Fire/Code Inspections Task Force — Portland, ME
Date: 2014-12-17

Fire and Building Codes Task Force

 December 17, 2014 10:30-12 (rm 208)

 AGENDA




1. Introductions and Welcome
2. Draft inspection statement of purpose
 a. Draft roles
 b. Draft requirements
 c. Draft staffing
3. Summary
4. Next steps
 a. Phase 2 begins. Julie Gregor (Portland Housing Authority), Katie
 McGovern (Pine Tree Legal Assistance), Crandall Toothaker and Carleton
 Winslow (Southern Maine Landlord Association) will join the group.
 b. Mon 1/5, 2:30-4, rm 24. Review initial findings.
 c. Future meetings:
 i.Mon 1/12, 2:30-4, rm 24. Review and prioritize recommendations
 from prior studies/reports.
 ii.Mon 1/26, 2:30-4, rm 209. Analyze phase 1 findings vs
 recommendations from studies/reports.
 iii.Th 1/29 2:30-4, rm 209. Develop recommendations to Council
 Committee (Public Safety, Health & Human Services).
 iv.Public meeting – week of Feb. 2
 v.Presentation to Council PSHHS Committee – Tues 2/10

Notes from third Fire/Code Task Force Meeting
 December 17, 2014

Phase I Task Force Members:
Rich Bianculli, Neighborhood Prosecutor - City of Portland, Corporation Counsel/Police Dept
Jay Fleming, Deputy Chief - Boston Fire Dept (not present)
Keith Gautreau, Deputy Chief - City of Portland, Fire Dept
Sheila Hill-Christian, Acting City Manager - City of Portland
Tammy Munson, Inspections Division Director - City of Portland
Tuck O’Brien, Chair, Portland Planning Board
Jon Rioux, Inspections Division Deputy Director - City of Portland
Julie Sullivan, Acting Chief of Staff - City of Portland

 1. Inspections statement of purpose: to assure the safety of the city’s housing stock.
 2. Draft roles/requirements/staffing
 a. Proactive and/or complaint-based – how would things be different than they are
 now. Proactivity requires education as primary prevention, interagency
 collaboration to ensure easy to report potential risks to City, increased
 involvement with landlords and tenants on both education and enforcement.
 i.Key component will be education – Fire should take this role. Needs to be
 on regular schedule.
 1. Elementary schools
 2. Tenants
 3. Landlords
 4. College students/20-somethings
 b. Want a one-stop shop for housing inspections.
 i.What about development, zoning, plan review
 ii.Need authority to cite buildings
 iii.Fire Prevention should be part of it – 2 officers? Civilians that are trained as
 Certified Fire Inspectors? At minimum, a strong connection with the Fire
 Dept.
 iv.Need to unify the authority in the ordinance now – spread among Ch. 1, 6
 and 10
 v.Centralized new department – inspections and code enforcement
 vi.Fire will continue to do proactive inspections of buildings with 3 or more
 units
 vii.Ensure data collection so that it will be clear whether these changes are
 achieving the goal
 c. Enforcement
 i.Current citation process – 32 days to address violation/submit plan, then
 letter, then second letter
 Page 1 of 2
 1. Switch to ticket and fine?
 2. Rich has 1 day every month in court to address these kinds of
 issues
 3. Code staff can write tickets – sworn constables
 ii.Would like to ensure every rental property inspected at least every 3 years
 1. Landlords bring proof of passing inspection by certified code
 inspector. Possibly also required to submit insurance company
 information.
 2. City staff track and follow up
 3. Easy referral route for other “eyes” – eg, other service providers
 like oil/gas companies who see building conditions and fire risks
 through the course of their work – as well as tenants, etc. to report.
 See Click Fix.
 4. Risk-based prioritization via new link between See Click Fix and
 Urban Insight. Also make data available on web site for public to
 search violations on a building.
3. Next Steps
 a. Staff will flesh out draft for new education plan, new inspections and code
 enforcement/building department, and enforcement in preparation for Phase 2.
 b. Phase 2 adds the external task force members:
 i.Julie Gregor – Portland Housing Authority
 ii.Katie McGovern – Pine Tree Legal Assistance
 iii.Crandall Toothaker – Southern Maine Landlord Association
 iv.Carleton Winslow – Southern Maine Landlord Association
 c. Meeting schedule
 i.Mon 1/5, 2:30-4, rm 24. Review initial findings from Phase 1.
 ii.Mon 1/12, 2:30-4, rm 24. Review and prioritize recommendations from
 prior studies/reports.
 iii.Mon 1/26, 2:30-4, rm 209. Analyze Phase 1 findings vs recommendations
 from studies/reports.
 iv.Th 1/29, 2:30-4, rm 209. Develop recommendations for City Council’s Public
 Safety, Health & Human Services Committee.
 v.Public meeting – week of Feb. 2
 vi.Presentation to Public Safety, Health & Human Services Committee – Tues
 2/10.




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