Bangor City Council Meeting Summaries for November 17, 2025

Summary of the Finance, Business & Economic Development, and Infrastructure Committee meetings held on November 17, 2025 in Bangor, Maine.

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.

This council year I have the privilege of serving on the Finance Committee, the Infrastructure Committee, and will be the Chair of the Government Operations Committee.

Finance Committee

You can read the meeting agenda by clicking here.

Committee Orientation and Procedures

Finance Director provided an overview of committee operations for the benefit of newly appointed councilors.

Schedule: Meetings generally occur on the first and third Monday of each month at 5:15 p.m. or later.
Agenda Items: Typical items include consent agendas, workout agreements (tax payment plans), and staff emergency purchases over $25,000.
Procurement Policy: Purchases over $25,000 generally go out to bid; those exceeding $250,000 are referred to the full council.
Process Improvement:
- Councilors requested access to Request for Proposals (RFP) documents and bid details to better understand what they are voting on.
- Decision: To avoid excessive printing, the City Manager and committee agreed to hyperlink RFPs directly in the digital agenda moving forward.
- Future packets will include selection criteria to explain how bids are ranked beyond just dollar amounts.

Financial Updates & Audit Recommendations

Reconciliations: Councilor Mallar inquired about the status of audit committee recommendations regarding monthly reconciliations.
Staffing: Finance Director noted that staff is working through the backlog, though progress has been hindered by staffing shortages. The department expects to be fully staffed very soon.

Bids and Purchases

Fire Department Community Risk Assessment

Purpose: To conduct a risk assessment and develop a “standards of cover” document.
Bids: Six bids were received, ranging from $21,000 to $75,000.
Selection: The lowest bidder, Response GIS, was not recommended due to a lack of experience with complex communities in the northeast.
Recommendation: The committee recommended awarding the contract to Matrix Consulting Group for $44,300 based on their experience with projects of similar size and complexity.

Grants and Donations

Fidelity Charitable Donation

Amount: $7,500 from the Myles Striar Charitable Fund.
Usage: Funds will be administered by the Department of Public Health and Community Services to assist residents affected by federal delays, specifically for SNAP benefits and heating assistance (LIHEAP).
Reporting: Councilors requested an end-of-year accounting to specifically track how these donated funds are utilized.

Airport Business

TSA Checkpoint Expansion Funding

Action: The committee moved to ratify the City Manager’s application for a Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) and to appropriate $16,449,413 for the project.
Context: The application had to be submitted earlier than the original 2026 plan because passenger traffic was higher than expected, causing the previous collection period to close early.
Funding Mechanism: The funds are generated by a $4.50 charge per passenger ticket.
Next Steps: Both the ratification and appropriation orders will move to the full council next week.

Business and Economic Development Committee

Click here to read the agenda for this meeting.

Departmental Overview & Education

Business & Economic Development Director provided an orientation on the Community and Economic Development Department, detailing its four divisions and their interaction with the committee:

Code Division: Handles building codes, zoning, and dangerous buildings. Dangerous building demolition requests must come to this committee before the full council.
Community Development: Manages Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds (approx. $850,000/year) and prepares the five-year consolidated plan.
Planning Division: Acts as the regulatory arm, staffing the Planning Board and Historic Preservation Commission, and managing long-term plans like the Comprehensive Plan and Climate Action Plan.
Economic Development: Focuses on business retention, the airport foreign trade zone, and special projects like the central kitchen at 50 Cleveland Street.

Cultural Development Grant Recommendations

The Commission on Cultural Development recommended $10,500 in grants for the fall cycle. The committee discussed the following requests:

Bangor Arts Collaborative: $1,500 for marketing and supplies for a December 13th festival.
Bangor Symphony Orchestra: $3,000 for expanding the music and wellness program.
Penobscot Theatre Company:
- $2,500 for the production of two John Cariani plays.
- $2,000 for new LED stage lighting equipment.
Robinson Ballet: $1,500 for a production at the Gracie Theatre in May.

Discussion & Vote:

Concerns: Councilor Mallar raised concerns regarding the lack of current IRS Form 990s for applicants, the appropriateness of funding fixed assets (lighting), and the presence of alcohol at city-funded events.
Support: Some Councilors argued that investing in culture creates a “bang for the buck” regarding economic surplus and tourism.
Result: The motion to recommend the grants passed via roll call vote (4-1).
- Yes: Leonard, Fish, Carson, Faloon
- No: Mallar

Land Development Code Change: Arterial Streets

Staff proposed changing the classification of Ohio Street and correcting State Street in the Land Development Code.

