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Portland council swears in reelected members, names Pius Ali mayor pro tempore; adopts rules, approves grants
Summary
At an inauguration and subsequent business meeting, Portland officials swore in reelected councilors, appointed Councilor Pius Ali as mayor pro tempore, adopted council rules and approved several appropriations including a $27,450 Cumberland County grant; an item on a police aerial vehicle was postponed.
Mayor Mark Dion opened the city council’s inauguration and called the roll before the council and invited Reverend Kenneth Lewis to deliver an invocation and benediction. The clerk read certified election returns naming Pius Ali (at-large) and Regina Phillips (District 3) among those elected, and both exchanged brief remarks of thanks to voters.
The council approved Order 92-25-26 to appoint Councilor Pius Ali as mayor pro tempore. The clerk also read orders creating standing committee assignments and a resolve (Resolve 06/2526) adopting council rules of procedure for 2025–26; after no public comment the council approved the committee appointments and adopted the rules by unanimous hand vote.
During the business meeting the council took several actions. A proposal under Order 88-25-26 — authorizing the police department to acquire an aerial vehicle under a Maine statutory citation read into the record — was moved to postpone for further discussion; the motion to postpone carried and the item will return for final decision at the date certain identified by council (postponed to March 2 as discussed).
The council approved an appropriation under Order 91-25-26 accepting $27,450 in mobility, access, transportation and security grant funding from Cumberland County Public Health to support staffing in the Health and Human Services social services division. Public commenters asked for departmental detail about how the funds would be used; the council nevertheless voted to accept and appropriate the money unanimously.
Councilors unanimously approved Order 94-25-26 to accept and appropriate an anonymous $6,000 donation for a police Secret Santa program, waiving a second reading and treating it as an emergency measure.
Several other items were placed on first reading, including an award of $15,250.50 from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety and an amendment to Portland City Code chapter 6 regarding short-term rental registration requirements. The meeting adjourned after the routine items were concluded.
Votes at a glance
- Order 92-25-26 (appoint Pius Ali as mayor pro tempore): approved (unanimous hand vote). - Order 93-25-26 / Resolve 06/2526 (committee appointments; adopt council rules): approved (unanimous hand vote). - Order 88-25-26 (police aerial vehicle acquisition): postponed (motion carried; date certain discussed). - Order 91-25-26 (accept $27,450 Cumberland County grant): approved (unanimous). - Order 94-25-26 (accept anonymous $6,000 donation; emergency): approved (unanimous). - Orders 95–97 (first readings including $15,250.50 Highway Safety grant and short-term rental code amendment): read for first reading.
What’s next
The postponed police aerial-vehicle item will return on the date certain discussed by council (March 2 as indicated during deliberations). First-reading items will return for second reading or further committee review per the council’s calendar.
