Bangor City Council: Mike Beck’s March 2025 Summary

Disclaimer: The views I express here are my own and should NOT be construed as speaking for the City of Bangor or the City Council of Bangor.

March 3, 2025

Finance Committee

You can view the agenda for this meeting here.

Key Discussions and Decisions:

1. Airport Ground Power Unit Bid:
   • Four bids were received for the unit. The lowest bidder did not meet specifications.  
   • The committee approved the staff recommendation to accept the second lowest bid from Aero Specialties for $52,358, which was within the $55,000 budget.  
2. Mobile Home Tax Write-off:
   • A request was made to write off just under $3,700 in mature taxes on three uninhabitable mobile homes.  
   • The park’s new owner offered to demolish the homes at their expense if the taxes were forgiven.  
   • The committee discussed the complexities of enforcing the tax liens versus the cost-effectiveness of the write-off.  
   • During the meeting, I raised the question was raised about how the mobile homes could be sold despite having mature tax liens, the following explanation was provided:
     • It was acknowledged that, ideally, liens should prevent a sale until paid off.  
     • However, it was stated that this situation, unfortunately, happens frequently, especially with mobile homes.  
     • Mobile homes are treated uniquely: they are considered personal property generally, but real estate for taxation purposes.  
     • Therefore, the city files the tax lien at the Registry of Deeds, which is standard for real estate.  
     • However, people searching for liens on personal property (like mobile homes) typically look for UCC filings, not necessarily at the Registry of Deeds.  
     • This discrepancy means that title searches sometimes fail to uncover these specific tax liens.  
     • It was also mentioned that this issue isn’t exclusive to mobile homes; it can happen with regular homes too, particularly with owner financing or when title searches are incomplete.  
     • Essentially, while the system is designed to prevent sales with outstanding liens, failures in the title search process mean properties are sometimes sold with existing, matured liens, leaving the city to deal with the new owners.  
     • Another councilor also found it odd that a title search for a significant purchase wouldn’t find the liens.  
   • I also questioned whether this was a legal issue between the buyer and seller. It was concluded that forcing the issue could result in the city eventually taking ownership of the trailers anyway and incurring demolition costs, making the write-off a more practical solution.  
   • Following staff recommendation, the committee approved the motion to write off the taxes, allowing the owner to demolish the trailers and free up the lots.  
3. Second Quarter Financials Review (FY25):
   • The committee reviewed financials through the end of December.  
   • Revenues: Overall revenues showed variances primarily due to the timing of booking property taxes (appearing high), increased licenses/permits, significant income from unbudgeted vacant building fees, and timing of rental income (appearing slightly low). I made a suggestion to adjust future budget projections to better reflect tax revenue booking patterns.  
   • Expenses: Overall expenses were at 50.65%, aligning with the expected budget usage halfway through the fiscal year. Variances in specific categories like Central Services, Motorpool, Insurance, TIFs, Pensions, and Transfers were explained as mostly due to the timing of payments, internal billings, and transfers occurring at specific points in the year rather than evenly throughout.  
4. Audit Update:
   • The Finance Director reported that a full draft of the audit financials had been sent to the auditors.  
   • The city is awaiting feedback and next steps from the auditors, with no firm timeline yet available for completion.

Government Operations Committee

You can view the agenda here.

New Public Comment Policy:

• The committee introduced a new public comment policy, available on the website.  
• Highlights include: No public comment on informational updates (like those from the Fire Chief and Public Health Director in this meeting). Public comment is allowed on items requiring council approval/vote, limited to one comment per person per agenda item, directed to the chair. Obscene, threatening, or overly repetitive remarks are not permitted.  

