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.
Infrastructure Committee Meeting
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Tree Donation by Bangor Beautiful
Bangor Beautiful proposed the donation of 18 trees to be planted at the intersection of Oak and State Street. The plan includes planting small shrubs in the center median and larger trees along the side where a mural is being painted. In addition to the trees, Bangor Beautiful will provide 18 tree watering bags to help sustain the new plantings. The committee expressed gratitude for the organization’s ongoing efforts to beautify the city, and the donation was moved for approval.
Easement Agreement at 189 Gilman Road
The Director of Engineering presented a request for an easement for a solar project at 189 Gilman Road. During the project’s development, it was found that some components encroach on the building setback line at the end of Gilman Road. The company, Bangor ME1 LLC, is requesting an easement of about 25 feet to accommodate this. The Director noted the request is reasonable as it is at the end of the right-of-way. The committee discussed the alternative of discontinuing that section of the road but ultimately recommended the easement request be forwarded to the full council for approval.
Valley Avenue Speed Study Update
Davis also provided an update on a recent speed study conducted on Valley Avenue following resident concerns. The study, which ran from August 22nd to August 29th, analyzed 5,031 vehicles. With a posted speed limit of 25 mph, the average speed recorded was 22 mph, and the 85th percentile speed was 28 mph, indicating that excessive speeding is not a general problem in the specific location monitored. However, a previous study from November 2024 near Bruce Road did show notable speeding. In response, Davis proposed placing the radar units at both ends of Valley Avenue to collect more comprehensive data before deciding on further action. The committee agreed with this plan.
Business & Economic Development Committee
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Golf Course Membership Fee Increase
The Parks and Recreation Director presented a proposal to increase membership fees for the city’s 27-hole golf course for the 2026 season. A review found that the current rates were lower than other local courses. The last rate adjustment for memberships occurred three years ago. The committee discussed the rate structure, including why corporate fees are the same for residents and non-residents. It was explained that the corporate membership program is being phased out and currently applies to only a few remaining businesses. A committee member suggested that annual, smaller fee increases might be better received by the public than a large increase every few years. The committee seemed to support the review, noting the course is a great and popular asset.
Update on City Projects
City staff provided updates on several ongoing projects that do not yet require formal council orders.
- Historic Preservation Ordinance: Staff and the Historic Preservation Commission are working to update the ordinance to clarify processes and design requirements. A workshop is scheduled for October to further develop the language. The updates will also address language regarding “exceptional circumstances” and economic factors. It will also look at aesthetic congruity as a decision making factor.
- Pre-approved Architectural Plans: A project funded by ARPA to create pre-approved building plans is nearly complete. The plans include designs for two types of accessory dwelling units, as well as two-family and four-family homes, intended to blend in with existing neighborhoods. The project was nominated for an award by the Maine chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The plans are currently undergoing a final review for recent building code changes and will be officially released to the public soon.
- Science Museum Feasibility Study: The city is working with the Maine Discovery Museum on a feasibility study for a new science center, as Maine is the only state without one. The project is supported by a congressional outlay of funds. Staff recently participated in a conference to gather ideas from other museums. The project will include public involvement as it moves forward.
- Commercial Kitchen: An RFP for the commercial kitchen project is expected to be released next week. Staff will provide a formal update with cost estimates at the next meeting.
Finance Committee
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Custodial Services Contract Discussion
The primary agenda item was a continued discussion regarding the contract for custodial services at the airport, city hall, and Public Health and Community Services.
Background:
- The city has used the current cleaning vendor for 30 years, and the contract was last rebid in 2005.
- City Manager stated that waiting so long to rebid the contract was not ideal for the city, which missed out on competitive bids, or for the vendor, who could not update pricing or renegotiate scope.
- Following a recent procurement process, staff recommended awarding the new contract to the low bidder, SJ Services.
