Maine Record
Portland
SM

Sarah Michniewicz

Councilor, District 12024-12-02 - 2027-12-01

No biography on file yet.

At a glance

News mentions
0

Term ending Dec 1, 2027.

Voice

Meetings spoken in
55
Total speaking time
5:08:20
Avg per meeting
5:36
Segments
3404

Want every word Michniewicz has said?

The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Michniewicz said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.

Top issues during term (20)

critical↑Jan 2026[69]

Winter warming shelter funding ($1.25M opioid settlement funds)

Affects how the city's opioid settlement funds are allocated.

critical↑Oct 2026[40]

CMP Greater Portland Transmission Upgrades

Residents worry ratepayers could bear significant costs and that alternative solutions may be cheaper; a ratepayer cost assessment was requested.

high↑May 2026[39]

Forest Avenue Pedestrian Crossings

City match of $56,250 for York Street design, with the state paying $168,750.

high↑Jun 2026[37]

Rent Board Rules of Procedure revision (Article XI)

Unknown — enforcement changes could shift compliance and administrative costs between tenants, landlords and the city, but no figures are on record.

medium↑Mar 2026[33]

Proposed changes to Creative Portland

The presentation covered the return on the city's existing investment in Creative Portland; specific figures were to be outlined in the workshop.

critical↓Jun 2026[33]

Rent control enforcement and tenant protections

City Manager West flagged likely budget, staffing, and consultant costs — the IT director estimates an online registration database will require hiring a consultant.

high↑Jan 2026[33]

Boyd/Cumberland Affordable Housing TIF

TIF and credit enhancement tools shift future tax increment toward affordable housing development.

high↑Sep 2026[33]

2026-2027 Winter Warming Emergency Shelter

Seeds of Hope got $360,000 of the city's $688,000 request from MaineHousing.

high↑Feb 2026[31]

New buyer at the Portland Fish Exchange

A new buyer could increase auction competition, though no dollar figure was attached.

low↑Oct 2026[31]

Peaks Island Council Rules

high↑Apr 2026[30]

Small-business grant program changes

Up to $85,000 in PDC loan funds were under consideration for the two businesses.

high↑Jun 2026[29]

Rent increase applications at four Portland buildings

Approved increases add roughly $115 to $180 per month to affected units, with tenants at 439 Congress dodging an $18.64 increase for now.

medium→Sep 2026[28]

Council rules and Peaks Island Council

The assessment was already reduced from $812,200 to $651,100, saving roughly $1,930 in taxes; the denial means no further reduction.

high↓Sep 2026[27]

Hearts of Pine stadium rezoning at 92 Cassidy Point Drive

The applicant cited a $16.5 million annual economic impact and 145 jobs from the club's first season; the Port Authority countered that the Port of Portland handled $3.8 billion in trade in 2025.

medium↑Apr 2026[26]

Northeast Air jetport lease extension

$10.1 million comes from Jetport unrestricted funds, not the general fund.

high→May 2026[26]

Service Pier 1 closure

Up to $8,000 for the second opinion, with a temporary shoring fix once estimated at $302,000.

medium↑Sep 2026[25]

First Light Commons parking fees

$151,000 budgeted for the First Light Commons commission from FY26 funds.

medium↑Aug 2026[25]

Jewel Box bus shelter deaccessioned

high↑Sep 2026[25]

Lambert Woods North Funding Gap

$375,000 from the housing trust fund.

high↑Jan 2026[24]

Civilian Police Review Board Training

A labor challenge could cost the city in litigation and further delay the board's launch.

Decisions during term (355)

Recorded while Michniewicz was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.

approved3-0Oct 29, 2026

Endorse updated Debt Management Policy and Chapter 2/Chapter 14 amendments

approved3-0Oct 29, 2026

Adjournment

approved6-0Oct 27, 2026

Major Site Plan approval — 43 St. Lawrence Street (PL-003653-2026)

approved6-0Oct 27, 2026

Conditional Zoning Agreement Amendment C-58 — 76 Congress Street (ZN-003712-2026)

tabledOct 27, 2026

Workshop item tabled — 41 Ashmont Street (PL-003618-2026)

approved8-0Oct 26, 2026

Suspension of rules to eliminate non-agenda public comment

approvedVoted yes9-0Oct 26, 2026

Motion to enter executive session

tabledOct 26, 2026

Postponement of Order 70-26/27 (winter warming shelter funding)

approved8-0Oct 26, 2026

Adjournment

approved3-0Oct 21, 2026

Approval of minutes from the September 21 meeting

approved2-1Oct 21, 2026

Recommendation of Reimagining Franklin Street design to City Council

tabledOct 21, 2026

Postponement of Vision Zero update and median strip ordinance

approved3-0Oct 21, 2026

Minutes from September 21

approvedOct 21, 2026

Approval of September 16, 2026 Meeting Minutes

approvedVoted yes7-0Oct 21, 2026

Conservation priorities: Acrobatic Dogs and Hadlock Field Family

approvedVoted yes7-0Oct 21, 2026

Relocation of Glimpse sculptures at Portland Jetport

approved4-0Oct 21, 2026

Recommendation to Maine Historic Preservation Commission — National Register Nomination for Harvey Gamage

approvedOct 21, 2026

Motion to adjourn

approvedVoted yes4-0Oct 20, 2026

Approval of October 6, 2026 meeting minutes

approvedOct 19, 2026

Approval of October 5, 2026 Council Minutes

Voting record (67)

50 yes17 no

Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.