Bangor Wildfire Risk and Preparedness:

• Fire Chief Jeffrey Low presented a memo addressing wildfire preparedness, prompted by concerns following California wildfires.  
• Risk: Bangor and Maine face wildfire risk, especially in Wildland Urban Interface areas where homes are near or within tree lines.  
• Training & Equipment: Firefighters have basic Wildland fire suppression training and resource management skills. The department has a tanker truck and standard engine equipment but relies heavily on mutual aid (e.g., Glenburn, Herman) for specialized equipment like ATVs and additional tankers.  
• Response: Initial response to a potential wildfire is one engine, with resources scaled up based on confirmed size and severity. Significant fires would commit all Bangor resources, necessitating mutual aid for other calls.  
• Causes & Prevention: Most Maine wildfires are preventable, often caused by careless smoking material disposal, uncontrolled outdoor burns (campfires, brush burning), or sparks. Weather changes (less snow, drier conditions, more wind) increase risk. Prevention tips include keeping vegetation/wood piles away from homes, cleaning gutters, maintaining equipment (chainsaws, ATVs) to prevent sparks, and careful disposal of ashes.  
• Concerns: The Chief expressed concern about accumulated forest litter (fuel) due to the lack of significant burn-offs in over 100 years and remaining debris from the 1998 ice storm.  
• Future Plans: The Fire Department plans community risk reduction campaigns focusing on wildfire awareness this spring.  

MOU with Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness (WPHW):

• An order was discussed to authorize an MOU with WPHW for a syringe waste disposal program, replacing a previous contract with Heal.  
• WPHW was chosen for its infrastructure and quality standards.  
• The contract is for up to one year, funded by opioid settlement money, with billing based on actual costs.  
• The city expects $138,000 back from Heal (from ARPA funds), which has been reallocated to Wastewater treatment.  
• The partnership aims to improve syringe waste management, with potential changes based on this year’s experience. Reporting will likely still utilize systems like SeeClickFix, with triage coordinated with WPHW.  
• The motion to move the MOU approval to the next Council agenda passed without objection.  

Public Health Update (Director Jen Gunderman):

• HIV Cluster: Confirmed cases rose to 21, with a significant increase in the past 4-5 weeks, expected to rise further. The cluster primarily affects marginalized populations (people who inject drugs, experiencing homelessness). Local partners are working extensively on testing, care, treatment, and breaking down barriers (e.g., street outreach, housing assistance, Ryan White services). The increase is attributed to more testing and possibly ongoing transmission. A suggestion was made for the council to potentially send a letter supporting requests for more resources from Maine CDC.  
• Syringe Services: Emphasized the importance of high-quality syringe service programs (like WPHW) in mitigating worse outcomes, referencing the Scott County, Indiana outbreak.  
• Public Health Nursing: Highlighted an increase in referrals (6 in 5-6 months) for pregnant women experiencing homelessness, a new trend for the program. Services are being provided wherever needed (shelters, food pantries).  
• Tobacco Treatment: The program with Bangor High School’s School-Based Health Center has served 6 students to date, with plans to promote it further.  
• Accreditation & Strategic Planning: The department is undergoing strategic planning and will survey council members for input.  
• Federal Funding: The department relies heavily on federal funds and is monitoring potential changes closely, though not directly impacted yet.  
• Primary Care Grant: Bangor Public Health was one of 20 organizations (out of 65) invited to submit a full application to the Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) for a planning grant to explore expanding primary care linkage/services. Council approval will be sought to submit the application.  
• STI Testing: Infrastructure funding will purchase a new machine allowing STI test results in 30 minutes, compared to the current ~5 days. Funding also supports accreditation consulting and an Infectious Disease Specialist position.  
• Letters of Support: Approved providing letters of support for PCHC’s application for federal Ryan White funds and St. Joseph Hospital’s request for funding to improve its Emergency Department.  
• Opiate Settlement Funds: Planning continues for community input sessions starting in the spring, including creating an informational video.  
• Gorman Foundation Funding: Planning to apply for a John T. Gorman Foundation grant (up to $30,000) for direct service materials focusing on health equity for those in poverty.  
• Harm Reduction Health Center Work Group: The state group finished its work, recommending an “opt-in” approach for municipalities regarding potential harm reduction health centers.  
• Measles: Acknowledged the rise in measles nationally and stated the department offers MMR vaccines and is planning how to increase community awareness and provide factual information.  
• TB: Will explore concerns about potential increases in TB tests, particularly among school-aged children.  

