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.

Finance Committee

You can read the meeting agenda here.

Tax Lien Workout Agreements

The committee was presented with a series of workout agreements for homeowners with expired tax liens on their properties. These one-year agreements allow homeowners to avoid the city taking their property by making quarterly payments on the owed amount while also staying current on new property taxes. These were approved.

Bids and Purchases

1. Union Street Fields Drainage Improvements: The city received nine bids for drainage improvements at the Union Street Fields, including the installation of catch basins and underdrain pipes.

• Action: The committee awarded the project to the lowest bidder, Eastern Main Excavation of Bangor, for $52,298. The project is funded through the fiscal year 2026 Parks and Rec budget.

2. Airport Deicing Stormwater Treatment System: After an initial bid process in April yielded only one response, the project was rebid. The airport received three new bids for phase four of the deicing stormwater treatment maintenance.

• Action: Staff recommended awarding the contract to Sargent Corporation, which had the best combination of cost and a faster completion time (30 days vs. 80 days). The contract includes a penalty clause if the timeline is not met. The project is funded through the airport’s operating budget. $382,700 was the accepted bid.

3. Energy Audits for City Buildings: This item was previously tabled due to questions. The city accepted bids for energy audits for five city buildings, funded by a community resilience partnership grant. The lowest bidder was not chosen because they failed to provide references or work samples.

• Action: The committee approved moving forward with the next-to-lowest bidder, Bureau Veritas, at a cost of $29,900. The cost is primarily covered by a grant, with a small amount (estimated under $1,000) from the city’s climate action fund. A discussion clarified that the final cost accounted for additional specific tests, such as decarbonization testing, that were priced out by all bidders upon request.

4. Parking Revenue Control System Upgrades: Staff recommended waiving the bid process to upgrade the parking revenue control systems at the airport’s lots. The new Amano equipment is compatible with systems already in use at other city locations.

• Action: The committee approved the sole-source purchase through CTR Maine for $283,559. A council member questioned the sole-source process, but it was explained that changing vendors would require replacing the entire system at a greater expense.

Airport Grant Application

The committee was asked for preemptive approval for the airport to apply for an FAA Airport Terminal Program grant to fund the TSA security checkpoint relocation and expansion project. The grant opportunity is expected to open and close quickly.

• Action: The committee approved the motion to allow the airport to apply for the grant once it becomes available.

Business & Economic Development Committee

Click here to read the meeting agenda.

Code Change Request: Taylor Field Safe Zone

The City Solicitor’s office requested that Taylor Field be designated as a “safe zone”. This designation, allowed under state law, gives police the authority to charge individuals committing drug crimes within the zone with aggravated crimes. The goal is to limit drug-related crimes in areas frequented by minors. Taylor Field is used by the Bangor Little League for practice.

• This would be the 30th safe zone in the city.
• Informational signage explaining the heightened charges for drug crimes will be posted at the location.

The committee voted to move the request forward to the full City Council.

Consolidated Plan Presentation

The Community Development Officer presented the findings from a year-long, data-driven analysis to inform the city’s five-year consolidated plan. This plan helps guide the use of federal funding, such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, by identifying critical needs in Bangor. The plan’s specific focus is on low and moderate income residents. The slides for the presentation are available in the meeting’s agenda, and the presentation itself can be viewed in the YouTube recording for this meeting.

Key Findings on Demographics and Public Health

• Population: Bangor’s population was 31,000 in 2024, continuing a slight downward trend from 33,000 in 2010. The city’s median age has decreased to 40.7.
• Poverty and Income: Over 25% of residents live below the federal poverty line. 66% of children up to age 19 are on MaineCare.
• Education: High school graduation rates in Bangor (92%) are higher than state (86%) and national (87%) averages.
• Public Health: Bangor and Penobscot County experience a disproportionate rate of overdose deaths. In 2022, Bangor had 300% more overdose deaths than the county and state averages. The city also has the fifth-highest divorce rate in the United States.

Key Findings on Housing

• Housing Problems: 32% of all Bangor households experience at least one severe housing problem, such as substandard conditions, overcrowding, or cost burden.
• Cost Burden: Housing cost burden is the most common issue, with 16% of households spending more than half their income on housing. Renters are twice as likely as homeowners to experience housing problems.
• Disparities: Non-white households and Native American residents are disproportionately impacted by housing problems.
• Affordability Gap: There is a significant gap between median income and housing costs. An average person faces an income shortfall of about $22,000 to buy a median-priced home. To afford a median two-bedroom apartment, a single earner would need to make $34.15 per hour.
• Aging Housing Stock: Nearly 10,000 of Bangor’s housing units were built before 1980, posing a significant risk of lead-based paint exposure, particularly for the 1,113 families with children under age six living in them.

Key Findings on the Economy and Workforce

• Economic Drivers: The region’s key industries include healthcare, education, retail, manufacturing, and tourism.
• Commuters: Bangor is a regional service center, with an estimated 20,000 people commuting into the city for work, raising the daytime population to approximately 110,000.
• Workforce Skills: The highest growth sectors, health services and education, typically require an associate’s degree or higher, marking a shift from Bangor’s historical reliance on manufacturing and manual labor jobs.

Council Discussion and Reaction

Following the presentation, councilors described the findings as “depressing” and “alarming”. The report sparked a discussion about gentrification, with one councilor noting that rising housing costs are making the city unaffordable for the local population. I stated the report makes an “excellent case for an affordable housing bond” to help mitigate risks for developers and encourage the construction of more affordable units.

Director’s Report

The committee received several updates on departmental activities:

• Bangor has a new Director of Code Enforcement.
• The bid set for the commercial kitchen project is nearly ready to be released.
• Joint public meetings with the Planning Board are scheduled for the upcoming week to discuss the land use plan.
• Staff is working with the airport on the Foreign Trade Zone and coordinating marketing efforts for surrounding properties.
• A branding initiative, funded by an EPA grant, is underway, with graphics being shared on social media for public feedback.

Infrastructure Committee

You can read the meeting agenda here.

The primary agenda item was a request from the City Engineer to begin the process of discontinuing a portion of Miller Street. This was prompted by Maine Distributors, which has been acquiring property in the area and owns land on both sides of the street. Miller Street only serves these properties. The process requires Council authorization to start, followed by a public meeting and notification to abutters before a final report is presented to the Council. The discontinuation would involve a right-of-way of just over half an acre. Existing city utilities, including sewer and storm drains, would be taken over by the new owners and become private. The committee passed a motion to move forward with the request.

Following this, the City Engineer provided an update on several ongoing city projects:

• Randolph Sewer Improvement: This project is now complete, marking the final phase of a three-year revamp of the whole development.
• Maine Avenue: Bids for this grant-funded project came in too high with only two responses. The project will be put out to bid again with a longer completion timeline to attract better pricing in the spring.
• Union Street Resurfacing: This state grant project, running from Griffin to Davis Road, is now starting and includes new curbs and sidewalks.
• Pickering Square Project: Progress is being made, though it is slower than desired. The contractor has added more staff, and the project is still anticipated to be completed in September.
• Small Sewer Projects: In the last month and a half, a contractor has already completed 16 small repair projects for the fiscal year.
• 14th Street Bike and Pedestrian Improvements: This grant-funded project has begun.
• Park Improvements: The engineering department is working with the Parks and Recreation department on concepts for improvements at Cascade Park and Thomas Hill park area.

A question was raised about the status of pump stations, and it was confirmed that the project is ongoing with consultant Haley Ward. The engineer offered to provide a more detailed update at the next meeting. It was also noted that once the Pickering Square project is complete in September, the city hopes it will be immediately accessible to the public.