Join us for our annual community cleanup and raffle! We need as many helpers as we can get this year because in addition to picking up trash, we’ll be mulching many newly planted trees. We’ll be meeting at the Community Garden on Chestnut Street and spreading out from there. Midtown Community Policing is providing supplies and support and Portland Public Works is providing mulch for our beloved trees. Please download and print the poster, and bring your friends. All participants will be entered into our annual raffle for gift certificates to our friendly neighborhood business sponsors:
Leavitt & Sons Deli
Isa Bistro
Wilson County BBQ
Bayside Bowl
Two Fat Cats Bakery
Tally’s Kitchen
Maine Oyster Company
Gloves, trash bags, tools & light refeshments provided. contact info@baysideportland.org for more information
The Welcome Committee has co-hosted its first event – the Samosa Social! On Thursday, April 3, the BNA and the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center held an afternoon get-together at the IWC at 24 Preble Street in Bayside. The idea was to bring together various organizations, including the BNA, who serve our newly arrived neighbors who come to the IWC to learn English, access workforce and entrepreneurial programs, and navigate their way to citizenship.
Bayside neighbors and immigrants from all over the world made short work of the over 200 samosas donated by Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, along with other halal treats from Portland’s immigrant groceries and restaurants. Music and conversation were the order of the day, along with presentations by representatives from immigrant-serving organizations. Grace Mo-Phillips from Coastal Enterprises, Micky Bondo from In Her Presence, Bright Musuamba and Amen Mibaraka from Prosperity Maine, and Belinda Vemba from the Immigrant Welcome Center, all spoke about how their organizations help the community. City Councillor and Bayside resident Sarah Michniewicz was on hand not only to meet and listen to new neighbors, but also to help serve up samosas to the crowd.
The BNA formed the Welcome Committee to better connect with the various communities who comprise the very diverse population of Bayside – home to immigrants and faith groups, home owners and renters, social service and education organizations. The Welcome Committee works to unite neighbors in making Bayside a more “welcoming” place. We’re hoping this event is the beginning of many enduring collaborations.
The Bayside Neighborhood Association has voted to expand our board by up to 2 new seats. All who “live work or play” in Bayside are eligible to submit their name to the Nominating Committee for consideration; two-thirds of the final board makeup will be Bayside residents.
Qualifications for nomination by the committee include:
Previous involvement with the BNA (attending meetings, community cleanups, former BNA board or committee service, etc.)
Positive leadership and collaborative qualities
Having demonstrated that one has the best interests of the Bayside Neighborhood Association and the neighborhood in mind.
The Nominating Committee will determine who is eligible according to our Bylaws and Elections Policy, verify interest, publish a final slate of candidates May 1, and announce that slate at the May 6 regular board meeting.
Board service includes one monthly 1-2 hour board meeting on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 PM; participation on a committee or team; and attending, participating, or leading BNA community events and activities. Before submitting your or another’s name, please read the information linked below to learn more about the rights & responsibilities of BNA board members.
The election of board members will be held at our Annual Meeting on Sat May 31st, venue TBD.
Elections Process Summary:
Today – Submissions for consideration by the nominating committed accepted at info@baysideportland.org
April 25 – Last day for submissions to the Nominating Committee
May 1 – Nominating Committee announces the final slate of nominated candidates
May 6 – Regularly scheduled board meeting – Board votes on attached amendments
May 31 – Annual Meeting – General Members who sign a membership form vote on board candidates
June 3 – Regular monthly board meeting – Board selects its 4 officers
Hope to hear from you!
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In addition, at the May 6 BNA board meeting, the Board will vote on proposed amendments to BNA Bylaws and Elections Policy. Please see attached below.
Summary of proposed bylaws changes:
Revised election process – individual candidates must receive a majority of “yes” votes from valid ballots cast, and are elected to open seats from most to least votes until seats are filled
The board president is elected by the board, from among current board members, like other officers (VP, secretary, treasurer)
Organizational seats are elected by the board – previously organizational representatives ran against individual board members
Shifting some of the detailed requirements and processes from the bylaws into a policy document (board residency requirements, board size, schedule for alternating board slates, handling of ties, etc.)
Adding our newly revised mission statement to our bylaws!
The Bayside Neighborhood Association Welcome Team invites one and all to the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center at 24 Preble Street, Portland ME for a SAMOSA SOCIAL — bring a favorite recipe to share if you like, or just come and enjoy!
Tuesday night the BNA board met for their monthly meeting, reviewing team reports and how they align with the BNA strategic vision. We also welcomed as a special guest newly elected Senator Rachel Talbot-Ross, who provided a legislative report and fielded questions about the state of the State. The Senator emphasized how our neighborhood is affected by politics at every level of government, and offered her support and continued advocacy. We’ll be hearing from Senator Talbot-Ross on a regular basis and she can be reached via email at Rachel.TalbotRoss@legislature.maine.gov any time.