Vendor Concerns & Proposed Solutions: Two main concerns were raised about the recommended vendor, SJ Services:
- Wage and Hour Violations: The company had past wage and hour violations in Massachusetts. The City Manager proposed addressing this by writing a clause into the contract requiring compliance with all wage laws and mandating that the vendor alert the city of any future complaints.
- Service Quality: The Airport Director checked references for SJ Services and received positive feedback. The Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority would “cringe at the thought of changing this vendor,” and Danvers Public Schools, which used the vendor for 20 years, would reissue the contract to them.
Current Vendor Performance:
- Airport: The airport director noted that while the current vendor was quick to acknowledge issues, there were no “continuous service improvements,” which prompted the re-bidding process.
- Public Health: The Director of Bangor Public Health and Community Services reported staff complaints about the cleanliness of bathrooms, hallways, and the main lobby from her first day on the job. While the vendor would respond quickly to complaints, the quality would soon slip again. The issues were significant enough that the department contracted another company for a one-time deep clean last year.
- City Hall: Assistant City Manager stated that the staff who service city hall have been there a long time and generally meet the building’s needs.
Committee Action:
- A question was raised about a late-offered 2% discount from the incumbent vendor, which would have created a $40,000 price difference. However, the city solicitor cautioned that for fairness in the procurement process, all terms should have been in the initial bid.
- Motion was made to move forward with the staff’s recommendation to award the contract to SJ Services.
- The motion passed with a 4-1 vote. The recommendation will now go to the full council.
Bids and Purchases
The committee also approved the following purchases:
- Airfield Maintenance Truck: The committee approved the purchase of a one-ton truck for airfield maintenance from O’Connor Auto Park for $97,625. This was the lowest of three bids and came in under the $103,000 budget.
- Maine Avenue Sidewalk Project: The committee approved a contract with LZT Services for $224,861 for the site work portion of the Main Avenue Sidewalk Project. This project was rebid because initial bids came in too high; rebidding with a longer timeline for a spring start resulted in better pricing. The project is funded through a Maine DOT program.
Government Operations Committee
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Parks and Recreation Partnership with Bangor Rotary
The committee approved an order to move to the full Council, authorizing the Parks and Recreation Department to partner with the Bangor Rotary. The project focuses on improving signage along the Kenduskeag Stream Trail. The Rotary Club will contribute both volunteers and funds to the effort.
Discussion on 287(g) Agreements
The conversation was a robust and multi-faceted debate initiated by the Chair and Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights (ACREIHR). They presented a proposal for the City of Bangor to pass a resolution to formally opt out of any future 287(g) agreements, which deputize local police to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Committee’s Rationale
The advisory committee’s primary motivation was to address the significant fear within the community. The ACREIHR Chair explained that residents are afraid to perform daily activities, such as going to the grocery store or dropping their children at school, because of an increased ICE presence and stories of “friends and neighbors disappearing”. The proposed resolution was intended as a clear statement from the city to ensure all citizens feel safe and to affirm that control of the Bangor Police Department would not be given to ICE.
They also provided context regarding a statewide bill on Governor Mills’ desk that would make all Maine cities opt out of 287(g) agreements. However, with a decision not expected until January, the committee felt the matter was too urgent to wait. The ACREIHR Chair acknowledged their initial draft was intentionally broad, like a starting point for negotiation, and they were open to discussing and revising the language.
Concerns from the Council
Several councilors immediately raised concerns, focusing on potential unintended consequences and the lack of input from law enforcement.
- Need for Police Input: Councilors noted that the Police Chief had not been consulted on the proposal and that his input was essential before making any decision affecting his department.
- Unnecessary Action: One councilor argued that since the department does not currently participate in these agreements and there isn’t an existing problem, passing a resolution was a case of “‘not broke, why fix it'”.
