2026-09-29 - Advisory Committee on Racial Equity Inclusion and Human Rights

00:05We're live. All right. Hello everyone

00:08and welcome to the September meeting of

00:11the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity,

00:14Inclusion, and Human Rights. Um, I'm

00:18going to start us off by our uh roll

00:21call. We currently do not have any

00:25members yet online, but I do believe we

00:27will have a member joining us shortly.

00:29So, in the meantime, we'll just go

00:31around the room to introduce ourselves

00:34as a matter of role. I'll start. My name

00:36is Katie Brighten and I'm the chair of

00:38the committee.

00:40>> Courtney, will you go next, please?

00:41>> Sure. Uh, Courtney O'Donnell, the

00:43assistant city manager.

00:45>> I'm Teresa Fallon.

00:47>> Rayan Burke, member.

00:50>> Susette Furrow, member.

00:51>> Mark Roth, member.

00:53>> Adam Baker, member.

00:55>> Michael Beck, city councelor.

00:56>> Thank you all. Um, so, um, Courtney just

01:02shared with us, we do have a new

01:04appointee who will hopefully be joining

01:06us online shortly. I'm excited to have

01:09that, um, vacancy filled. And as uh,

01:13Katie Robinson moves on, she is no

01:16longer on our committee. She's moving to

01:18Southern Maine and she will be missed

01:20dearly. Um, and then we have a few open

01:22vacancies coming. I know we spoke about

01:24it last meeting. Just a gentle reminder

01:28that we are grateful for the service of

01:30those who are completing their terms in

01:33the end of December and the invitation

01:34is always open bar sparring any major

01:37changes um in the city council world um

01:41to have your continued service.

01:45All right. So I um do not see anyone in

01:49the room nor online for public comment.

01:51So, I'm going to skip our invitation for

01:53public comment because we do have a uh

01:58speaker with us this evening that I want

02:00to give ample time to. Um I'm going to

02:04give a little bit of an overview before

02:05I turn it over to Bangor School

02:08department's director of civil rights,

02:09Dana Carver Ber. Um for when the this

02:15committee was first started, it was done

02:20um almost in tandem with the school

02:23department and what the school

02:24department was doing in creating a

02:26diversity, equity, inclusion and

02:28belonging committee. Um and it was

02:30really designed to tackle both, you

02:33know, some inherent bias and and you

02:36know, racial tensions that were being

02:38seen in the school, but also that were

02:39being seen at a city level. And so this

02:41really came out of um some you know

02:45percolating issues at the high school

02:46but also you know with the national

02:48murder of George Floyd and a lot of

02:50racial tensions in 2020. Um both of

02:53these committees were created

02:54simultaneously and we have had

02:58Dana um in this position since then and

03:02she has come to our committee meetings

03:05many times over the years but she and I

03:07were speaking earlier and I don't

03:09believe she's done a formal um

03:12presentation to this sitting group um of

03:17members and so I'm really excited to

03:19have her here uh just to share a little

03:21bit about what it is that the school's

03:22focus is. And then um as was sort of

03:27originally designed for our committee to

03:30really talk about ways that we might see

03:32the work happening at the school,

03:35determine what opportunities there are

03:37for overlap um and really learn from

03:40each other. Just like our committee has

03:41been through several iterations, I feel

03:43like the school's um diversity, equity,

03:46and inclusion group has also been

03:48through many iterations and also many

03:50names. So, I will turn it over. Thank

03:54you so much for being with us uh

03:55virtually, Dana, this evening just to

03:58give us a brief overview and um to sort

04:02of open up the brainstorming with us.

04:04>> Awesome. Can everyone hear me? Okay,

04:06>> perfectly. Thank you.

04:08>> My goodness. A a technological

04:10connection without a technological

04:12issue. I'll take it any day of the week.

04:15>> No kidding. I'll knock on wood. There we

04:17go. So, hi. My name is Dana Carver

04:20Baler. I use she her pronouns. Um and

04:23I'm thrilled to to be joining. Thank you

04:25for the flexibility of me joining

04:28virtually. Um ju the joy of germs and

04:32having small children as well um is is a

04:35whole thing. So thank you for the

04:36flexibility. Um, so as Katie mentioned,

04:39um, I jumped into the K12 realm after a

04:44background in, um, higher education,

04:47administration, and teaching. Um, and

04:50the the nonprofit and public policy

04:53sector was was the previous sort of

04:55trajectories my career took. Um, and I

04:58joined in this this new fangled role. um

05:02which interestingly I think a an

05:04important notable um fact is these

05:08standalone roles that take on both the

05:11um climate community curricular support

05:14around um all things um inclusion and

05:17belonging um as well as the policy

05:20compliance. So overseeing our Title 9

05:22and affirmative action complaints when

05:24there are instances of targeted

05:26discrimination or violence. um these

05:29roles are new um the standalone roles

05:32and Bangor um created the first

05:35standalone in the state of Maine. So,

05:37um, that was that's both an exciting

05:40thing and for the sake of transparency

05:42because I don't think we can do this

05:43work if we're not being transparent.

05:45That was, um, for those of you in the

05:48room and watching, um, online, um, was

05:51certainly the result of a a fairly

05:53high-profile, you know, in the area

05:55regionally, um, investigation around

05:58complaints of discrimination,

06:01um, faced by, um, black female students

06:04in Bangor High School. So, um, like many

06:07of you, I learned of that, um,

06:09investigation, um, and complaint, um, in

06:12the Bangor Daily News and, um, the

06:14superintendent at the time, um, the

06:16late, um, Dr. Webb did reference, um, in

06:20that news coverage the creation of the

06:23standalone position, and I thought it

06:25was a good fit with both my academic

06:29interest and public policy um, training.

06:32So it it somehow worked out and here we

06:34are November will be um 6 years later.

06:38So um as is not shocking um this this

06:42role has evolved quite greatly as the

06:44needs of the greater Bangor community

06:46have evolved. So um just I I guess for a

06:49bit of background that the initial DEI

06:53committee um was created um with

06:57Superintendent Webb um before I joined.

