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.
Monday night’s City Council workshop packed in a lot — a new sidewalk ordinance recommendation, an update on Pierce Park, sobering homelessness statistics, and a pointed debate about whether Bangor needs a temporary overnight space now. Here’s what happened.
New Sidewalk Ordinance Gets a Makeover
The big opening item was a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights on updating the city’s sidewalk rules. Instead of tweaking the existing Chapter 257-4, the committee proposed adding a new subsection — 257-7 — specifically addressing the blocking or obstruction of sidewalks.
A few key details: the ordinance targets materials and objects, not people (there’s already a loitering ordinance for that). The word “storage” was deliberate — it implies something left there long-term, so a neighbor momentarily blocking the sidewalk to unload groceries isn’t going to catch a fine.
The enforcement section is tiered: officers are supposed to prioritize connecting people with outreach resources before issuing penalties. If it gets to fines, it’s $50 for a first offense and $100 for a second within a six-month window. The police chief’s office reviewed the language and didn’t raise objections — largely because the support-first approach already reflects how the department operates in practice.
One ACREIHR committee member, Suzette Furrow, submitted a minority report arguing the enforcement section is too ambiguous and could delay clearing sidewalks across Bangor’s roughly 200 miles of walkways. Councilor Fish also proposed tightening up some redundant language in the enforcement section before the vote.
The ordinance was up for second reading, meaning it was on track to pass that night.
Legislative Committee Gets Rolling
The newly formed legislative committee held its first meeting and identified three early priorities:
- Expanding who the committee can talk to — the current ordinance limits outreach to elected officials, and the committee wants to include candidates and community stakeholders.
- Hiring a lobbyist — staff is preparing a memo outlining what the city already pays for at the state level, to inform a discussion about whether a dedicated lobbyist makes sense.
- Dorothea Dix — the committee wants to better understand what the state’s long-term plans are for the facility and whether there are any opportunities for the city.
Pierce Park and a Stark Set of Numbers
The city manager gave an update on Pierce Park, noting that increased officer presence has made a visible dent in non-compliant activity there. But the bigger story was the data behind it.
The BCAT outreach team tracked contacts with new individuals — people they hadn’t encountered before. In January and February, those numbers were 21 and 18. By March and April, they jumped to 42 and 44. That’s more than 80 new people entering homelessness in Bangor in just two months.
The city manager was direct: the sidewalk ordinance will help manage immediate visible issues, but it doesn’t change the underlying reality that a growing number of people have nowhere to sleep at night. Roughly half, historically, report their last residence as Bangor; the other half come from elsewhere.
The Temporary Shelter Debate
That data sparked an urgent conversation about whether Bangor needs a temporary overnight space — and whether to wait for the newly forming homeless advisory committee or start moving now.
Some councilors argued that pre-loading a solution before the committee is even seated undermines the point of forming it. Others, including myself, said people’s lives are being impacted right now, and the list of viable options is short enough that action shouldn’t wait.
Several councilors made the point that police can’t keep asking people to move without having somewhere to direct them. The ghost of Camp Hope loomed over the discussion, with multiple members emphasizing that any future space would need clear rules, active management, and community partner involvement — not a city-run free-for-all.
Staff said they’re close to having an RFP ready for a daytime space (think 8–10 hours of coverage), and they’ll bring it to council for feedback before issuing it. On overnight space, the direction seemed to be: staff will go back and look at options, likely modeled on a broad-parameters RFP similar to the daytime space approach, and open to city, private, and nonprofit land.
One councilor put it bluntly: “If we don’t start, we’re going to be sitting here in December with the snow blowing and no better off than we are right now.”
The meeting closed with a motion to enter three executive sessions covering a union matter, ordinance enforcement legal questions, and use of city property.
Regular City Council Meeting
Click here to read the meeting agenda.
The council kicked off the evening with a proclamation declaring May as Older Americans Month, presented by Councilor Mallar.
