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

Click here to read the meeting agenda.

ARPA Project Update: United Way Nonprofit Hub

The United Way Heart of Maine presented an update on the Community Maine’s Nonprofit Hub, funded in part by a $400,000 ARPA award from the city.

• Facility: The United Way acquired and renovated 700 Mount Hope Ave, a 9,800-square-foot space formerly owned by Tyler Technologies.
• Progress: Renovations were completed in three and a half months, and the organization moved in mid-October.
• Current Status: Four office spaces are already rented via word-of-mouth; the hub will soon offer board training, marketing workshops, and business “incubator” support for new nonprofits.

Budget Process and Legislative Edits

The City Manager provided an overview of the upcoming budget cycle.

• Timeline: Internal department meetings are beginning now, with a proposed budget expected to reach the Council in early to mid-April.
• Engagement: Council members discussed increasing dialogue with the School Committee to avoid “raw conversations” from previous years. A joint presentation of the superintendent’s budget was scheduled for the following Wednesday.
• Legislative Committee: The Council reviewed minor edits to the standing legislative committee ordinance to ensure full council approval for state or federal advocacy.

Immigration Enforcement Ordinances

The workshop’s most significant debate centered on two proposed ordinances regarding federal civil immigration enforcement.

The Proposals

• Chapter 46 (Councilor Beck): A “fiscal responsibility” measure to prohibit the use of city funds or personnel for federal civil immigration matters without a judicial warrant.
• Identity and Hiring (Councilor Faloon): Proposed prohibiting city staff from wearing identity-concealing face coverings and restricted the hiring of former ICE agents who served after January 20, 2025.

Council Debate

• Proponents: Argued the measures protect the city from civil rights litigation, build trust with residents living in fear, and ensure local police remain focused on local safety.
• Opponents: Questioned the necessity of the ordinances, noting that the police department does not currently engage in this behavior. They raised concerns about jeopardizing federal funding and putting officers in legally ambiguous situations.
• Legal Concerns: The City Solicitor identified significant legal risks, stating the hiring restriction likely violates the 14th Amendment and the city’s ethics code. He also warned that transparency requirements for employee complaints could violate employment law.

Votes

Ordinance	Result	Vote
Chapter 46 (Employee Authority)	Passed to First Reading	5-4
Chapter 28/33 (Identity/Hiring)	Failed	4-5

Regular City Council Meeting

Click here to see the agenda for this meeting.

All items on this agenda receive passage or referral.

Proclamations and Recognitions

• Black History Month: The Council proclaimed February as Black History Month, recognizing the contributions of Black Americans and encouraging the study of Maine’s Black history. Members of the Bangor High School Civil Rights team accepted the proclamation.
• Emergency Personnel: A special proclamation recognized the “extraordinary, courageous efforts” of first responders following a private jet crash at Bangor International Airport on January 25, 2026. The response involved over 50 personnel from various departments working in -12°F wind chills and near-blizzard conditions.

Consent Agenda

• 26-075: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed for Real Estate Located at 15 Charles Street
• 26-076: Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed for Real Estate Located at 63 Walter Street
• 26-077: Authorizing the City Manager to Accept $10,000 in Funds, as Result of a State Criminal Forfeiture
• 26-078: Authorizing the City Manager to Accept $1,557 in Funds and One Firearm, as Result of a State Criminal Forfeiture
• 26-079: Authorizing the City Manager to Accept Two Firearms, as Result of a State Criminal Forfeiture
• 26-080: Accepting the 2025 Annual Report from the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights
• 26-081: Authorizing the Purchase of a 2026 Snow Mauler Plow Truck for the Airport from Airport Technologies, Inc. for $542,716
• 26-082: Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Subcontract with Maine Mental Health Connection’s Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center to Receive Up to $50,000 from the State of Maine Overdose Response Pilot Grant
• 26-083: Awarding Contract to Stantec Consulting Inc. to Provide Fuel and Storage Facility Engineering Services for Bangor International Airport
• 26-084: Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Contract with Sargent Corporation to Install a Stormwater Trunk Line at the Sanford Brook Drainage Area in the Amount of $436,982
• 26-085: Authorizing an Update to Policy Governing Public Use of City Hall

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Referrals to Committee and First Reading

• 26-086: Amending the Land Development Code, Section 165-73 Parking Area Location and Screening to Remove the Buffer Requirement for Parking Lots Adjacent to Properties Zoned G&ISD, Except Where the Adjacent Property Contains a Residential, Cemetery, or School Use (First Reading and Referral to Planning Board meeting on February 17, 2026)
• 26-087: Amending the Land Development Code, Section 165-13 Definitions to Remove State Street from the Minor Arterial Street Definition (First Reading and Referral to Planning Board meeting on February 17, 2026)
• 26-088: Amending Chapter 165, Land Development Code, District Map to Re-zone a Property Located at R23-003-B from Rural Residence and Agricultural District (RR&A) to Government and Institutional Service District (G&ISD) (First Reading and Referral to Planning Board meeting on February 17, 2026)
• 26-089: Amending the Code of the City of Bangor to Create a Standing Legislative Committee (First Reading)
• 26-090: Making an Appropriation from Undesignated Fund Balance in the Amount of Up to $50,000 to Fund a Director of Human Resources (First Reading and Referral to Government Operations Committee Meeting on March 2, 2026)

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Unfinished Business

• 26-073: Amending the Code of the City of Bangor by Changing the Restrictions on Short-Term Rentals in Tiny Home Parks and Manufactured Home Parks
  • I voted yes on this ordinance, but I shared some concerns.
    • Shared Concerns on Housing: Beck expressed a perspective similar to Councilor Leonard’s regarding the inappropriateness of short-term rentals during a housing crisis.
    • Support for Fairness: Despite those concerns, I supported the ordinance to avoid unfairly singling out tiny home park owners, given that STRs were already permitted in mobile home parks.
    • Enforcement Requests: I requested regular updates on city enforcement efforts, suggesting a progress-tracking spreadsheet similar to those used for abandoned properties.
    • System Integrity: I emphasized that the STR system is not voluntary but is the law. I argued that a lack of enforcement is inherently unfair to those who follow the rules, pay fees, and undergo inspections.
• 26-074: Authorizing $450,000 from the Stormwater Unassigned Fund Account for Construction of a Stormwater Trunk Line for the Sanford Brook Drainage Area

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New Business

• 26-091: Establishing the City Council’s Priorities for 2026
  • Establish a comprehensive plan to address homelessness: The Council aims to create a strategy using regional and nationwide experts, alongside local stakeholders, to improve how the City supports relevant organizations and to recommend new strategies to decrease the impact of homelessness.
  • Continue to address housing needs: Focusing on housing gaps and unmet needs, the Council noted several ongoing projects (such as Sunrise Senior Living and a tiny home project) and is considering the creation of a standing committee focused on housing or housing bonds.
  • Advocate for a fairer share of regional costs: As a regional service center, Bangor hosts many tax-exempt institutions. The Council intends to explore innovative ways to encourage broader regional participation and cost-sharing for these services.