07:00I think I think the committee was four

07:03or five meetings in um maybe the

07:05beginning of that school year before I

07:07joined and then I've seen it through

07:09lots of different permutations since. Um

07:12and our our practice is always to you

07:15know be in close communication. It's an

07:17advisory committee by nature. So I

07:19assume similarly to how you all operate

07:22um you know we're we're advisory to the

07:25school committee and to the

07:27superintendent's office. So, we really

07:29want it to be a a both-way communication

07:32of what are the needs and how can we

07:34fill the needs with the the wisdom in

07:36the room. Um, and be really responsive

07:39to students and their caregivers and our

07:42staff. Um, so it's evolved greatly as

07:45the world of DEI has evolved. And what I

07:49tend to lead with is that there's

07:52nothing inherently controversial or

07:55political about identities. Um, but

07:59these dynamics are easily politicized,

08:02not political. Um, so sort of reentering

08:06the the work and recognizing that

08:09students and staff feeling seen and

08:13respected and safe is a precursor to any

08:16expectations that they can be learning

08:18and working as their most optimal

08:20selves. That's sort of the the the back

08:23to the basics. So I the way I I frame

08:26this frequently is you know we've we've

08:27been doing this work um before DEI was

08:30an acronym um because it's important

08:33work to be done and we certainly learn

08:35from um different traditions and

08:38different movements um and seeing how

08:40this plays out in the the K12 space is a

08:43a perpetual growing evolving thing. So,

08:47um, the the committee, and you're

08:49definitely going to hear my very loud

08:51first and third graders in the

08:53background, so I apologize ahead of

08:55time. Um, but, um, the committee itself

08:58is comprised intentionally of diverse

09:01stakeholders, and I mean diverse in

09:03every way one can define diversity. So

09:06that looks like um students um parents

09:10and caregivers, staff at all levels, um

09:14community leaders, um and content area

09:17experts. So we've we've really tried

09:19drawing from all of the possible

09:21perspectives um to inform this kind of

09:24work. And um we've we've shifted gears a

09:27few times for what are the things we're

09:29focusing on. So it's been both

09:30responsive to Hold on one second. I'm

09:34going to mute it while I yell at my kid.

09:35totally

09:39relate.

09:43>> How many times

09:45I swear?

09:46>> There we go. Thank you for your

09:48patience.

09:49>> I understand.

09:50>> Oh my word. Um so anyway, um it's

09:53evolved um in terms of like what what

09:56projects do we do? So um it's been both

09:59responsive and Katie, please jump in at

10:01any point in time. It's been both

10:02responsive to community needs. So, um

10:07we've created like stances or statements

10:10that have been incorporated into our

10:12district policies actually. Um like we

10:14it was a really exciting full circle

10:16moment where we revamped um our equity

10:20policy and borrowed the language

10:23directly from like like quoted the work

10:26of this committee. Um so it's it's

10:28ingrained and embedded within policy

10:30within the school district. Um we've

10:33also created um you know in response to

10:35both national and local happenings. Um

10:39we've created a statement that um was

10:42endorsed by the school committee and the

10:44superintendent at the time um as a

10:46response to targeted violence and hate.

10:49Um and we we've done a lot of work in

10:52terms of connecting community members

10:54with whatever needs needs arise. So

10:58there was a lot of work a really good

11:00example of something that you know sort

11:02of grew organically um due to

11:04unfortunately

11:06I think we're all on the same page that

11:08we're not at a loss of realizations of

11:11inequity um in the world at large and

11:14even right here in our community. So,

11:17um, when you'll likely recall last fall,

11:21there was, um, you know, a halt to SNAP

11:24benefits, which, you know, impacted a

11:26whole lot of folks right here in our

11:28community. So, that grew into this, uh,

11:31you know, I think the the power and the

11:33beauty of an advisory committee like

11:35this one was saying like, we got to do

11:37something now. Like, let's get through

11:38the red tape. Let's figure it out

11:40because families are in need. And

11:42certainly while you know our social

11:44workers, we have social workers at all

11:46of our schools um you know are doing the

11:48fabulous work, our principles are you

11:50know deep in it trying to bridge those

11:52gaps but we're um we're an education

11:55entity. So, um trying to figure out,

11:58well, what else can we do? That evolved

12:00into this shop at schools event where we

12:02had um in between Thanksgiving and

12:04Christmas, um a one one evening event

12:09that was happening simultaneously at

12:10four different schools across the city.

12:12Um we really wanted to maintain the the

12:15dignity of people being able to pick out

12:18items that they needed. So, sort of like

12:20a grocery store setup um while also

12:24destigmatizing the need for help. So, um

12:27it was an incredible um very quick

12:31turnaround because the the need was

12:33timely and was, you know, unexpected in

12:35terms of the the quick cut off to those

12:38benefits. So, um, we we were able to

12:42stock four schools with an incredible

12:44amount of items, um, ranging from, you

12:48know, household cleaning items, dental

12:50care, toiletries up through groceries,

12:53snacks, um, cooking cooking items.

12:57Um, those those events were really

12:59great. And I think in addition to

13:01families getting to walk away um being

13:03able to exhale even you know temporarily

13:05for um a bit um it I think also did an

13:10incredible job of destigmatizing poverty

13:12which I think is frequently um a less

13:16visible um aspect. Uh socioeconomic

13:20status is a less um thought of visible

13:23aspect around identity and diversity. um

13:26and really reminded families that we're

13:28we're partners with them. We see them um

13:31and we we do everything that we can to

13:34support them. So that's just, you know,

13:36one example of the sort of spontaneous

13:39timely response um events that we do.

13:42And then um more long term, we tend to

13:45start each year with identifying broad

13:47themes of like what's the need and how

13:50can we work on them, you know, where

13:52members self- select um and break off

13:54into these sort of subcommittees of an

13:57advisory committee, if you will. Um and

14:00frequently those themes they've evolved

14:03but they more than not carry over from

14:05one academic year to the next because we

14:08tend to meet um November. So after

14:11election season is done um November

14:14through June though this year we did we

14:17felt like that wasn't enough. So we did

14:18start actually our first meeting was a

14:21week ago so last Tuesday. Um so that

14:24gave us a chance to really hit the

14:25ground running. Um the themes we've

14:27consistently worked on um are sort of

14:30data data collection and synthesizing

14:33data because we you know have a lot of

14:35survey tools and of course no no survey

14:38whether it's about climate or needs or

14:43um standardized testing. However, we're

14:45gathering data there's no tool that's

14:47going to capture all the questions. Um

14:49but we've we've utilized a few different

14:51data sets. So the MIAS survey or main

14:54integrated health youth survey um which

14:57is used across the state and I could

14:59speak a bit more to that if there are

15:01any questions um that that data set

15:03comes out every other year um so we

15:06worked with um Dr. Paul Butler who was

15:08the principal of Bangor High School at

15:11the time um in terms of sort of

15:13analyzing and breaking down that data.

15:16Um another area of data that we've been

15:19really tuned into is mental health data.

