BNA Annual Spring Cleanup

On By Robert SylvainIn Uncategorized

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

Samosa Social Success!

On By Robert SylvainIn Welcome Team

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.

72 Parris Community Priorities Meeting

On By Bayside Neighborhood AssociationIn Uncategorized

Monday April 14th, 4:30-7:30pm,

USM McGoldrick Center in Portland

Dinner and drinks provided

You’re invited to determine the future of 72 Parris Street, the former Fork Food Lab. Last summer we launched a community design process to decide the property’s future. The 72 Parris Steering Committee researched these ideas and will report back to the community. Come participate and help prioritize the final use based on community needs, feasibility and transformative impact.

We seek to make this process accessible and inclusive. To that end, we will be offering interpretation in French, Portuguese, Spanish, Somali and Arabic at the Community Meeting. Childcare will be available if needed.

Please RSVP for the Community Priorities Meeting by April 7th and forward this to your networks and members of your community.

Check out our video and more background on the process at our website.

Can’t make it on the 14th? We will still want your input! Please fill out the RSVP and we will send you an online form you can fill out after the meeting.

Invites in Multiple Languages~
La invitación en español
Ku martiqaad af soomaali
O convite em português
L’invitation en français
دعوة باللغة العربية

photos from the event:

Reimagining Franklin Street Open House – Thursday, April 17; 4:30-6:30pm

On By Bayside Neighborhood AssociationIn Uncategorized

On Thursday, April 17 the City of Portland is hosting a drop-in Open House to kick off the Reimagining Franklin Street project

The event will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about how the vision for Franklin Street has evolved over time, to provide input on how the street is working now, and to give us their ideas for a future Franklin Street. All are welcome.

photos from the event:

BNA Seeking New Board Members!

On By Robert SylvainIn Uncategorized

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.

Please send potential nominees’ names and addresses to:  info@baysideportland.org 

Deadline for submissions is Friday April 25. 

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!

——

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!

Redlined documents showing exact wording of proposed amendments:
BNA Bylaws – Amendments Proposed for Board Vote 5/6/25
BNA Nominating & Election Policy – Amendments Proposed for Board Vote 5/6/25

Bayside Business Breakfast Club

On By Bayside Neighborhood AssociationIn Business Club

The Bayside Business Breakfast Club met on March 26, 2025 at Levitt & Sons Deli. About a dozen business owners gathered. Greg Watson, Director of Housing & Economic Development attended and gave an overview of upcoming area developments. Other funding programs like small business grants were reviewed. Neighborhood safety was discussed. Some businesses mentioned customers not feeling safe walking to their location. Parking was also discussed. Businesses do not feel there are the right options for parking – from lack of parking, not in the place it needs to be to service some businesses. There were comments about new developments not being required to provide parking – new residentials and the proposed Live Nation – but some Bayside businesses had old ordinances that required parking. No business leader has emerged to lead this group but some folks offered to give input on future agendas. The next gathering will be April 30 at Coffee Me Up, 8:30am. for more information email breakfastclub@baysideportland.org

Co-op Tree Planting Program

On By Bayside Neighborhood AssociationIn Trees & Greens

CITY OF PORTLAND NEWS RELEASE

Registration Now Open for City’s Co-op Tree Planting Program

PORTLAND, Maine – Portland residents can help cultivate a resilient, equitable urban forest by participating in the City’s Co-op Tree Planting Program. This collaborative program allows eligible Portland residents to purchase a tree and the City Forestry team will handle the pick-up and planting process. Co-op trees can be planted in esplanades, tree wells, or lawns that meet the requirements. Participants from the previous two years are not eligible for co-op planting.

Interested residents can carefully review the Co-op planting process, requirements, and registration form on the City website; program requirements have changed in recent seasons. New this year: Participants do not need to purchase a tree before registering. City staff will review selected planting sites and intended tree species first before giving the go-ahead to make the purchase.

Space is limited, so residents are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Depending on demand, registration may close in advance of the April 30 deadline. Questions can be directed to trees@portlandmaine.gov.

a lone oak in the heart of Bayside. This heritage tree is slated for removal to make way for a new housing development. photo by Avery Kamilla

The Bayside Neighborhood Association Trees & Greens Team is working with city officials and other non-profits to improve Bayside’s tree equity score, which currently is 59th out of 59 block groups according to American Forests’ Tree Equity Map Reach out to greenteam@baysideportland.org for more information.

BNA Board Meeting recap

On By Robert SylvainIn Comms Team, Uncategorized

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:

BNA Team Reports 2025_02_04Download

Here’s a copy of the Board meeting agenda:

2025_02 BNA AgendaDownload

Here’s a copy of the Strategic Vision overview:

BNA Strategic Vision One-sheetDownload

Bayside Business Breakfast Club Begins

On By Robert SylvainIn Business Club, Uncategorized

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.