked at the pool part time since December 2006 and is now supervising the pool and fitness center. The pool was recently closed for its annual maintenance and is shown on the left when it was drained of all of its water. Some tile deterioration was addressed during the closure and it appears that quite a bit more will need to be done on the shallow wall of the pool during the closure in 2011. The pool bleachers were also repainted and cleaning was done of all surfaces in the pool area and in the pool locker rooms. Thanks especially to Bernie Shannon of the school maintenance staff for his efforts during the closure.
Fort Williams Park Maintenance
A number of maintenance projects have been ongoing over the last month at Fort Williams Park. Invasive plants were removed by the Public Works Department near the cliff walk. The long garage behind Officer’s Row had its roof repaired and the last third of the garage doors were replaced. A chimney on the concrete building next to the parks maintenance building (see above) was removed and was replaced with a new brick chimney. A couple of areas of the stone wall surrounding the pond were repaired.
Road Work
During the last month, we paved Dawe Road and Valley Road off Spurwink Avenue. This followed paving of part of Route 77 near Jordan’s Lawn and Garden Center in late July. The Public Works Department replaced a major culvert under Shore Road near Dyer Pond Road on August 25th. Public Works also replaced a section of sidewalk on Shore Road near Birch Knolls.
Tennis Courts
The tennis courts at Cape Elizabeth High School received a major rehabilitation in August. All the cracks were sealed and a new coating of sealant was painted onto the surface.
Property Sales
Assessor Matt Sturgis reports that during the month of June, twenty-six homes (single family and condo) were sold in Cape Elizabeth with an average sale of $322,400. In addition, four lots were sold with three at $90,000 and one at $95,000. All of the homes sold above the Cape Elizabeth assessed value except for one which was in foreclosure and had other issues.
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