15:22So supporting um you know the the ever

15:24evolving mental health needs of students

15:26and that looks like everything from you

15:29know high acuity trauma situations um

15:32navigating the pandemic and postcoid

15:35reality which you know the the

15:37measurables of that are I think

15:39something that will be researched for

15:41decades to come um and you know other

15:45you know exposure to substance use

15:47disorder whether that's you know

15:49specific to students or within in, you

15:52know, their their family and home

15:53settings. Um, you know, poverty

15:56alleviation. Um, helping students that

15:59are navigating um domestic violence or

16:03intimate intimate partner violence. Um,

16:05you know, doing work around bias. Um,

16:07sort of those types of things are, you

16:09know, all under that the big mental

16:11health umbrella. Um the other two areas

16:14that we've really dug into pretty

16:16significantly um one is how do we

16:20attract, recruit, hire and then retain

16:24um a vibrant diverse workforce which is

16:27not a Bangor school department um

16:30challenge. It's a you know north of

16:33Cumberland County challenge. I know you

16:35know every sector's you know constantly

16:37grappling with those questions. So, as a

16:39proud from a wayer who married into a

16:43very large Arusta County family, trying

16:46to figure out that, you know, how do we,

16:48you know, attract and retain um people

16:52that want to call Bangor home um and

16:54people that don't know that Bangor is a

16:56really great community um to move to and

16:58raise families in and settle into. So

17:01that's been a sort of an ongoing um

17:04conversation that sort of veers a bit

17:06more into the the human resources realm.

17:09Um and then finally we've we've done a

17:12lot of work on content and I let's use

17:15curriculum broadly but education. So um

17:19how do we create pathways for

17:23building administrators and teachers to

17:26access um you know the content area and

17:29um expertise within the committee and in

17:33a public facing realm. How are we

17:35creating

17:37educational opportunities for um the

17:40public for whether that's the community

17:42at large or you know bridging bridging

17:46the gap between you know parents and

17:48caregivers with the schools. So, we've

17:50done a bunch of different events. Um,

17:52everything ranging from, you know,

17:54understanding technology and media

17:56literacy. Um, we had, um, officer Jenna

18:00Oko, who was our school resource officer

18:02for the past handful of years, join a

18:05re, um, critical media researcher at the

18:08University of Maine and talk through,

18:11you know, media literacy and internet

18:13safety with parents. Um and we've that's

18:16just sort of you know one example of of

18:18you know community-f facing events.

18:20Another one that we are really excited

18:22to roll out this year is um you know

18:25with ever growing numbers of identified

18:27students um within um the special

18:30education umbrella um typically

18:33identified through 504 or IEP plans. um

18:38how to help parents decode and

18:40understand what those plans are or the

18:43special ed world as a whole. Um and I

18:46say that because as a parent of one

18:50child with an IEP, um I should be best

18:53equipped to understand all of it. And it

18:56it's it's a different language to me.

18:58So, um, you know, folks that don't have

19:01access to the same resources and

19:03language that I do, I can only imagine,

19:05let alone a language barrier, um, or a

19:08lower literacy level. So, um, having

19:10sort of a understanding the process type

19:13of, um, event for parents and

19:15caregivers. So, I feel like I'm doing a

19:17lot of talking. Um, but, um, I'm happy

19:20to sort of talk through um, process or

19:23questions that folks might have. Um, and

19:26I know it's harder to engage in like a

19:29conversation with me on a screen, but I

19:31would love to do that. So, that's what I

19:33got.

19:35>> Thank you so much, Dana. really

19:37appreciate that sort of historical lens

19:40and story you know that um has and

19:43really again what the how the committee

19:46started and then how how it's evolved

19:48and then especially I think resonant

19:52with this group is that forward- facing

19:55community lens that you're doing now um

19:57which is something that we have been

19:58talking about at length so um I do want

20:01this to be an opportunity for us to ask

20:03you questions see if there's

20:04opportunities for overlap and then

20:07brainstorm a bit on our own of how we

20:09can sort of bring these two groups

20:10together because for the past six years

20:13it's been a you report to us, we report

20:16to you just so we make sure we're not

20:18operating in silos, but there have not

20:22been any

20:25I guess uh intentional um work that

20:28we've done as a city and as a school

20:30committee, both advisory groups really

20:32working to enhance the diversity

20:36iversity and and unique experiences of

20:38um the school staff and then also the

20:40city staff and community at large. So um

20:43I wanted to open it up to does anybody

20:45have any questions specific to Dana

20:47about the committee?

20:50>> Yes, Suzette.

20:52>> So um hi Dana. I was just wondering um

20:55do any other schools because you start

20:57said the Bangalore was the first one um

21:00and direct your director of civil

21:01rights. Do any of the other schools in

21:03the state now have a director of civil

21:05rights or a DEI committee?

21:08>> That's a great question. Yes. So, um, to

21:11my understanding, and I haven't run dug

21:14in this school year, but as of last

21:17year, I believe there's about between 15

21:20to 20 of some version of a me. Some of

21:24them are 0.5 positions that are share

21:28like that the person assumes a role like

21:31mine with another layer to it. So um I

21:34know one district has me it's a much

21:37smaller district me for half of their

21:40role and then um a curriculum

21:42coordinator is their other sort of chunk

21:44or um but there are standalones like

21:48myself. They are overwhelmingly in

21:50southern Maine um which isn't shocking.

21:53Um I mean may to my working knowledge

21:56Bangor school department remains the

21:58third largest in the state Portland

22:00public being first and Lewon second. Um

22:04and you know there's other you know

22:06districts Portland adjacent that are you

22:08know getting close but I think we're

22:10still holding strong at third. Um and

22:13those you know bigger districts both in

22:15terms of you know larger populations and

22:19more diverse populations in terms of you

22:21know specifically racial, ethnic and

22:23nationality diversity um tend to have

22:26those positions. Um when I started I

22:29literally Googled um my job and found

22:34standalone positions and not shockingly

22:36they were in um urban more populated

22:40areas. So mostly Boston down through

22:44Miami and then up the Pacific Northwest

22:47and Los Angeles adjacent area. Um and I

22:50started cold calling folks and it's it's

22:53led to a really wonderful mentorship

22:55network. So that's exciting. Um and

22:58additionally de the DEI piece. So yes, I

23:01think uh there are quite a few districts

23:03that have grappled with how to do that

23:06type of work. Um given the state of the

23:10political climate, I think a lot have

23:12shifted. I mean and again transparency

23:15we grappled with how are we doing this

23:17work? How is it resonating? And we can't

23:20do the work if we're not here, right?

23:22So, how do we do the work in a way that

23:26is most accessible to people across um

23:29political ideologies? Because I I'm know

23:32this may sound, you know, trit, but I'm

23:34a firm believer of this work is for

23:37everybody and everyone has different

23:40unique combinations of identities. Um,

23:42and this boils down to making sure that

23:46kids feel safe and seen to learn and

23:48staff feel safe and seen to work um, and

23:51bring their whole selves into every

23:53building. Um, so I think when we center

23:56that um, it becomes less political. Um,

23:58that said, you know, we we did have

24:00tough conversations as a lot of um,

24:03other, you know, school districts and

24:05higher ed institutions. University of

24:08Maine being one of them around how do we

24:10characterize this work? So there was a

24:12shift the beginning of last year or

24:15potentially the year before, it's fuzzy

24:17now, um of changing the title from the

24:22diversity, equity, and inclusion um

24:24committee initially, then it shifted to

24:27DEIB, so adding belonging onto there,

24:30and then evolved again into this KOBACK,

24:34if you will, or community of belonging

24:36advisory committee. The work's the same.