Proposal: Reclassify Ohio Street from a “minor arterial” to a “major arterial” and ensure State Street is listed solely as a major arterial.
Rationale: Ohio Street meets the traffic count (over 10,000 daily) and lane criteria for a major arterial.
Impact on Land Use: Currently, uses such as working farms, places of worship, and nursing homes are limited to major arterials. Changing Ohio Street to a major arterial would fix legal non-conformities for existing entities.
Pending Project: The change would facilitate a proposed recreation center partnership with Penobscot Christian School, which is currently restricted under the minor arterial designation.
Next Steps: Staff will return to the committee with data regarding the specific number of properties affected before moving the item to the full council.

Executive Session & Other Business

Partnership Transparency: Councilor Mallar requested that organizations receiving city funding (e.g., Downtown Partnership) explicitly credit the City of Bangor in their publications.
Real Estate Disposition: The committee entered an executive session to discuss the disposition of real property for economic development.
- Outcome: Following the session, the committee voted to approve a purchase which will advance to the full city council meeting scheduled for November 24, 2025.

Infrastructure Committee

Click here to read the meeting agenda.

Committee Overview

Director of Engineering provided an orientation on the Infrastructure Committee’s responsibilities, which include:

Project Review: Reviewing and approving capital projects such as sanitary sewers, streets, intersection improvements, and trails.
Funding & Contracts: Approving grants from state and federal agencies (e.g., Maine DOT, EPA) and reviewing contracts for roadway projects. Projects are often funded via 50/50 or 80/20 splits between federal/state and local agencies.
Street Modifications: Handling street acceptances, discontinuances, and easements (both public and private).
Stormwater Management: Overseeing the stormwater utility fee (established in 2010) and compliance as an MS4 community.
Public Concerns: Addressing resident concerns regarding traffic speed, crosswalks, and lighting.

Maine DOT Bridge Replacement Presentation

City Engineer presented on behalf of the Maine DOT regarding two upcoming bridge replacement projects managed by contractor Cianbro. The total project cost is over $42 million. See the agenda at the link above to view the presentation slides.

1. I-95 Bridge over Stillwater Avenue

Scope: Complete replacement of the existing three-span bridge with a single-span bridge to reduce joints and increase durability.
Traffic Impact: Construction will be staged to maintain northbound and southbound traffic without needing a temporary bridge.
Pedestrian Access: The intent is to maintain pedestrian access throughout the project, though short-term closures may occur with two weeks’ notice.

2. Kenduskeag Avenue Bridge over I-95

Scope: Replacement of the four-span bridge with a two-span bridge.
Improvements: The profile will be raised for better clearance, and a new six-foot sidewalk will be added to the north side where no connection currently exists.
Traffic Impact: Significant impact is expected; the bridge will be closed to all traffic for approximately eight months.
Detour: A detour plan involving Ohio Street and Valley Avenue is in place. Permanent safety improvements will be made at the intersection of Bruce Road and Valley Avenue (removing ledge and trees for visibility) to accommodate detour traffic.

Public Communication Strategy

Outreach Firm: Maine DOT has retained a firm specifically to assist in getting information out to the public.
Channels: Detour plans and graphics will be distributed via the City’s social media and website.
City Alerts: The committee discussed using the project to encourage residents to sign up for city alerts, potentially using a “countdown” strategy to prepare residents for the closure.
Departmental Coordination: Detour information was distributed to emergency services (Police, Fire) for input, and Engineering will verify if there are outstanding concerns regarding emergency access.

Project Timeline

January 2026: Mobilization begins for Stillwater Avenue.
November 2026: Detour improvements begin for Kenduskeag Avenue.
February 2027: Kenduskeag Avenue Bridge closes for construction.
October 2027: Kenduskeag Avenue Bridge reopens.
October 2029: Full project completion.

Sewer Abatement Request

Issue: A request was submitted for a sewer abatement due to a significant water leak caused by a running toilet.
Policy: Abatements are approved for accidental water loss once repairs are confirmed, but not for intentional use (e.g., filling pools).
Outcome: The committee approved an abatement of $4,063.45.

Q&A and Discussion

Roof Drains: It was clarified that while new ordinances prohibit connecting roof drains to the sewer, some downtown areas have grandfathered combined connections.
Bridge Lifespan: The new bridges are expected to have a lifespan of 75 to 100 years.
Concurrent Projects: Concerns were raised about the overlap with the ongoing Broadway project. City Engineer noted that Broadway is expected to finish in 2027, so there will be concurrent construction.