Public Works Divisions
Building Maintenance Division
General duties include daily cleaning, routine maintenance and necessary repairs to all municipal buildings, with the exception of schools. This includes not only general maintenance, such as vacuuming, waxing floors, emptying waste, but also special tasks, such as painting, roof repairs, sealing floor joints, and install, and maintain gutters.
Future projects include:
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minor structural and masonry repairs at Library
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interior work at the Library and Senior Vitality Center
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building maintenance of Town Garage offices
Grounds Division
The Grounds Division is responsible for maintaining the physical environs of all municipal buildings, schools, and athletic fields. This includes landscaping and mowing approximately 90 acres a week during spring, summer and fall, daily field preparation for recreational activities (numbering about 380 sporting events, and snow removal during the winter. They also prepare and maintain the ice-skating area.
In addition to normal maintenance activities, crews installed new score boards at Agogliati Field and did landscape installation at the new Town Hall (the old Central School).
Future projects will include:
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an irrigation system at the High School soccer field
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a warning track around the baseball field on Middlesex Avenue
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infield re-grading at Tomasso Field
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repairing the irrigation system at Nolan Field
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installing a minor league field at Valley View School
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installing a new outfield fence at Tomasso Field
Highway Division
The Highway Division keeps the roads and streets of Portland safe and useable. This includes snow and ice removal, mowing, catch basin cleaning, chip sealing, paving, line painting, tree trimming and removal, stump grinding, traffic sign placement, Christmas tree pick-up, brush pickup, appliance pickup and street sweeping.
Over the last year, the Highway Division also completed drainage projects on several roads, and pavement repairs on Penfield Hill Road. Site improvements were made at the Brownstone Quarries and the Town Sand Pit. Highway crews installed fencing at the Water Pollution Control Facility, Central School and the Highway Garage. Crews assisted Board of Education personnel in repairing the High School fuel piping system. A significant supply of topsoil was hauled from Glastonbury to our sand and gravel pit, in trade for sand. A telecommunications conduit was installed between the Town Hall and the Middle School.
Future projects will include:
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drainage improvements on Rose Hill Road
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continued quarry improvements
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installing lights for Come On Over wall
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assisting with water main replacements
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assisting with sewer inspections, cleaning, and repairs
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guide rail repairs
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sidewalk repairs adjacent to Town owned properties
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line painting on Town roads and park areas
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paint salt storage building
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continued roadside clearing
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Sewer Division
Normal maintenance includes daily operations of the treatment plant, pumping stations, laboratory sampling and testing, maintenance and repair of all equipment associated with collection and treatment systems. A new sludge container was purchased to use with our transfer station rolloff truck, and daily trips are made to haul sludge to the Mattabassett Treatment Plant.
Work continues on our sewer cleaning program. Construction was completed on the sewer expansion project in the Marlborough Street area. Construction work is in progress for upgrades to our Water Pollution Control Facility.
Future projects include:
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complete upgrades to the Water Pollution Control Facility
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continue the sewer collection system inspection, cleaning and repair program=
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perform upgrades to the Gildersleeve Pump Station
Vehicle Maintenance Division
The responsibilities of Town government demands the use of quite a few vehicles: cars, vans, pickup trucks, dump trucks, fire trucks, police cruisers, excavators, backhoes, bulldozers, tractors -- over 90 vehicles in all! This necessitates an in-house maintenance services, which is what the Vehicle Maintenance Division is all about! The personnel of this division also lend their expertise to the maintenance and repair of numerous smaller engine equipment, such as pumps, compressors, compactors, chainsaws, mowers, plows and sanders.
Future projects include:
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recondition/repaint Low Boy Trailer
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recondition/repaint Dynahoe Backhoe
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major tune-ups on older diesel dump trucks
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refurbishing other miscellaneous equipment
Water Division
To make sure that water remains available to town supplied residents, daily
maintenance checks are required. Added responsibilities include meter
reading, meter installation, flushing of pipes, repair of hydrants, repair of
leaks, servicing chlorination and pumping equipment, installation of water
services to new homes and businesses, cross connection inspections, and leak
detection.
The Water Division continues its program to install remote type water meters
for all customers. Leak detection and repairs have helped to minimize
unaccounted water within the system. In the last few years, improvements
were made to the system with new water mains on Brownstone Ave and
Spring Street.
Future projects include:
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ï‚· Installation of SCADA system to help track flow and possible issues
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ï‚· Installation of remote water meters for all customers
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ï‚· Continue leak detection and repairs
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ï‚· Reservoir dam spillway improvements
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Continue storage tank maintenance and painting at the Chlorination Building & High Street
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Water main replacement on Perry Avenue, Russell Ave, Hilltop Drive
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ï‚· Possible implementation of a new water source & infrastructure with a new Groundwater Well north of the Portland Recreation Complex on RT 17