Remote Meeting Policy:

• Updates were proposed to the remote meeting policy, mainly housekeeping (changing Facebook Live references to YouTube Live, removing the defunct Airport Committee reference).  
• Discussion arose about streaming on multiple platforms (Facebook, TikTok) to increase reach, but current limitations might only allow one live stream (YouTube chosen over Facebook due to statistic skewing). The possibility of uploading recordings to other platforms was noted.  
• A footnote referencing Facebook was identified for correction.  
• Discussion on removing the Airport Committee reference led to broader points about whether a separate Airport Committee is beneficial. The consensus was the current structure (under Business & Economic Development) works well, providing sufficient updates, but the council could revisit creating a separate committee if needed later.  
• The motion to approve the policy amendments for the next council meeting passed.  

Other Items:

• LD 487 Support: Agreed to support LD 487, directing passenger rail authority to seek federal funds for a Portland-Bangor rail corridor study. Councilor Leonard volunteered to submit testimony.  
• FTA Authorization: Agreed to pass a resolve authorizing the City Manager to execute applications and assurances for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) assistance for the Community Connector, a standard requirement. This will go to the next council meeting.

Business & Economic Development Committee

I’m not a voting member of this committee, but typically I try and stay for all committee meetings the same night as the ones I’m a member of. This evening I had scheduling conflict and couldn’t stay.

You can view the agenda for this meeting here, and the video of the meeting is below.

March 5, 2025

City Council Workshop (Executive Session)

This was an executive session meeting to review the applicants for Bangor City Manager. The contents of this meeting are bound by confidentiality.

March 10, 2025

Regular City Council Meeting

I was in Washington, D.C. attending the National League of Cities Conference, along with Chair Pelletier and Councilor Hawes. That evening other members were not able to attend the meeting therefore they did not have a quorum to hold the meeting. It was rescheduled to the following week as a special meeting.

March 17, 2025

Finance Committee

You can view the meeting agenda here.

1. Police Vehicle Purchase:

• The committee discussed purchasing two Ford Explorer hybrid patrol vehicles for the police department using the state’s master bid agreement with Darlings Ford.  
• The total cost is $101,188 ($50,594 each), which is within the police department’s capital budget of $189,000 for replacing patrol vehicles this year.  
• The committee voted to approve the purchase.  

2. Audit Services Bid:

• The committee reviewed a bid for audit services from the current provider, RKO (Runyon Kersteen Ouellette). This was the only bid received.  
• The proposed cost for the first year is $174,000, a 45% increase from the previous year’s $120,000.  
• Councilor Leonard and I raised concerns about the significant price increase, the lack of competing bids, and past delays in audit completion by this firm.  
• Staff attributed delays partly to the city’s complexity (7 enterprise funds, over 80 grant agreements) and staffing shortages in the Finance and Community Economic Development departments. They noted that the Finance department is now almost fully staffed.  
• The decrease in audit firms willing to do complex governmental audits in Maine (from 65 to 19) was mentioned as a factor contributing to the lack of bids.  
• Councilors discussed the possibility of a shorter contract term (one year with optional renewals) instead of the proposed three years, and adding penalty clauses for missed deadlines.  
• The committee decided to postpone the decision, requesting more comparative information on what other municipalities pay for audits, the hours involved, and confirmation that staff reached out directly to other firms. The item will be brought back to the next finance committee meeting.

3. Stream Monitoring Bid:

• Two bids were received for stream monitoring required by an EPA consent decree.  
• Staff recommended accepting the lower bid of $233,360 from Stillwater Environmental Engineering, citing excellent past experience with the firm.  
• The committee voted to accept the bid from Stillwater Environmental Engineering.  

4. Public Safety Health & Wellness Grant:

• The committee reviewed a council order to authorize the police and fire departments to apply for a state grant of up to $18,384.  
• The grant is for a reimbursement program to screen public safety employees for cardiac issues and metabolic risks.  
• No local match is required.  
• The committee voted to approve moving the application forward to the full council.  

