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.
City Council Workshop
The meeting agenda had only one item listed: “City Manager Updates”.
❄️ Winter Parking Plan
The city is preparing a public information campaign regarding winter parking rules. The council emphasized the need for the public to clearly understand the requirements during a parking ban and the consequences, such as towing.
The city’s plan includes:
- A press release, social media content, and listserv distributions in early November.
- A second round of communications just before the first storm that is expected to require vehicles to be moved.
🌡️ Warming Center Update
The application period for the $60,000 in warming center funding closed last Wednesday with two applications received.
- Both applicants are existing organizations within the city.
- Each applicant requested the full $60,000. One organization proposed hosting 70 people, and the other proposed hosting 40.
- The city is following up with both regarding their budgets (which exceeded the $60,000) and staffing plans to ensure they can operate if funded.
- The city’s code team will also visit the facilities to ensure they can safely host a warming center.
- The $60,000 in funding comes from a one-time additional General Assistance (GA) allocation. The city manager noted that a future decision may be required on whether to fund both organizations, which would likely require using more of the additional GA funds.
🛒 Federal Shutdown and SNAP Benefits
The City Manager addressed concerns that the federal shutdown may prevent SNAP recipients from receiving their November benefits.
- The city is exploring using General Assistance (GA) money to provide emergency food benefits to affected residents.
- The Public Health department can access information on who is authorized for SNAP, which would make administering the emergency relief straightforward.
- This city-level relief is considered a “drop in the bucket” compared to the benefits folks would be losing.
- The council supported sending communications to Maine’s federal delegation and the governor’s office to support their efforts to find a solution.
- One councilor suggested the city should create a permanent program to respond to future federal failures.
- The city is also compiling an updated list of all food banks and meal resources and coordinating with local health groups and schools to efficiently direct resources to food banks.
💊 Opioid Advisory Committee
The Opioid Advisory Committee has established a grant application process to make recommendations on how to spend the city’s opioid settlement funds.
- The city has received just under $1.3 million in funds to date.
- After previous allocations, approximately $650,000 is currently available (not including interest).
- Grant applications are due December 1st.
- The committee is coordinating with the county to ensure projects are funded effectively.
- A discussion was held about the committee’s future, as its term is set to end December 31st, shortly after applications are due. A councilor suggested exploring a joint committee with Penobscot County to manage the smaller, ongoing annual payments.
🗓️ Upcoming Council Schedule
- Committee Meetings: Next Monday’s committee meetings will likely be canceled. This is to avoid a scenario where a committee votes on an item before the three new, incoming councilors have a chance to ask questions.
- Orientation Dates: The City Manager has tentatively scheduled orientation sessions for the new council:
- Council Orientation: Wednesday, November 19th, at the Cross Insurance Center.
- Council Priority Setting: Wednesday, December 10th, at the airport, which will include a tour.
- The City Manager also plans to meet individually with the successful candidates after the November 5th election to prepare them for their first meeting.
Regular City Council Meeting
You can read the meeting agenda by clicking here.
The two biggest items of the night were the rezoning request for Needlepoint Sanctuary (25-295) and the allocation of General Assistance reimbursement funds towards warming centers (25-297).
Needlepoint Sanctuary’s Rezoning (25-295)
Many members of the public appeared before City Council to express their support for the program and the zoning change. This is on top of the ~20 emails Council received also in favor of this rezoning. The matter had already been before the Planning Board, where it was voted in favor 5-1.
The measure passed City Council by a vote of 6-2.
Yes: Beck, Deane, Fournier, Hawes, Leonard, Tremble
No: Fish, Mallar
Warming Center Funding (25-297)
With the passage of this item $60,000 is now officially appropriated for use to fill the gap for warming center space this winter. This item was originally conceived at the October 6th Government Operations Committee meeting. During the workshop earlier this evening it was noted that 2 organizations had applied for the full $60,000. One group offered 70 spaces, the other offered 40. Due to the increased need this winter, there is a chance more funding may be needed which is a conversation the next Council would have.
This item was particularly important to me as it affirms that the City of Bangor will not be leaving anyone outside this winter due to lack of warming center capacity. I offered my appreciation to Bangor Public Health and the City Manager for putting this option on the table for City Council to consider.
The Full Agenda
All items on the agenda passed, and the one item (25-311) received first reading and was referred. You can read the items themselves in the agenda linked above.
Consent Agenda
- Item 25-301 ORDER: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed for Real Estate Located at 7 Shepherd Drive.
- Item 25-302 ORDER: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Bill of Sale for Real Estate Located at 12 N Street.
- Item 25-303 ORDER: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed for Real Estate Located at 21 Hutchinson Street.
- Item 25-304 ORDER: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed for Real Estate Located at 27 Virginia Lane.
- Item 25-305 ORDER: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Bill of Sale for Real Estate Located at 43 Holiday Park.
- Item 25-306 ORDER: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Bill of Sale for Real Estate Located at 150 Holiday Park.
- Item 25-307 ORDER: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Bill of Sale for Real Estate Located at 250 Cedar Falls.
- Item 25-308 ORDER: Authorizing the City Engineer to Begin the Process of Discontinuing a Portion of Gilman Road.
- Item 25-309 ORDER: Authorizing the City Engineer to Begin the Process of Discontinuing a Portion of Pushaw Road.
- Item 25-310 ORDER: Authorizing the City Manager to Enter Into A Development Agreement and City Option Agreement with Developer’s Collaborative Predevelopment LLC… for the… Former City Nursery on Grandview Avenue.
Referrals to Committee and First Reading
- Item 25-311 RESOLVE: Authorizing the City Manager to Accept and Appropriate $3,045,785 in Grant Funding from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for the Women, Infants, and Children Program (First Reading).
Unfinished Business
- Item 25-293 ORDINANCE: Amending Chapter 165-11, Appeals, to Remove Appeal Fees for Disability Variances and Fair Housing Act Reasonable Accommodations.
- Item 25-295 ORDINANCE: Amending Chapter 165, Land Development Code, District Map to Re-zone a Portion of the Property Located at 1009 Ohio St from Neighborhood Service District (NSD) to Government & Institutional Service District (G&ISD).
- Item 25-297 RESOLVE: Authorizing the City Manager to Accept and Appropriate $156,970.96 from Maine Department of Health and Human Services as a General Assistance One-Time Payment to Municipalities.
New Business
- Item 25-312 ORDER: Amending the Schedule of Fees to Remove the Requirement of Payment of the Board of Appeals Application Fee for Disability Variances and Fair Housing Act Reasonable Accommodations.
Appreciation for Two City Councilors
This evening marked the end of terms for Councilor Dan Tremble and Council Chair Rick Fournier. Each were presented with a plaque commemorating their time on City Council, and the City Staff presented them each with framed photos from their time on City Council.
Councilors offered heartfelt remarks for their service, and Dan and Rick gave brief remarks and expressed gratitude. I encourage you to watch at the end of of the video below.
I also thanked them for their service. I believe that decisions are made by the people who show up and these two have consistently done that. Dan Tremble will continue on in his work as a Penobscot County Commissioner. Councilor Fournier expressed he’ll continue to serve our community, and whatever that ends up looking like I’m certain Bangor will be better for it. I wish both of them the best, and as a resident of Bangor I am grateful for their service, especially now that I have a better understanding of the commitment myself having served my first full year.
There was a technical issue with Zoom that required a restarting of the stream. The first few minutes of the meeting, which was essential the welcome and the Pledge of Allegiance, can be found by clicking here.