An extended public comment period — the first in recent memory to run the full allotted hour — drew passionate testimony from business owners, housed residents, and unhoused community members alike, largely centered on homelessness, sidewalk conditions, and the state of the public library. Several currently homeless speakers personally appealed to the council for a sanctioned outdoor space, presenting informal surveys showing interest in participating in such a program.
Consent Agenda — Passed unanimously
The following six items passed as a package without discussion:
- 26-154: Authorized execution of a municipal bill of sale for property at 10 A Street.
- 26-155: Authorized execution of a municipal quitclaim deed for property at 166 Balsam Road.
- 26-156: Authorized the City Manager to apply for a $7,500 Versant Power sponsorship grant to purchase a track kit for a utility task vehicle for the Fire Department.
- 26-157: Authorized the City Manager to apply for up to $150,000 from Maine CDC for HIV, HCV, and STI prevention, testing, and referral services.
- 26-158: Appointed code enforcement officers, electrical inspectors, and plumbing inspectors for the city.
- 26-159: Authorized a $13,493,962 contract with Gordon Contracting, Inc. of Sangerville for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Taxiways Alpha and Mike at Bangor International Airport.
Referrals to Committee / First Reading
Three items received first readings and were referred to committee without debate:
- 26-160: An ordinance to create a new Standing Committee on Housing.
- 26-161: A resolve to accept $250 from the Maine Primary Care Association for an educational presentation on the ROSE Program.
- 26-162: A resolve to accept $80,000 from Maine General to implement outpatient early intervention services related to HIV disease. Referred to the Government Operations Committee meeting on May 18.
Unfinished Business
26-095 — Employee Authority in Immigration Matters A motion was made by Councilor Fish to postpone this ordinance indefinitely (kill the item), arguing the council had already addressed the underlying issue through a prior state legislative vote (LD 1971). The motion failed to gain a second initially, but Council Mallar (participating remotely) seconded it. The vote to kill it was 2 yes, 7 no. The council then voted 9-0 to instead postpone the item to the May 27 meeting, after disclosing that the city solicitor had recently provided legal analysis requiring more time for review.
26-137 — Sidewalk Obstruction Ordinance This was the most procedurally involved item of the night. The ordinance adds a new Section 257-7 to the city code to address the blocking or obstructing of sidewalks and esplanades — a response to pedestrian safety concerns in the downtown area, particularly around Pierce Park and the library.
After referral to the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity and Inclusion and Human Rights (ACREIHR), that body voted 7-1 to recommend a revised version balancing sidewalk accessibility with consideration for unhoused individuals and their belongings. The ordinance requires police to first direct individuals to move materials before escalating, and prioritizes support-based engagement. A technical amendment was also adopted to remove a redundant sentence in subsection C. The ordinance passed 9-0 as amended.
26-150 — Downtown Parking Advisory Committee Restructuring This ordinance updates the membership and governance of the Downtown Parking Advisory Committee. Key changes: the council liaison will no longer serve as committee chair (making it consistent with how other city committees operate), an at-large resident seat will be added to maintain an odd-number membership, officer election language was formalized, and required vote thresholds were clarified. The change was prompted in part by recurring scheduling conflicts that had prevented the committee from conducting business. Passed 9-0.
26-151 — Community Connector Bus Facility Grant The council authorized acceptance and appropriation of $7,852,320 in federal FY2023 Bus and Bus Facilities competitive grant funding. The money will fund construction of a new workforce development training center and rehabilitation of the Cold Bus Barn — an aging structure originally built by Dow Air Force Base in the 1960s. The project will also add electrification infrastructure to support future electric bus needs. Construction is expected to begin this summer with an 18-month timeline. Maine DOT will cover 10% of the required local match; the Community Connector and partners will cover the remaining 10%. Passed 9-0.
Closing Remarks
Council members closed the meeting with remarks noting the robust public turnout. I offered condolences to the family of Gerald Talbot — the first Black person elected to the Maine State Legislature. Another Councilor reminded attendees who didn’t get to speak during the full public comment hour that they can reach councilors at councilors@bangormaine.gov.