Thanks to the BAYsideBEEs Team working to add fun to every BNA event, the board capped the evening with a map challenge game, shown in the photo. Thought-provoking and laugh-inducing, we’re looking forward to similar team-building activities in the future.
Here’s a link to the BNA Teams Report as presented to the board:
A small but enthusiastic group of local business owners braved the snow this morning to meet for the first Bayside Business Breakfast Club event at Isa Bistro, hosted by Chef Isa and Suzie St. Pierre. Also in attendance was Sam Dooley of Maine Clay Collaborative, Stacy Begin of Two Fat Cats Bakery, Kendra Haskell of The Knickerbocker Group, and Peter Leavitt of Leavitt & Sons Deli.
Topics included wayfinding signs, neighborhood branding, collaboration with Creative Portland, Portland Downtown, Chamber of Commerce, and other local organizations, pedestrian safety, connection to the downtown district, and more. We talked about modes of communication and online organization, but all agreed that nothing beats getting together in real life and making the personal connections that make Bayside a vibrant and welcoming community. So… we’re doing it again next month! In February we’ll meet at Two Fat Cats Bakery, and look forward to growing together. If you’re a Bayside business owner and would like to join us, reach out to breakfastclub@baysideportland.org and let us know what days/times work best and we’ll keep you in the loop.
The BNA Citizens’ Trash Brigade and the BAYsideBEEs volunteer corps teamed up to tackle un-shoveled sections of sidewalk on Parris Street this morning. Portland landowners outside of the Downtown District are responsible for sidewalk snow removal, and most of them do their civic duty, but as any Portland pedestrian will tell you, any stretch of sidewalk is only as good as its weakest link. There’s a reason for each forgotten patch of snow and ice of course—but instead of complaining about it, we got out there and got it done. Thanks to everyone who participated, and thanks to Wilson BBQ for offering a discount on our afterglow!
Lots going on in Bayside, and the BNA teams are rising to meet the moment. If you want to join a team, just send an email to any of the groups below, and a team lead will get back to you asap. If you have an idea for a team and want to get it started, we want to hear from you. Let’s do it!
Safe Streets Team Public Safety, Walkability, Infrastructure, Crime prevention
Student Group liason to Baxter Academy and Portland High School
Tech Team Website, Workspace, Social Media, Calendar, Newsletter, etc.
Tenants’ Team Renters’ perspectives are at the forefront of this team’s activity.
Tree Team overseeing planting and maintenance, trails and green spaces
The Tech Team is working on better communication pathways for the general membership, including mailchimp, which will allow us to send targeted email news and allow subscribers to tailor how they receive updates from various teams. We’re also now using google workspace to organize teams into google groups that can share files, calendar events, to-do lists, plus follow and archive conversations by topic within each team and between teams. Setting up the groups in a way that is simple to use but powerful enough to keep track of team tasks and communications, calendar events, shared files and important links has proven to be a challenge, but worthwhile. If you have experience and/or interest in admin tools please consider joining the tech team and helping us out.
Recent News
December’s Safe Streets Meeting was met with a strong response from the community and from the media. Troy Bennett from Bangor Daily News was in attendance and wrote this article about the effort and subsequently WCSH6 Newscenter Maine picked up the story as did WGME CBS13 shown below. The next Safe Streets Team meeting will be Tuesday, February 25th, 6:00pm in the Steve Hirshon Community Room at Unity Village, 24 Stone Street, Portland.
If you missed last month’s BNA Board meeting on zoom, you can view a recording of it here: BNA Board Meeting January 7 2025 See below for details on the next board meeting.
Upcoming Events
Saturday January 25, 11am BNA Citizens’ Trash Brigade Parris Street Block Walk
UPDATE: With the recent snowfall we’re pivoting to salt & sand for sidewalks on Parris Street, which has several spots that need attention. We’ll provide buckets of sand & salt from the city lot, shovels and a few ice choppers. If you have an ice chopper please bring it! We’ll warm up afterward at Wilson BBQ.
OP: We’re coming together for a short pickup party targeting Preble Street in particular, focusing on bits and butts that get overlooked during the Spring & Fall cleanup, and also to get eyes on the street to take stock of the pedestrian experience, flag infrastructure concerns, and to get to know each other. Afterward we’re planning to gather at Wilson BBQ to warm up, wind down, and plan for next month’s block walk. We’ll meet at 72 Parris Street and walk together. Trash bags and gloves provided.
Monday January 27, 6:00pm Portland Music Hall Presentation Composing Room @ Press Hotel 119 Exchange St, Portland, ME
The BNA Development Developments Team invites Baysiders to attend a public presentation by Portland Performance Ventures, LLC on their proposal for a 3,300-seat Live Nation music venue at the site of the old Press Herald printing press building across Myrtle Street from the Merrill Auditorium in Bayside. More information on the project is available on the city of portland website here: https://selfservice.portlandmaine.gov/
Wednesday January 29, 8:30am Bayside Business Breakfast Club Isa Bistro, 79 Portland St. Portland, ME
The Bayside Neighborhood Association is starting 2025 with a renewed commitment to connecting with diverse stakeholders and providing opportunities for community members to come together in pursuit of shared goals. To that end, we’re excited to present the first of what will be monthly events specifically for Bayside business owners to meet in an informal setting to meet, chat, and plan a better future for all Baysiders.