Voted yesOct 26, 2026

Motion to enter executive session

Voted yesOct 21, 2026

Conservation priorities: Acrobatic Dogs and Hadlock Field Family

Voted yesOct 21, 2026

Relocation of Glimpse sculptures at Portland Jetport

Voted yesOct 20, 2026

Approval of October 6, 2026 meeting minutes

Voted yesOct 19, 2026

Order 57-26/27 — $375,000 for Lambert Woods North

Voted yesOct 19, 2026

Order 64-26/27 — FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant

Voted yesOct 19, 2026

Order 65-26/27 — DHHS Drug-Free Communities Grant

Voted yesOct 13, 2026

Approval of September 8, 2026 Meeting Minutes

Voted yesOct 13, 2026

Adjournment

Voted yesOct 6, 2026

Approval of minutes from September 15 meeting

Voted yesOct 6, 2026

Nordic Maine purchase and sale agreement, Portland Technology Park units 3 and 5

Voted yesOct 6, 2026

Resolution requesting land-use code text amendment regarding data centers

Voted yesSep 21, 2026

Order 38-26/27 — EPA Brownfields Assessment Cooperative Agreement ($500,000)

Voted yesSep 21, 2026

Order 39-26/27 — EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Amendment ($1,000,000)

Voted yesSep 15, 2026

Approval of July 21, 2026 meeting minutes

Voted yesSep 15, 2026

Additional $375,000 from Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund for Lambert Woods North

Voted yesSep 15, 2026

Amendment to Cumberland Housing AHTIF District

Voted yesSep 15, 2026

CDBG Priority Setting Task Force Final Report

Voted yesAug 24, 2026

Order 24-26/27 — $225,000 for ADS-B Transponders in 57 Jetport Vehicles

Voted yesAug 24, 2026

Order 31-26/27 — Amendment to City Code Re: Entertainment Businesses in B-3 and WCZ Zones

Voted yesJul 21, 2026

Hope Acts / Hope House Housing Trust Fund request

Voted yesJul 21, 2026

Executive session — Portland Technology Park property

Voted yesJul 20, 2026

Order 12-26/27 — Accept $2,380,250 Portland Parks Conservancy donation for First Light Commons

Voted yesJul 20, 2026

Order 13-26/27 — UNE subaward, $383,262 for Nourish ME rural health program

Voted yesJul 20, 2026

Order 15-26/27 — Emergency amendment exempting single-day event permits from 100-foot buffer

Voted yesJun 30, 2026

Recommendation to refer entertainment venue buffer repeal to Planning Board

Wants data on venue counts, police calls for service, and noise impacts before final action, but supports review.

Voted noJun 30, 2026

The Prime, 197 Oxford Street — AHTIF District recommendation

Wants more information on the financial arrangement between Reveler and Avesta and the IZ background.

Voted yesJun 30, 2026

Dashaway Commons, 15-19 Cedar Street — AHTIF District recommendation

Voted yesJun 30, 2026

42 Atlantic Street — AHTIF District amendment recommendation

Voted yesJun 22, 2026

Motion to enter executive session

Voted noJun 15, 2026

passage

Voted noJun 15, 2026

amend

Voted noJun 15, 2026

Order 139-25/26 — PILOT Policy ( FAILED)

Not convinced the payment mechanism would achieve its goals; favored transparency instead.

Voted yesJun 15, 2026

Sykes Amendment 1 to PILOT Policy ( FAILED)

Government should be transparent; no fee is charged under the amendment.

Voted noJun 15, 2026

Bullett Amendment to Order 253 (Data Center Ban)

Voted yesJun 9, 2026

Approval of Minutes from May 12, 2026

Voted yesJun 9, 2026

Motion to adjourn

Voted yesJun 8, 2026

Motion to enter executive session

Voted yesJun 2, 2026

Approval of April 21, 2026 meeting minutes

Voted yesJun 2, 2026

Recommendation to City Council: Hearts of Pine lease amendment (women's team)

Voted yesJun 2, 2026

Adjournment

Voted noJun 1, 2026

amend

Voted noJun 1, 2026

passage

Voted noJun 1, 2026

passage

Voted noJun 1, 2026

FY27 budget Amendment #1: family shelter funding increase

Said she would vote no for public integrity, arguing Portland should not keep absorbing a state and regional responsibility.

Voted yesJun 1, 2026

FY27 budget: Ali amendment to Fournier Amendment #3A (50-cent meter increase, 8 p.m. enforcement)

Voted yesJun 1, 2026

FY27 budget Sykes Amendment #4: 10% library funding increase — FAILED

Argued the library saves the city money on social services and is a de facto day space for people with nowhere to go.

Voted yesMay 18, 2026

Order 196-25/26 — State/Local EPS School Funding, FY2027

Voted yesMay 18, 2026

Order 197-25/26 — Non-State Funded School Construction Debt Service

Voted yesMay 18, 2026

Order 198-25/26 — Additional Local Funds for Portland Schools