24:39Um, I I think that for a number of good

24:42reasons, um, you know, the the shift in

24:44title makes sense. Um, and we sort of go

24:47go from there with that.

24:52>> Sure.

24:54>> Yes.

24:54>> Another question. So, I wanted to ask

24:56you too because you said you deal with

24:58learning disabilities as well. I think

25:00>> I know.

25:01>> Yeah. Um, so do you deal with um

25:03dyslexia? I don't know what the school

25:05department do they because it used to be

25:08a language learning disability. I don't

25:10know what do they classify it as now

25:12dyslexia. Um because I didn't know if

25:15they were going to recognize October as

25:18dyslexia awareness month or not. I don't

25:21know if you if they do.

25:23>> That's a great question. Um I can

25:25definitely run that through Ray Finny as

25:27our director of communication and

25:29community outreach. He does a fabulous

25:32job spotlighting um different campaigns,

25:35different initiatives in our schools. Um

25:37I'll check with him if if that's

25:39something that he works on. Um because I

25:42I don't mind sharing in this very public

25:44forum. Um dyslexia is something that's

25:47very near and dear to my heart and it's

25:49been a learning curve. um recognizing

25:52that dyslexia is not a independently

25:55autonomously identified disability with

25:58an IEP qualification. Um and I'm saying

26:01that as a parent, special education is

26:04not my my wheelhouse. I've done a lot of

26:06learning around special ed law, but as a

26:08parent that's also been something I've

26:10navigated. Um, and I'm happy to say, um,

26:14we have a fabulous special ed department

26:16who personally, um, I have been able to

26:19lean on in navigating all the things for

26:22for one of my own small humans as well.

26:25But I will absolutely look into that

26:27because I think that's really important

26:29and you know if if nothing else being

26:32able to highlight the fabulous work

26:33within our own classrooms for you know

26:36inclusive different modalities of

26:39reading and learning and um you know a

26:41fabulous community partner I think for

26:44all of the area you know the districts

26:47is um the the dyslexia center right um

26:50you know off of Mount Hope. So, um,

26:52yeah, I think that's a really good

26:53opportunity.

26:55>> Yeah. Um, I used to work there, so

26:57that's why I was bringing and there's,

26:58um, there's a really good book for

27:00everybody just to know out there. Um,

27:02it's called The Legacy of the Blue

27:03Heron, and it's written by Harry

27:06Sylvester. I don't know if Harry

27:08Sylvester, who was the He's from Maine.

27:10He's he's passed away, but he's from

27:11Maine.

27:13>> First the first president of the

27:15Learning Disabilities Association who

27:18actually had a learning disability. So,

27:20but it's all about dyslexia and growing

27:22up in Maine, actually roosted county.

27:24So, it's a really good book. I can't

27:25recommend it enough. Anyway,

27:26>> I will have to track that one down. I

27:28did get a really good recommendation

27:30that's sort of a history and parent

27:33guide from the Conley Center of Speech

27:35and Language at the University of Maine

27:36and they've been really good community

27:38partners both within the district and my

27:41own family as well.

27:43>> I think I could probably answer that

27:45question. that um if if the uh dyslexia

27:49is um based primarily on reading then it

27:54would be identified as a learning

27:56disability in affecting reading. If it

27:59were um based in either spoken,

28:03understood or written language, it

28:05probably would be identified as a speech

28:07language disability.

28:09>> It's always spelling. I mean that's the

28:12central. Yeah. But good. Thanks.

28:16>> Any other questions for a day?

28:21>> Um, yes, Adam.

28:22>> Not so much a question, just statement,

28:24I guess. Um, I was part of special ed or

28:27during my school years and just hearing

28:29all what you were saying about I just

28:31thank you and appreciate for all your

28:33work. Um, I also really love the idea of

28:36what was it the shop at schools like

28:39community kind of like grocery centers.

28:41I think like very food diversity is a

28:44very thing that we struggle with here in

28:46Maine and I think bringing community and

28:48food together is a really important

28:50thing. So just thank you for all your

28:52work.

28:54>> My goodness. Of course. And I mean just

28:57broadly speaking, I mean I I do I've

29:00I've sort of looked at whether Katie's

29:02realized it or not. Um I've looked at

29:04Katie sort of this this connector

29:06between this committee and the

29:09schoolbased committee. But I think that

29:11that speaks to the need to be more

29:13intentional with making those links. And

29:16I'm happy to join more. I think us

29:18joining forces. It's, you know, the

29:20together we're stronger piece is real.

29:23Um, you know, so so working smarter not

29:26harder is is a thing these days. Um,

29:29especially and connecting over, you

29:31know, the share because I I have no

29:32doubt, you know, the schools are a

29:35microcosm of the society in which they

29:38exist. So, you know, the things that

29:40we're grappling with like when I I I

29:42mean, I've called Bangor area home since

29:46my goodness 2009. So, it's it I've seen

29:49seen good evolution um you know, of all

29:52the things um you know, but it's it's

29:55still it's a it's a lot to navigate in

29:58terms of like the the east west side

30:01conversations um and the history of the

30:04city. And certainly, you know, for any

30:07of you that are, you know, keyed into

30:10the the happenings in the the school

30:13district's news, you know, grappling

30:15with older buildings and, you know, ever

30:18growing and changing needs. I mean, I

30:20think the the biggest piece that we see

30:22and we know is a thing is, you know,

30:24wealth and wage disparities. So, how do

30:26we navigate that?