Mission Statement: “The Bayside Neighborhood Association (BNA) empowers the Bayside community by building meaningful partnerships that promote health, safety, green spaces, diversity, housing, and sustainable development for all who live, work, and play in this unique urban neighborhood.”
We need your help! Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the BNA, a 501c(3) non-profit organization. Contact Jim Hall, treasurer for more information at jim@baysideportland.org
Join us online Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 6pm EST
The BNA board of directors meets on the first Tuesday of every month. Meetings are held virtually through zoom on odd-numbered months, and meetings are held in-person on even-numbered months. The public is welcome to attend. Membership in the Bayside Neighborhood Association is open to all who live, work and play in our neighborhood. The agenda for board meetings is set by the board prior to each meeting.
All Board members, guests, and meeting attendees shall behave with respect and civility during all meetings, events, and activities. This shall apply to both in-person and electronic forums. Behavior which may be ruled out of order includes but is not limited to the following:
• Interruptions of Board members, guests, or attendees who have been given the floor to speak to the group. • Badgering, bullying, or harassing comments or behaviors directed at other people. Enforcement of Rules of Conduct During meetings: • Board members, guests, and meeting attendees who violate rules of conduct will be given a verbal warning by the Chair. • Any person who receives one verbal warning from the Chair during the meeting will be asked to leave after a 2nd incident; or, in an electronic forum, they will be removed by the host after a 2nd incident. • Any person ejected from a meeting will be banned from the subsequent meeting. • Any person ejected from two meetings in a calendar year will be permanently banned.
Happy Holidays from the BNA! We’ve been working hard to increase capacity and drum up support for a number of initiatives central to our mission, and aligned with our stated community priorities for 2025. We’re looking for more engagement from the community at large as we build new teams and renew our lasting commitments. Here are some highlights:
We have a new Bayside Community Garden Team leader! Holly Picotte has been a great asset as a fellow gardener, volunteer, and crew member and is steeping up to manage and administer the BNA garden. She can be reached through email at garden@baysideportland.org or by filling out the form on our website here: https://baysideportland.org/bayside-community-garden-signup/ We’ll also be posting again in the springtime on instagram @baysidecommunitygarden
We have a new Safe Streets Team, inspired by the dialogue at our December 17th meeting with Mayor Dion, Chief Dubois, Midtown Community Policing and many residents and business owners. Our new neighbors Bowman and Anna Brown of Elda have stepped up to lead the team and keep the momentum going. You can contact them at safestreets@baysideportland.org As always, the BNA continues to advocate for the safety and dignity of all residents, workers, and visitors.
The BNA is also very much involved with the exciting new project at Justin Alfond’s 72 Parris Street property, which he is generously gifting to the community, forming a steering committee including BNA board members, residents, and other stakeholders to determine the best use of the former Fork Food Lab site. Check out this video of the first planning stage: 72 Parris Street Project
In other news: Meet the BAYsideBEEs!
The BAYsideBEEs volunteer corps is the brainchild of longtime Bayside artist in residence Deirdre Paul. Deirdre hopes to add “more fun” to everything we get done. From street cleanups to community meals, block parties, greening and educational programming, the BAYsideBEEs will be there to help, and we need your help to make that happen! Contact us at volunteer@baysideportland.org Working on hats too!
Citizens’ Trash Brigade — Our ongoing volunteer activities have always included a spring and fall neighborhood cleanup. We’re already planning our spring cleanup and raffle on April 19, 2025, and need a big turnout to cover every street. Another new neighbor, Megan Holt has suggested forming the BNA Citizens’ Trash Brigade. Great idea Megan, let’s do it! In addition to our spring and fall cleanups, the CTB is planning monthly targeted cleanups, one block at a time, where we stick together instead of spreading out. The first one will be Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 11am to Pickup Preble Street, weather permitting. We’ll meet at the 72 Parris Street parking lot, gloves and bags provided, hot drinks afterward. Contact us at CTB@baysideportland.org for more information.
(above) Volunteers and staff for the Wayside Food Programs’ Community Lunch at 409 Cumberland Avenue. Mondays noon-1pm, starting again after the holidays on January 6th. All are welcome.
Next BNA Board Meeting: Tuesday, January 7, 2025 6pm online using zoom. Open to the public. Please email info@baysideportland.org for an invitation and link. Check our community calendar often for updates
“The Bayside Neighborhood Association (BNA) empowers the Bayside community by building meaningful partnerships that promote health, safety, green spaces, diversity, housing, and sustainable development for all who live, work, and play in this unique urban neighborhood.”
We need your help! Please consider a tax-deductible year-end donation to the BNA, a 501c(3) non-profit organization. Contact Jim Hall, treasurer for more information at treasurer@baysideportland.org