5. EMS Equipment Grant:

• The committee reviewed a council order to allow the fire department to apply for a grant through the Maine Emergency Medical Services Stabilization and Sustainability program.  
• The expected allocation for Bangor is $192,681 (revised down from an initial $200,000).  
• The funds will be used for EMS-related equipment (like ambulance stretchers), training, and software.  
• No local match is required.  
• The committee approved moving the application forward.  

6. State Property Tax Legislation (LDs):

• The City Manager discussed five proposed state legislative documents (LDs) that would increase homestead, senior, or veteran property tax exemptions.  
• The concern raised is that these exemptions do not include reimbursement to the city, which would effectively lower the city’s taxable value and potentially force an increase in the tax rate to compensate, negating the tax relief for residents.  
• The suggestion was for the council to encourage the state legislature to instead expand the existing Property Tax Fairness Credit program (part of state income tax filing) to provide targeted relief without negatively impacting municipal mill rates.  
• The committee members present indicated support for this approach.  

Business & Economic Development Committee

You can view the agenda for this meeting here.

1. Land Development Fee Changes:
   • A proposal was presented to adjust land development fees. The primary change involved decreasing fees for many types of development, including larger site developments and zoning map amendments, as the current fees were deemed higher than the actual staff time required.  
   • Some fees, like those for minor and major subdivisions, would see slight increases. Changes to advertising fees were also proposed, including decreases for some types and increases or new fees for others.  
   • The goal cited was to reduce potential barriers to development, particularly housing.  
   • Committee members requested more information, specifically an analysis of the potential budget impact of the reduced fees and a comparison of Bangor’s fees to other municipalities, before making a decision. Questions were also raised about the reasoning behind some drastic fee reductions, such as the minor site plan revision fee.  
   • Outcome: The committee postponed the decision to gather the requested financial analysis and comparative data.  
2. Parking Setback Discussion (UR1 Zones):
   • This was a follow-up discussion on proposed parking setbacks in Urban Residential 1 (UR1) zones, which currently have no specific setback requirements. Maps of affected areas were presented.  
   • The proposal aimed to introduce minimum setbacks (e.g., a 6-foot buffer) for consistency with other zones.  
   • A resident provided public comment, expressing strong concerns. While supporting a setback, she opposed allowing 5-10 cars within a potentially reduced 6-foot buffer, arguing it negatively impacts adjacent properties, recreation, and quality of life, especially when compared to the 20-foot buffer required elsewhere for 10+ cars. She questioned the need, given other parking options.  
   • Staff clarified the proposal mainly affects lots planning 5-10 spaces (over 10 would still need a larger buffer) and that impervious surface limits still apply. The change also sought to clarify ambiguity in the current code regarding UR1 buffers.  
   • Outcome: The committee decided to postpone action, requesting more information on the potential number of residents impacted and a clearer comparison between the proposed rule and the current situation. Concerns about enforcing existing green space/buffer rules were also noted.  
3. LD 901 – Bangor Mall Acquisition:
   • The committee discussed LD 901, a state legislative resolve proposing that the Maine State Housing Authority acquire the Bangor Mall property (potentially via eminent domain) for $25 million.  
   • Staff reported that the sponsoring senator is open to amendments and may carry the bill over to the next session to allow for refinement.  
   • Concerns were raised by councilors about the city losing control over the mall’s redevelopment and the bill’s apparent focus solely on housing.  
   • Outcome: The committee supported the idea of carrying the bill over to allow more time for input and potential amendments.  
4. Good News Update:
   • It was announced that General Electric (GE) is moving forward with a planned $20 million investment in new equipment at its existing Bangor facility, which is expected to add 50 jobs.  

Infrastructure Committee

You can view the meeting agenda here.