30:28you know, prior to the pandemic um and

30:30through the pandemic, you know, the this

30:33area being a designated refugee

30:35resettlement um area. So, we've had an

30:38influx of families from all over the

30:41world um which is a beautiful and very

30:44complicated addition for everyone from

30:48our littlest learners through adult ed

30:50to navigate. And so partnering with um

30:54you know formerly you know the what were

30:57they called? Sarah Marks organization

30:59out of Orino. I'm drawing a blank. Um

31:02but welcoming win welcoming immigrant

31:05neighbors. There we go. Um so you know

31:07win and um main multicultural center and

31:11um you know making sure that we're

31:13accessible to our students and their

31:16families. And I I mean it's I I I'm a

31:19firm believer the work's never going to

31:20be done because the needs are going to

31:22change and they should change. Um so

31:24whether that's you know navigating

31:27verbiage for having a um multiffaith

31:31space um for students of every and all

31:34faith backgrounds to have you know quiet

31:37contemplation or prayer areas. We have

31:39one of those in the Bangor High School

31:41library and it's a fabulous easy space

31:45um that has existed for years now um and

31:48sending out information to staff about

31:52um you know what to anticipate for

31:54upcoming holidays that aren't reflected

31:57in our academic calendar or you know how

32:00to support students that are impacted

32:02disproportionately by different you know

32:04big events because you know some of our

32:06students may not you know be able to

32:10identify um you know whether it's I'm

32:12thinking of common ones yeah Ukraine on

32:15a map and other students and their

32:17families are deeply deeply impacted um

32:19by you know national or local events. So

32:22it's, you know, I'm I'm would be happy

32:24to to connect and be part of the ongoing

32:27conversations. And if you all think of

32:29any ideas or recommendations or um you

32:33know, other folks to to you know connect

32:35in for this work, please please reach

32:38out. And the most obvious reach out for

32:40me is um with that shop at schools

32:42event, we have already landed in this

32:45early stage of planning for the school

32:47year. um replicating that. We're going

32:50to shift that to the week before

32:52February break um because we know that

32:56right before you know when school is not

32:59in session tends to be a really tough

33:01time for families for a number of

33:02different reasons. Um so having

33:06um you know a a shop at school event

33:08leading into that February break which

33:10is the week of February 14th. Um again

33:13at multiple sites um and having that be

33:17at a time where you know the beautiful

33:20wonderful generosity of the the holiday

33:22season has has tapered out. Um you know

33:25being able to have have another event to

33:28really connect with families and you

33:29know help meet needs. Um that makes

33:32sense. So I would love to collaborate

33:34with you all around that as I just tried

33:35like virtually hugging the screen.

33:37[laughter]

33:39>> Thank you. And I I think that um

33:42>> one of the the things that I think that

33:44we should continue to think on is last

33:47on our last meeting we talked about um a

33:51new group um that had bubbled up at John

33:56Bats um a civil discourse group that was

34:00really focused on teaching others how to

34:04engage in civil discourse and they have

34:06tea parties called civilities

34:09And I think that it started to get us

34:11thinking about ways that we could

34:13provide opportunities for people in the

34:15community to really talk about what is

34:18the expectation of a shared community

34:21when we're engaging in really tough

34:22conversations about our political

34:24landscape, our shared limited resources,

34:28you know, um all of these really sort of

34:30hot topics that we sometimes feel like

34:34has lost the the the listening and civil

34:38aspect of so I know that the school's

34:41community of belonging group does work

34:43on a regular basis to

34:46have some forward- facing community

34:48events where parents can come and learn

34:50about different topics like you were

34:52saying even just sort of that alphabet

34:53soup of special education. I do think as

34:56we continue to brainstorm ways that we

34:59might also provide opportunities to

35:01engage the larger bang work community

35:04overlap because obviously they're a lot

35:06of the same people that are parents and

35:08also community members. what that looks

35:10like and how we might best work together

35:12is something I I really think that we

35:15should probably put either on our

35:16calendar so that we sort of even have a

35:18reminder to like oh Dana is coming back

35:21you know what do we want to talk about

35:23um you know maybe in the next quarter to

35:26sort of look at as an opportunity

35:28that we could share more more sort of

35:31forward facing community events

35:36right anything else

35:39Okay, thank you so much, Dana. Really

35:42appreciate your time and your updates of

35:45>> historical journey with you. Appreciate

35:47it.

35:48>> Awesome. Thanks so much. Have a good

35:49one.

35:50>> Okay. Bye.

35:51>> Thank you.

35:51>> Thanks.

35:54>> Um we have Annie joining us. Annie,

35:56welcome. Um Annie is our newest member

36:00of um our advisory committee for racial

36:04equity, inclusion, and human rights.

36:06Welcome, Annie.

36:07>> Hi. Thank you very much.

36:10Yeah. Um, yeah, we can hear you. Great.

36:16>> Awesome. Well, um, I just want to Oh,

36:19hello. Now we can see you. Hi. Glad

36:21you're here. I'm Katie Bryen. I'm the

36:23chair of our committee. Um, and I'll

36:27just maybe we could just quickly go

36:28around for the members to give an update

36:30or just an introduction rather um of

36:32who's here at the table for you.

36:35>> Okay. Thanks.

36:37>> I don't know where to look. Hey, I'm

36:38Teresa Fallon. I've been [clears throat]

36:40a member since the beginning of the

36:42year, so I just started as well.

36:44Welcome.

36:45>> Thanks.

36:46>> Hi, Annie. My name is Rey. I've been a

36:49member for about a year.

36:52>> Hi, Ray.

36:53>> Hi, Annie. Susette Furrow. I've been a

36:56member since the beginning of the year,

36:57too.

36:58>> Hi, Annie Mark. Uh, I've been a member

37:02since uh January of 25.

37:06>> Okay.

37:07Uh, Adam Baker. I've been here for a

37:10year.

37:12>> Hi, Adam.

37:12>> Hey, Michael Beck. I'm the city council

37:14leazison to the committee.

37:16>> Hi.

37:17>> And then controlling the camera so you

37:19can see our beautiful faces in real time

37:20is our assistant city manager, Courtney,

37:22who

37:24Courtney.

37:24>> Yeah. So, um, do you want to take a

37:26second to introduce yourself? I don't

37:28want to put you on the spot, but I want

37:29to give you the opportunity if there's

37:31anything you'd like to share.

37:33>> Uh, sure. Um, well, I my name is Annie

37:36Tommpkins. I um I've lived in Bangor

37:38since 2019. [snorts]

37:41My husband and I bought a house. Um,

37:44we're landlords. I work at the hospital.

37:47Um, and I just I want to be more

37:50involved and want to be part of this.

37:52So,

37:54>> wonderful. Well, we're glad you're here.

37:56Thanks so much for joining us.

37:57>> Thank you.

37:59So, we just had our um director of civil

38:03rights from the school department give

38:04an update on what the school department

38:06is working on in a similar space as us

38:09um and some you know opportunities that

38:11we have to reconnect with uh that

38:13committee in the future. Our next item

38:16of business um we received a referral

38:19from city council. Um it is a request

38:22for training recommendations for the

38:24code of ethics. So, um, Assistant City

38:28Manager O'Donnell was kind enough to

38:29really give an overview of what and why

38:33we are being asked to provide training

38:37recommendations

38:39um for a counselor that violated

38:42particular sections of the code of

38:45ethics.

