City Council 2019-2020

City Council 2019-2020
Back Row Left to Right: Councilor Tae Chong, Councilor Nicholas Mavodones, Jr., Councilor Spencer Thibodeau, Councilor Pious Ali, and Councilor Belinda Ray

Front Row Left to Right Councilor Jill Duson, Mayor Kate Snyder, Councilor Justin Costa, and Councilor Kimberly Cook.


Meetings


  • NEW START TIME: 5:30 PM
  • First and third Mondays of each month
  • City Council Chambers, 2nd floor of City Hall
    389 Congress St.
    Portland, ME 04101
Portland residents are cordially invited to attend and address the council on matters of concern, in accordance with the Council Rules of Procedure.

Agendas & Minutes


Agendas are available the Wednesday preceding a Monday meeting. Minutes are available following approval.
View All Agendas and Minutes

  1. Council Limits Rental Housing Application Fees

    The Portland City Council approved a limitation on rental housing application fees during its August 3, 2020 meeting, which will be added to the City’s Code, Chapter 6, Buildings and Building Regulations, Section 223.1. Read on...

  2. Members of Public Encouraged to Apply for Charter Commission Council Appointee

    Members of the public who wish to be considered by the Charter Commission Ad Hoc Committee as one of the Council's appointees to the Charter Commission should apply by 12:00 PM on Monday, August 3. Read on...

  3. Council’s Ad Hoc Committee to Discuss Charter Commission Appointees During First Meeting

    The City Council’s newly created Charter Commission Ad Hoc Committee will hold its first meeting today, Tuesday, July 28 at 4:00 PM via Zoom. Committee members include Mayor Snyder, Councilor Nick Mavodones, Councilor Pious Ali, and Councilor Tae Chong. Read on...
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About the City Council


The City of Portland operates under a Council-Manager form of government with a nine-member City Council, comprised of a popularly elected mayor, five district councilors and three at-large members. The mayor is elected by a majority of voters through ranked choice voting and serves a four-year term. The city’s five voting districts each elect one council member to represent their district and three at-large members are elected citywide. The eight councilors serve three-year staggered terms.

The City Charter grants to the City Council all powers to enact, amend, or repeal rules, ordinances, and resolutions relating to the city’s property, affairs and government, to preserve the public peace, health and safety, to establish personnel policies, and giving effect to any vote of the city and to authorize the issuance of debt. The council adopts an annual budget for both municipal and school operations and provides for an annual audit. The council appoints the city manager, corporation counsel, and city clerk.

The mayor serves as the official head of the city. The mayor provides community leadership and develops policies to guide the city by setting strategic goals and priorities for the city with the council. The mayor provides guidance to the city manager for preparation of city budgets and capital improvement plans and has veto authority over the municipal budget, which is subject to council override by a vote of at least six members. The mayor appoints council standing committees, serves as chair of the council, and directs the agenda for council meetings.

The city manager oversees the day-to-day operations of the city, serves as the administrative head of the city and is responsible to the council for the administration and management of all departments. The city manager in consultation with the mayor prepares the annual budget and presents it to the council for approval.