1. Compensation Fee Utilization Plan Update (Urban Impaired Streams):
   • Richard May, Stormwater Manager, provided an update on compensation fee funds collected from developers impacting urban impaired stream watersheds.  
   • These funds are used for projects within the affected watersheds to offset development impacts.  
   • Existing plans for these streams (dating back to 2006) are being updated, following a new watershed management plan.  
   • A new compensation fee utilization plan for Shaw Brook watershed (partially in Herman and Hampden) was recently written, submitted to Maine DEP, and approved.  
2. Maine DOT/BACKS UPI Grant Applications:
   • The committee discussed two grant applications submitted under the Urban Partnership Initiative (UPI) for FY26 funding, requiring a 50% local match.  
   • Application 1: Add 2,550 ft of new 6-foot wide ADA sidewalk on Odlin Road from Hammond Street towards the old Ground Round, connecting that corridor. Estimated cost: $335,000 (Local Match: $167,500).  
   • Application 2: Add 4,200 ft of new 6-foot wide ADA sidewalk connecting Main Business Parks (Northeast/Corporate Drive) from Penman Street to Main Avenue. Estimated cost: $450,000 (Local Match: $225,000).  
   • Discussion points included the prioritization process for sidewalk projects, the utility of the Corporate Drive sidewalk versus other requested areas (like Mount Hope Avenue, which is currently being designed), and the potential impact of new sidewalks on Public Works’ plowing capacity. Public Works noted that adding sidewalks doesn’t automatically mean they are plowed and that routes are prioritized based on school walking routes and major arteries.  
   • The committee moved to approve applying for both grants, aligning with the goal of making Bangor more walkable.  
3. EPA Annual Compliance Report Update:
   • Engineering and Water Quality Management submitted the calendar year 2024 annual compliance report to the EPA, required by a 2015 consent decree.  
   • The report details activities to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), collection system assessments, maintenance, and long-term control plan updates.  
   • Key activities mentioned:
     • Post-construction monitoring of the Davis Brook CSO storage tank.  
     • SCADA system needs assessment.  
     • Metal Brook sewer separation project (awaiting funding).  
     • Asset management program implementation.  
     • Studies for Harlow Road and Kmart pump stations.  
     • Airport sewer replacement (completed).  
     • Silver Road separation (completed).  
     • Randolph Drive sewer replacement Phase 3 (under construction).  
     • Hildreth Street Force main replacement (under construction).  
     • Ongoing small project improvements via a contract with CC Lynch.  
   • Water Quality highlighted record-breaking performance from the sewer division, which became fully staffed for the first time since 2018. The crew videoed over 145,000 linear feet (almost 20%) of the city’s 135 miles of inspectable sewer mains, far exceeding the required 10%.  
   • Monitoring indicates the Davis Brook tank is performing better than initially modeled.  
   • The EPA requested a meeting in April to discuss the report.  

Special City Council Meeting

The agenda contained a number of issues moved forward from committees, and some zoning changes. No items were assigned to me on this agenda.

March 18-19, 2025

City Council Workshops (Executive Session)

Executive Session meetings were held on Tuesday and Wednesday of that week as part of the City Council’s search for a new City Manager. These meetings are bound by confidentiality.

March 24, 2025

Cedar Falls Mobile Home Park Celebration

There was a celebration held that morning for the Cedar Falls Mobile Home Park’s purchase. It was a wonderful event. Governor Mills attended and spoke. Representative Traci Gere, one of the key legislators in passing the law that made the purchase possible, was also in attendance. I had the honor of speaking on behalf of the City of Bangor for its part in contributing to that purchase by its residents.

In my remarks I told the residents I am grateful for what they’ve done. Not only have they secured their own homes, but they opened the door for others to also enjoy affordable homeownership in the future. As a father, I want to know that if my children want to stay in Bangor and raise families of their own that there’s a place that can happen. This project, with the additional plots that will be developed, helps towards making that possible.

Special Finance Committee Meeting

You can view the meeting agenda here.