38:47And um this is specifically in um

38:51relation to comments that were made

38:54about um against rather a group of you

38:58know individuals based on race, national

39:00origin or cultural group. And so when

39:04that um behavior was sent to the ethics

39:08commission, what they determined was

39:10that training would be the best, uh way

39:14to hopefully ensure that future, um

39:17comments aren't made from sitting

39:19counselors. And so, um, it was requested

39:24that our committee look at opportunities

39:28that exist that provide training on, you

39:32know, cultural sensitivity, um, implicit

39:35bias,

39:36um, you know, multilingual learners and

39:39really even, you know, state law. and

39:41what law allows um multilingual learners

39:45the the right to participate in

39:48education regardless of their

39:50immigration status. And so we were

39:52tasked with the idea of going through

39:54seeing what trainings exist and making a

39:57formal recommendation to city council.

40:01Um, we have a shared G drive, Annie,

40:05that we sort of collect all of our um,

40:09work in one space. We'll make sure that

40:11you have access to that. Um, Courtney,

40:13are you able to pull up

40:17the chair drive? If not, I can send you

40:20a direct link right now.

40:21>> Is that more helpful?

40:23>> Yeah, I can definitely.

40:25>> Yes. All right. Give me one second. Um,

40:31and so

40:33I sent an email to the group that sort

40:35of reminded folks that this

40:38uh, you know, link is here. And in that

40:40link, you'll see a spreadsheet

40:44um, that Courtney is going to pull up

40:47now that opens up the unbiased conduct

40:51and training recommendations.

40:54Um, and then we can look through it and

40:56see if there's anything we might want to

40:57add. Member Mark Roth also printed off

41:01some

41:02um, ideas as well and we can send that

41:06um, thank you so much Mark for printing

41:08this off. I'm sorry Annie we have the

41:10hard copies here but we'll we'll talk

41:12about it um together so that you are

41:16aware of what we're going or looking at

41:18in real time.

41:20And um we're gonna share the screen so

41:22we can look at the spreadsheet as well.

41:27>> Hopefully

41:28it's like [laughter]

41:29my email update

41:37>> and maybe while we're waiting for that,

41:38um counselor, can you share a little bit

41:41more about what the expectation looks

41:43like um in terms of the training? Do you

41:45want like a whole slew of options and

41:47then the council decides what's best? Do

41:49you want one training that we say this

41:52is what we think is best? How would what

41:54do you think the recommended sort of

41:56view of that should be?

41:58>> Well, [clears throat] it was my

41:59understanding that the recommendation

42:00would be that this is the training that

42:02speaks directly to 335.1 of the code of

42:05ethics.

42:06>> Okay.

42:09>> And do you have to make a recommendation

42:11uh by the end of today's meeting?

42:14>> [snorts]

42:15>> my

42:17uh recommendation would like I didn't

42:19actually expect that that would be

42:21likely. Okay. Um but I think obviously

42:23time is sort of the essence and in that

42:26like the council's going to turn over

42:27soon and whatnot. So I think um if like

42:30the sooner the better sort of idea.

42:34>> Oh, there we go.

42:43did not add my ideas to the drive, but

42:46I'll be sure to use that more going

42:49forward.

42:49>> Yeah, no worries. And then you can just

42:51share too like whatever you have.

42:53>> Sure.

42:57>> No worries.

43:04>> [laughter]

43:07>> Okay. So, it's if you scroll down, um

43:10it's called the unbiased conduct

43:11training recommendation spreadsheet

43:13right there.

43:14>> Oh, right here.

43:19>> Okay.

43:25a little bit.

43:27>> Um,

43:29okay. So,

43:32here are some ideas, right, of some

43:34different trainings that are offered

43:36and, um,

43:39maybe I'll go first since they're right

43:41here and then Mark, you can talk through

43:43your ideas. I want everyone to be able

43:46to look through these and really sort of

43:48understand what they're offering. And I

43:50think to be honest, the hardest thing I

43:53think that any of us that looked for

43:55some ideas will probably agree with this

43:57is just there's no like there's actually

44:01very few. I only found one uh sort of

44:05training for municipal public servants

44:08that is specific to cultural bias. um

44:12and really understanding, you know, the

44:15the pieces of the code of ethics that

44:18are considered um that were considered

44:22violated. Right? So what this

44:24specifically says and what we need to

44:26make sure that this training that we

44:28recommend covers is how do we ensure

44:32that sitting counselors understand how

44:35to conduct themselves in a manner that

44:36does not discriminate unlawfully against

44:39any person because of race, color,

44:42religion, sex, national origin, age,

44:44physical or mental disability, genetic

44:47information, gender, gender identity,

44:49sexual orientation, socioeconomic

44:51status, cultural group or political

44:53status. So, that's

44:56a lot a lot of pieces there. Um, and the

45:00trainings, like I said before, are

45:02recommended because there was

45:04discriminate uh discriminative language

45:07used against um individuals because of

45:11race, national origin, or cultural

45:12group. So, in a broad search, there's a

45:17few different trainings that are listed

45:19here. Most of them do come from

45:21colleges. Um and a lot of them are

45:24offered based on workplace like this is

45:27these are the trainings that you have to

45:29take. Similar if you start a new job you

45:31have to do your feature training for

45:33sexual harassment that you do this

45:35cultural bias training. There's a ton of

45:38those online whether or not they

45:40actually meet the cultural competency

45:43that is asked of this specific

45:48um part of the code of ethics.

45:52That's [clears throat] going to be the

45:53part piece of the meat that we sort of

45:55have to dig into. Yes, Mark. Um, in

45:58[clears throat] thinking this through, I

46:00it appears to me that that um the

46:03recommendation from from us should focus

46:08on the way in which communications

46:13impact

46:14um other individuals because that's

46:16apparently what was where it came from.

46:20>> Um communications and also within that

46:24um the impact of bias.

46:25>> Yeah. racial bias. Um so perhaps if we

46:30were to narrow it down

46:32>> Yes,

46:33>> that might be a way of um proceeding.

46:36>> Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Um I think that

46:39that is critical. So if you look on this

46:44spreadsheet, it has the trainings

46:46listed. It sort of talks about what like

46:48how much time each training um Thank

46:50you. how much time each training would

46:52take. Um, and then obviously the cost.

46:56And then if we scroll over here, there

46:59are some some notes that I had like this

47:01is designed for a learning group and I'm

47:03not sure how it's going to work if only

47:05one counselor is expected to

47:07participate. This is like very health

47:08and human serviceoriented though it is

47:10about like how do you communicate with

47:13this specifically is like patients, you

47:15know, that are from different um, uh,

47:17culturally diverse communities. Um there

47:21are some strong options to your point

47:23that I narrowed down. Um it was the

47:29Hold on. Um

47:31this training the crosscultural

47:34community services unfortunately is like

47:36the one that didn't have a price that I

47:38could find. Um but this this training

47:41specifically is a supportive training

47:44for equity in practice. It's a five-part

47:47interactive learning s series and it is

47:50built for

47:52um individuals um really designed around

47:55cultural humility that kept coming up a

47:57lot when I was doing research which is

48:01to be honest something that I'm I

48:03haven't heard those words sort of used

48:04as like a training aspect but I think

48:07speak volumes right really understanding

48:10racial and cultural differences

48:12examining personal privilege exploring

48:15immigration exper experiences.

