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.

For the last few years, before I ever considered running for office, this blog has been a space for me to share information and perspectives on the issues facing our community here in Bangor. My goal has always been simple: to contribute to a more informed and engaged citizenry because I believe that’s the foundation of a healthy city.

When you elected me to the City Council in November 2024, that core mission didn’t change, but you may have noticed my “voice” is different. As a private citizen, my only obligation was to be a good neighbor. Now that I’ve been elected to City Council, I am now bound by a formal Code of Ethics—a set of standards designed to ensure that public officials serve you with fairness, integrity, and transparency.

Navigating the line between my long-standing role as a citizen blogger and my new role as an elected official requires care and deliberate thought. That’s why I’m writing this post. I want to pull back the curtain and show you exactly how I am working to uphold the spirit and the letter of the City of Bangor’s Code of Ethics in my communications here. This act of explanation is, in itself, part of my commitment to you. True transparency isn’t just about following the rules; it’s about being open about how I follow them, so you can hold me accountable.

The Foundation of Trust: Our City’s Code of Ethics

It’s easy to think of a Code of Ethics as a restrictive list of things you can’t do. I see it differently. I view Bangor’s Code of Ethics as a framework of shared values that defines what we should do to build and maintain public trust. The code’s “Declaration of Policy” sets the stage perfectly, stating that government requires officials to be “fair, impartial and responsive,” that “public office not be used for personal gain,” and that we must all “maintain a standard of conduct that will inspire public confidence in the integrity of the City’s government”.

To me, it’s not just about avoiding conflicts of interest; it’s about proactively building a government you can believe in.

Our city’s code is also a living document, adapting to the times. Recent additions address the complexities of the modern world, with new sections on nonpartisanship and the use of social media added in 2017 and 2021, respectively. This shows that our city government recognizes that public service in the digital age presents unique ethical challenges. My effort to align my post-election blog posts with the code is part of that broader, necessary work of adapting our democratic norms to the 21st century.

The Councilor and the Citizen: Drawing a Clear Line in the Digital Sand

The central challenge is ensuring a clear distinction between “Mike Beck the Councilor” and “Mike Beck the citizen.” The Code of Ethics provides specific guidance on this, and I have implemented several clear, consistent practices on this blog to meet and exceed those standards.

The Disclaimer: My Ethical Guardrail

The most important tool I use to maintain this separation is the disclaimer you see on this site. It’s not just fine print; it is a direct and deliberate action to comply with my ethical obligations. At the top of my posts, and on the sidebar you will find a clear statement, such as: “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”. I’ve also made the distinction in my “About Mike” section on the sidebar, where I’ve also directed you to go to the City’s website for official positions.

This practice directly addresses two key sections of the Code of Ethics:

• § 33-7.1 (Use of social media) requires officials to include a qualifying statement that their views “do not reflect any official view or position of the City of Bangor”.
• § 33-13.1 (Use of titles and disclaimers) stresses that an official’s duty is to “remove ambiguity” about the capacity in which they are speaking.

By placing these disclaimers prominently and repeatedly across the site, I am working to establish an unmistakable context for every word I write here. Any reasonable person visiting this blog would immediately understand its unofficial nature. This consistent practice is my good-faith effort to ensure no one is ever misled into believing this is an official channel for the City of Bangor.

My Opinion, Clearly Labeled

Being elected doesn’t mean I have to give up my First Amendment rights or my personal viewpoints. However, it does mean I have a profound responsibility to express them in a way that doesn’t misrepresent the City Council as a whole. The code allows an official to speak in their individual capacity as long as it is “made clear and unambiguous”.

To that end, my approach on this blog is to first report the facts to the best of my ability, then offer my perspective. For example, in my summaries of committee meetings, I first provide objective details about the business at hand—such as contract awards, bid amounts, and project details. After presenting the facts, if I share my own view, I explicitly label it as such. For instance, after summarizing a presentation on housing, I wrote: “I stated the report makes an ‘excellent case for an affordable housing bond’…”. The use of “I stated” is a clear signal that this is my personal take, not the conclusion of the entire council.

This structure serves two purposes. First, it complies with the Code of Ethics. Second, it models a form of civic discourse I believe in deeply: understand the facts first, then form an opinion. By separating the two, I hope to not only inform you but also to encourage a more thoughtful and productive community conversation.

Upholding Bangor’s Nonpartisan Tradition

Local government works best when it focuses on potholes, public safety, and parks—not partisan politics. Bangor’s Code of Ethics reinforces this with § 33-1.1 (Nonpartisanship), which requires Councilors to “conduct themselves in a nonpartisan manner, favoring no political party” when acting in their official roles.

I am fully committed to this principle. This blog will continue to focus on Bangor-specific issues like housing, public health, infrastructure, and economic development—the topics you see in my posts. It will not be a platform for partisan campaigning or political attacks.

Furthermore, I believe the way we communicate can be as important as what we communicate. By grounding my posts in data-driven summaries—such as presenting the stark statistics on poverty and public health from city reports—I aim to foster an evidence-based discussion. When we start with a shared set of facts, I believe we are better equipped to find the best solutions for Bangor, regardless of political ideology. This method is, in itself, a practice of nonpartisan governance.

Transparency with a Hard Stop: Protecting Confidential Information

While my goal is to be as transparent as possible, there is a hard line that can never be crossed: the protection of confidential information. This is one of the most serious duties of any public official.

The Code of Ethics is unequivocal on this point. § 33-7 (Confidential information) prohibits any official from disclosing non-public information, with a special emphasis on discussions from closed-door executive sessions. These sessions are held for specific, legally-defined reasons, such as discussing real estate negotiations, legal matters, or personnel issues, where public disclosure could harm the city’s interests or violate individual privacy.

Let me be perfectly clear: This blog will never be a source for leaks or confidential information. Everything I write and summarize here is based on public meetings, publicly available agendas, and official publicly available documents. It is my responsibility to protect what must remain private. I take that responsibility seriously.

The Bottom Line: My Blogging Ethics in Practice

Ethical Principle (from Bangor Code of Ethics)	Relevant Section	My Corresponding Action on BangorMike.com
Separating Personal and Official Views	§ 33-7.1, § 33-13.1	Consistent use of prominent disclaimers on every page and post, clearly stating the blog represents my personal views, not the City’s.
Expressing Personal Opinions Responsibly	§ 33-13.1.B(2)(c)	Clearly labeling personal opinions using phrases like “I think” or “I stated,” separating them from summaries of meetings.
Maintaining Nonpartisanship	§ 33-1.1	Focusing content exclusively on local Bangor issues and data-driven policy discussions, avoiding partisan politics and campaigns.
Protecting Confidential Information	§ 33-7	Ensuring all blog content is sourced only from public meetings and documents. Strictly prohibiting any discussion of executive sessions or other non-public matters.

An Open Invitation to an Ongoing Conversation

My commitment to you is to continue communicating openly while rigorously adhering to the ethical standards our city has set for its public servants. This blog is a tool for transparency, but it’s also a two-way street. It is my attempt to be the “responsive” official that the Code of Ethics calls for. You can find my contact information by clicking here.

Thank you for reading and for placing your trust in me. I welcome your questions, your feedback, and your partnership in building a more informed and engaged Bangor. Please continue to hold me accountable to the standards I’ve outlined here. It’s a responsibility I take to heart.