1. Domestic Terminal Gate Expansion (Connector Project) Bid:
   • The committee discussed the rebid for the connector project.  
   • Devvo Construction was the low bidder at $14,821,500, which included an optional add-on for furniture.  
   • Staff recommended moving forward with Devvo Construction. The city has prior experience with Devvo on school projects and the KES pedestrian footbridge.  
   • The project is funded by federal sources, Maine DOT, and a local share of just over $3.2 million. The local funds have already been appropriated over the past two years, so no new bonds are needed for this.  
   • The recommendation was approved to move to the full council.  
2. Airport Engineering Services Contracts:
   • The committee reviewed proposals for engineering consultants needed for large capital projects at the airport, ensuring compliance with federal regulations.  
   • Based on qualifications, the selection committee recommended awarding contracts to two firms:
     • Mead & Hunt for airfield construction projects (runways, taxiways).  
     • Hoyle, Tanner & Associates for building/terminal construction projects.  
   • A potential conflict of interest was disclosed but deemed not to be a conflict.  
   • The recommendation to award contracts to both firms was approved for the council agenda.  
3. Verizon Wireless Lease Amendment:
   • An amendment to the lease with Verizon Wireless was discussed.  
   • This amendment was necessary because Verizon’s equipment building needed to be moved due to the connector project, and the existing lease required the city to cover the moving costs.  
   • The amendment only updates the location of the equipment in the lease agreement, with no other terms changing.  
   • I expressed concern about the original lease terms that led to the city bearing the cost and emphasized the need to be mindful of such stipulations when the lease expires in six years.  
   • The amendment was approved to go before the full council.

City Council Workshop

You can view the meeting agenda here.

1. Update from Penquis:

• Teresa’s Place: This housing project is nearing completion and will have its first residents soon. 85 applications have been received. The Housing Foundation is reviewing applications for compliance with federal and state funding rules. Most applicants have case managers assisting them. Final touch-ups are being done, awaiting one last piece for the certificate of occupancy, related to a power supply change. The certificate of occupancy is expected within the week. MaineHousing also needs to conduct final inspections. It might take a few weeks for the first residents to move in, partly due to processes involving project-based vouchers needing approval from MaineHousing. There are 41 units total; 18 have project-based vouchers tied to the property, and 23 do not, potentially allowing for quicker move-ins for those units. 10 individuals previously at Camp Hope have been contacted for interviews for Teresa’s Place. CHCS will have a staff person on-site 40 hours a week, though it won’t be staffed 24/7 initially.
• Milford Street Project: Penquis is ready to start this project but is waiting on MaineHousing’s loan approval process. Penquis hopes to get an early start using other available funds while waiting for MaineHousing.

2. National League of Cities (NLC) Conference Debrief:

• Councilors attended the NLC conference in Washington D.C., meeting with representatives from other Maine communities and MMA staff.
• Topics discussed at the conference included economic/workforce development, housing supply, safe communities, federal funding, clean energy finance, PFAS rules, tech-ready communities, and aviation.
• Councilors noted that Bangor is often ahead of other communities on issues like housing zoning and density.
• Potential grant opportunities were identified related to wastewater monitoring for opioid use, arts and culture for health/social cohesion, economic mobility, the Neighborhood Home Investment Act, and Main Street USA placemaking.
• The importance of having “shovel-ready” projects to quickly apply for uncertain federal funding was highlighted.
• The need for an AI policy for the city was mentioned.
• Meetings were held with Senator King, Senator Collins, and Representative Golden. Key discussion points included protecting federal funding partnerships (like housing vouchers, LIHEAP, CDBG), municipal tax-exempt financing, the impact of Canadian tariffs (especially on aviation fuel from Irving ), improving communication with federal agencies, supporting “treatment in place” for EMS (billing for non-transport medical services ), and concerns about proposed OSHA fire brigade rules impacting volunteer/on-call departments.