48:17Um, we would just have to figure out for

48:20this one and something that I want to be

48:21mindful of when making this

48:23recommendation. God, this mouse has a

48:25mind of its own. Hold on.

48:28>> Sorry.

48:28>> No, you're good.

48:31[snorts]

48:33>> What does this say? Is this gonna let me

48:34go? Okay, there we go. All right. Sorry

48:36about that, guys. Um, here is the

48:38training services, right? So, it these

48:40are all of the different trainings that

48:42this group offers. are based in

48:43Portland, but this one specifically is

48:46about um building racial literacy,

48:49understanding systemic racism,

48:52immigration and resettlement, systems of

48:54advantage, and then moving from learning

48:57to action. Um, again, I'm a little

49:00annoyed because this is the one that's

49:01like, "Do you want to know more? Get

49:04ready for a consult." And I'm like, "No,

49:06just tell me how to sign up." Um, but I

49:09think that that this one spoke to me if

49:12just in the essence of time, if I'm

49:13being honest, like it there's a lot on

49:16here, but that one spoke to me. I think

49:18it's most in line that I found

49:22that goes along with the cultural um

49:25communication piece. Teresa,

49:28>> um, I did find a number on the bottom. I

49:29tried calling it, but it was after work.

49:31So,

49:32>> Oh, thank you.

49:33>> Yeah, because I also loved that one. I

49:37love a lot about it. Espec one thing it

49:40was like created by three women women of

49:43color. So like two powerful um

49:46perspectives in one or three um and it

49:51was designed for municipalities.

49:54>> And then I also I don't know if it was

49:58related. I'm a nerd for the ACES study.

50:01I don't know if anybody else is. Where

50:04did I go? Right here. And it mentioned

50:06that at the top of the page. Um,

50:10I'd love to get back to where I was so I

50:12can explain a little bit more, but I

50:14think I'm I think I got lost.

50:18Let me go back and click. But anyways,

50:20it's like adverse childhood experiences

50:22and um which could be discrimination

50:26like that young children are facing. Um,

50:30it also highlights um I'm not even

50:33looking at it. um the experience of

50:36immigration immigrants. I

50:39>> Yes.

50:40>> Yeah. I can't imagine it being

50:42astronomical in price, but it does seem

50:44like a really great option that I kind

50:46of wish

50:47>> that's an additional that's what is it?

50:49Is there a link for that one?

50:51>> Uh what

50:52>> the the ASUS is that we

50:53>> let me go back and click on this link

50:55because it was right when I clicked on

50:57it. Couldn't find pricing. It mentioned

51:00it at the top. Um,

51:04we're we design our train to be

51:05flexible, courageous conversations,

51:07adverse childhood experiences, and

51:08racism. Um, I don't know if anyone knows

51:12much about ACES. I'm no expert, but

51:14basically there's a lot of adverse

51:16childhood experiences that there's like

51:19[clears throat] a test you can take and

51:20the more you have, the more likely you

51:23have at having like higher risk of

51:25things like even like obesity, heart

51:27disease, diabetes, but also depression,

51:30anxiety, mental illness, physical

51:32illnesses just from having adverse

51:34childhood experiences. I think that's

51:36really important because

51:39maybe just personally, I'm not sure if

51:41anyone else can relate, but I'm seeing

51:44these experiences and racism in younger

51:46children now. Um I just so I really

51:49liked this training.

51:50>> Yeah.

51:51>> And I did Yeah. At the way bottom

51:53there's an email and a phone number. I'd

51:55be happy to email them and or call, but

51:58then unfortunately we'd have to like

52:00um I don't know come back in a more

52:03sooner than a month

52:05>> because I think this is really important

52:06that that specific counselor um

52:11yeah does this as soon as possible or

52:14quite honestly maybe shouldn't really be

52:17in the chambers until this is done. But

52:20that's my opinion.

52:22>> Um I can you hear me?

52:24Yeah.

52:25>> Hi, thank you. Um, so do any other

52:27cities already have training in in place

52:31developed?

52:32>> Great question. I didn't see any. I

52:36didn't see any, but that doesn't mean

52:37that they don't. Um,

52:40>> I I feel like that's a lot um of

52:43reinventing the wheel if every town had

52:47to do their own training for their own

52:50city councils.

52:51>> Yeah. in the whole state.

52:53>> I don't think that training is typically

52:56expected of sitting counselors um in

52:59terms of like racial bias um and some

53:02this specific

53:04topic.

53:05>> I don't I

53:06>> I think it should and Adam I know that

53:08your comment said that as well like all

53:10counselors should

53:12>> anyone in public service.

53:16>> Yeah. Um

53:19I I'm surprised that there hasn't been

53:21anything already developed.

53:23>> I know. I know. But again,

53:26that was just my that was my Google

53:31ability.

53:31>> Is there a way [laughter]

53:34contact

53:36person to find out?

53:39I I guess I don't know.

53:42>> Yeah. I don't know. I think that it's

53:44like [clears throat] in terms of like

53:46didn't look at the um I know that the

53:50sort of shared municipalities have like

53:52a a board, right? Like the MMA

53:56MMA

53:57>> it's um the main municipal association.

54:00It's um a membership organization made

54:02up of municipalities of Maine. Um I can

54:04tell you um that um probably the larger

54:09communities might have some sort of uh

54:12training that they do that touches on

54:13some of these subjects. um it's not

54:16mandatory, it's not required, and a lot

54:18of the smaller ones would not see a need

54:20for it. Um and my basic understanding is

54:23that those larger communities often will

54:25bring in a third party to tailor um

54:28training for um a specific need and then

54:32they, you know, may be recurring or not.

54:34Um and things of that nature, but really

54:37they would go through kind of a similar

54:38process to what we are right now.

54:40>> And I know there are definitely people

54:41in this area. I I reached out to a

54:44couple of different organizations, women

54:46that I know that lead different

54:48consulting organizations, but they're

54:49very specific to like, oh, we do this

54:51for university staff, we do this for

54:53health care staff.

54:54>> So, trying to find something that talk

54:56speaks to an individual that maybe is

54:58just either trying to

55:01better themselves. I'm not really like,

55:04you know, where these assignments exist

55:06for, you know, oneoffs. Um, Susette, I

55:09saw your hand and then

55:11>> I just have a question.

55:13>> Go ahead. I think you had your hand up.