- “Target on Our Back”: A major theme of the opposition was the fear that passing such a resolution would put a “target on our back”. They worried it would draw negative attention from federal authorities. I countered with “I’m more concerned right now about the target on the backs of minorities who live here”. I also voiced concern over the potential long-term consequences of yielding to the fear of losing federal funds. I questioned what might come next if the city were to capitulate on this issue, raising the hypothetical possibility of future funding being tied to arrest quotas, such as making “10 arrests a week, 50 arrests a week”.
- Risk to Federal Funding: The City Solicitor expanded on the funding concern, stating that while the resolution would have no binding legal effect on future councils, it would likely have a negative political effect. This could invite federal authorities to reconsider crucial funding for the airport, public health department, and bus system.
- Enforceability: I suggested that while a resolve would lack any legal effect, under Chapter 9, Section 18 of city code it could be done as a legislative policy directive by way of a council order.
Path Forward
Ultimately, the committee agreed that the conversation was a valuable starting point but that more information was needed. The consensus was to revisit the topic at a future meeting after the advisory committee had a chance to consult with the Police Chief and the City Solicitor.
Public Health Update
Director of Bangor Public Health and Community Services, provided an update on several topics:
- HIV Outbreak: The city is holding at 28 reported cases. Two case manager positions for the Intensive Case Management program, funded by opiate settlement funds, have been filled.
- Mosquito-Borne Disease: Penobscot County was placed at severe risk for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). However, experts believe the season is winding down due to colder temperatures and dry weather.
- Public Health Nursing Grant: The department is in discussions with Maine CDC to secure additional funds through the Public Health Infrastructure Grant to retain two public health nurses.
- General Assistance: Statewide maximum rates for general assistance have increased significantly. For example, a one-bedroom unheated apartment maximum rose from $898 to $1043.
Following the update, the committee passed a motion approving three orders and one resolve related to public health funding, including applying for grants to support housing stability and the community paramedicine program.
Community Connector
Staffing Challenges
- Currently, there are 20 drivers for the fixed-stop transit service and six for the ADA paratransit service.
- However, five drivers are out on medical leave.
- Six additional drivers only work one or two shifts per week.
- The recent service reduction lowered the number of daily shifts from 26 to 22, but this still leaves at least two open shifts to be filled every day.
Recruitment and Training Difficulties
- The city offers nearly continuous training classes for new drivers, with four people currently enrolled.
- The training process is lengthy; getting a passenger (P) endorsement for an existing Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) takes two months, and it’s longer for those who need to get their CDL from scratch.
- Some trainees discover that driving a large bus in constant traffic is not for them. The job requires significant customer service skills, which makes it different from other CDL-required jobs like driving a dump truck.
- New federal rules (FEMSA) have made it more difficult to get a CDL, requiring classroom time and road experience, whereas previously one could just study a book and take a test.
- The applicant pool is limited by factors such as the legalization of recreational marijuana, as THC is still federally illegal and tested for.
Competition and Potential Solutions
- The primary competition for drivers is school systems, which often offer higher pay.
- A request will be made during the budget process to make some driver positions full-time. The drivers’ contract is up for negotiation next year, which will provide another opportunity to address wages.
- One councilor suggested the city could offer a CDL class open to other industries to generate revenue and attract a larger pool of candidates. In response, it was noted that the city’s focus is on its own needs and that it is not set up to be a regional training catalyst, a role better suited for a community college. The city’s Public Works department has held CDL classes before, but often loses newly licensed drivers to higher-paying private sector jobs.
- The city’s transit administrator keeps up with national best practices, but has not found any “bronze bullet” solutions to the driver shortage affecting transit systems across the country.
Council and Staff Remarks
- Staff acknowledged the significant impact the service reductions have on riders who rely on the bus system, causing them to wait an extra half-hour for buses on affected routes.
- They emphasized that the drivers and dispatchers feel this impact most personally and that the team is doing the best it can with limited resources.
- Councilors expressed appreciation for the staff’s hard work in minimizing service delays and acknowledged the need to have a broader council conversation about making wages more competitive for such an important public service.