3. Legislative Updates:

• The state legislature passed the budget, avoiding a shutdown, but is back in session to work on additional bills. The standard two-week notice for public hearings has been paused.
• LD 297 (Bulky Waste): Supports extending the allowance for using bulky waste in state landfills, which is necessary for accepting biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, until 2028. Council supports this.
• Call for Legislative Committee: Councilor Leonard expressed the need for a dedicated council legislative committee to methodically track bills and advocate for Bangor’s interests, given the volume and speed of legislation. I echoed this. Council Chair Pelletier suggested potentially hiring a lobbyist if current association memberships (LPC, Mayor’s Coalition) aren’t sufficient.
• LD 1144 (Property Tax Stabilization): Discussed reinstating a property tax stabilization program for seniors (65+) on homesteads valued up to $900,000, with 100% state reimbursement promised. Concerns were raised about the program’s sustainability (based on the previous version’s issues ), the administrative burden, the lack of an income test in the original bill, and potential inequities. The council leaned towards suggesting alternatives like using the existing Maine Property Tax Fairness Credit program, which the state could administer more effectively.
• General Assistance (GA) Bill (LD 1178): Supports a bill to add enforcement (“teeth”) to prevent municipalities from moving individuals to avoid GA responsibility, including adding a rebuttable presumption and shortening reimbursement times. Council supports this. (The key for me is that it doesn’t punish the person seeking the assistance. The last thing we want to do is turn innocent people into pinballs between communities.)
• LD 748 (BRAP Funding): Discussed providing additional funding for the Bridging Rental Assistance Program (BRAP). The state recently paused all new BRAP awards due to unprecedented need, having previously limited it only to priorities 1 (psychiatric hospitalization) and 2 (incarceration). The council strongly supports this funding, emphasizing BRAP’s role in preventing homelessness.
• LD 1078 (Syringe Service Programs – SSPs): Discussed a bill allowing licensed SSPs to operate mobile services throughout a county without new applications. Concerns were raised about the lack of required municipal input/approval based on a past negative experience. However, the need for SSPs to combat the HIV outbreak and reach vulnerable populations was stressed. The council leaned towards testifying “neither for nor against” or suggesting amendments, such as requiring municipal notification/input and adding a grievance process for non-compliant SSPs, rather than outright opposition. The Maine CDC reportedly testified “neither for nor against” the bill as written.
• LD 290 (Vehicle Fines): Briefly mentioned a bill that would return 15% of vehicle law fines to the municipality where the violation occurred. Currently, the city receives none of this revenue.
• LD 558 (Medical Debt): Briefly mentioned a bill prohibiting the reporting of medical debt on consumer credit reports, noted as potentially beneficial for residents.

4. City Manager Updates:

• BRAP Program: Reiterated the pause on new BRAP applications effective that day.
• Bangor Housing Authority (BHA): BHA requested a letter of support for their Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion to renovate Birch Park (Birch Circle/Griffin Park) using Section 8 contracts. Council was supportive.
• Public Comment Policy: Clarified the recently adopted policy. The initial public comment period (for non-agenda items) is limited to 15 minutes, with the option to continue at the end of the meeting if needed. Public comment on specific agenda items is still permitted when the item is introduced. Addressed confusion from the previous week regarding the continuation of the initial comment period. Suggestions were made to remind the public they can speak on specific agenda items when they come up.

Regular City Council Meeting

The agenda for this meeting can be viewed here.

I was assigned Order 25-095 “Authorizing the Fire Department to Apply for a Grant Through the Maine Emergency Medical Services Stabilization and Sustainability Program in the Amount of $192,564.77 to Fund EMS Related Equipment and Training”

That’s a wrap for March 2025!

The highlight of this month for me was the National League of Cities Conference. In the near future I will write about the experience and what I learned that could be applied to Bangor.

An ongoing issue from this month is the unfinished audit. The reason why this is such an important issue is the fact that the City of Bangor decided around 1997 to tie its Annual Report to the audit and produce a Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for bond rating purposes. My concern was City Council would head into another budget season having received the new budget before we received the annual report for the last closed fiscal year.

City Council did in fact receive the City Manager’s budget during a workshop last night (April 14, 2025) and to date the Fiscal Year 2024 audit is not complete, nor has City Council received the Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report.