55:15>> Is the training going to be mandatory?

55:18>> Um, it was my understanding from the

55:20discussion that that was the

55:21recommendation of the findings of the

55:23ethics board. This is what council

55:24decided to impose, but just a matter of

55:27what training

55:29do we require?

55:32>> And the cost is is um

55:34>> wasn't discussed.

55:35>> That's not okay. Sky's the limit, I'm

55:38sure.

55:39>> I [laughter] think if we're talking

55:40about like I would like a human rights

55:43violation, maybe that's a little

55:45excessive. I think that Yeah, I'm not

55:47too worried about the cost.

55:48>> That's I mean again I just I don't see

55:51it being like astronomical. If it was

55:53obviously there's some other really

55:55lowcost great options.

55:56>> Yes. And I can share too that like just

55:59based off of sort of the numbers that

56:00I'm seeing on the spreadsheet, um we

56:03there's always like a little bit of

56:04training budget and whatnot for council

56:06as well.

56:06>> Oh, awesome.

56:07>> Because they're they're also able to

56:08attend different uh trainings and

56:10conferences and stuff. Um G, we don't

56:12budget a lot, but there's definitely

56:14some there.

56:14>> Oh, that's good to know. Thank you.

56:16That's good to know.

56:17>> And I'm with you, Teresa. None of them

56:19seemed I was kind of surprised.

56:20>> I know.

56:21>> Um none of them seemed astronomical.

56:23Yes, you said thank you for being I'm

56:25sorry. Oh,

56:27>> okay. So, um a few things. So, does the

56:30city have like an employee um do they do

56:34like something with employees

56:35coordinating

56:37>> training?

56:39Not specific to this though.

56:41>> And then I just didn't know because this

56:44is kind of like I did speak about first

56:46amendment rights. Um because it seems

56:49like it's kind of like more of an I know

56:51he didn't know it was very important.

56:53So, it wasn't like he, you know, that

56:55disclaimer we're all supposed to say

56:57that. Some people don't say I know

56:58Adamos says it I say it some people say

57:01it but um like the fact that he didn't

57:04know he was being recorded and then this

57:07is like about you know he's worried

57:09about the financing and then you know so

57:15you know the first amendment right and

57:16then how some counselors have different

57:18opinions and so I think it's just kind

57:20of a slippery slope in general and I

57:23didn't know if they could because at

57:24first I was saying well why doesn't they

57:26just the legal department because you

57:28know the legal department comes to your

57:30like I think Grace came here and then

57:31help you know like just to reiterate um

57:35the like we don't know if you're being

57:38recorded if you're

57:40>> you know none of us know when we're

57:41being recorded frankly we're recorded a

57:43lot and um then you got the whole plot

57:46camera

57:48so it's just like it's hard to know so

57:51he didn't say this disclaimer because he

57:53didn't know he was picked up on the mic

57:54microphone

57:57I don't I don't know. It's just it's

57:58just a tough call because like should it

58:01just be the legal department?

58:03>> Yeah.

58:03>> Um

58:05>> I think that it's it's honestly not up

58:09to us to decide like it was determined

58:11by the ethics commission and then we

58:13were asked

58:14>> to identify the training. So like

58:16relitigating what the ethics committee

58:18already found I feel like it would be

58:19undermining their work and what they've

58:22done. And so I think this is a really

58:24great opportunity personally to talk

58:27talk about training for everyone. Like

58:30it's such a great opportunity that

58:32everybody should

58:35have awareness of the citizens that

58:37they're serving and what that, you know,

58:39engagement looks like. So I don't want

58:42to relitigate whether or not we should

58:44be doing it because I don't want to

58:45undermine what the ethics committee

58:46determined. But I do think that if

58:49anything, I hope that our goal would be

58:51let's find something that potentially

58:53could work for everybody in the future.

58:56Adam,

58:57>> um, kind of going back to my or comment

58:59though was that I think it's important

59:02to also give current counselors and then

59:05also future counselors in my in my own

59:08opinion the training that having the

59:10sensitivity training while they're in

59:12new position or in their current

59:14position just either rebrushing up on

59:16their skills or learning new skills as

59:18well. I think that's I know it's a

59:19little separate part of that, but I

59:21would like to have that in like a

59:23recommendation or something.

59:24>> Yeah. And I think you made the comment

59:26on is it on

59:29>> which is it on this crosscultural

59:31comment? I can't tell where this

59:32>> uh it was the corso diversity. I think

59:36that one was because it kind of similar

59:38to like the workplace. I I I I work in

59:42retail and I know like I've gone through

59:44all those trainings and I know how those

59:46go and I think it's it's it's when you

59:50get a new job or like when you're in a

59:52new position I think for like at least

59:53new counselors I think that's valuable.

59:56>> Absolutely. And this one covers so many

59:58things and it does have the legal

1:00:00overview here about like

1:00:03god there are so

1:00:06to your to your point Adam if the if the

1:00:09point is to to educate this person

1:00:13[snorts]

1:00:14um and not necessarily to punish or

1:00:17shame him then I do think that a policy

1:00:22um should be implemented for everybody

1:00:24across the board. Um, and I think that

1:00:27if you're going to recommend a policy or

1:00:31um

1:00:32or a training that somebody within this

1:00:36group should go through it to to see if

1:00:40it really applies rather than just

1:00:42reading because words on paper

1:00:45are informative, but it's not

1:00:46everything. It's important to to make

1:00:48sure something's chosen that that would

1:00:51represent most people.

1:00:56Um,

1:00:57>> and I do and I always I just I'm always

1:01:00thinking about a budget in the most

1:01:03effective efficient way

1:01:06conscious way to do something. Always.

1:01:08Always.

1:01:09>> Um, again to Adam's point, I work at the

1:01:12hospital. I work at Eastern Maine. Um,

1:01:14as new hires, we have to do uh health

1:01:17streams. Um, everybody has to do them.

1:01:21There are some that are specific to your

1:01:23um to you know to a general employee and

1:01:26there's some that are specific to your

1:01:27to your role. Um and then we have to do

1:01:29them either quarterly um or annually

1:01:32every single year and they do include

1:01:34all of those trainings. Um so again

1:01:38there are things that exist but um I

1:01:40think it would be important that

1:01:41somebody actually go through the

1:01:44training so they can see what they're

1:01:46what we're recommending really. [snorts]

1:01:50>> Yeah. that that is definitely ideal. Um

1:01:54I don't know for this particular

1:01:56training that we would have the time to

1:01:58go through before

1:02:00you know that that recommendation goes

1:02:02through. Um and again I also want to be

1:02:05very clear that this is an advisory

1:02:07committee. So we're just recommending it

1:02:10technically isn't our responsibility to

1:02:13like I said before look at the findings

1:02:15even while we want to be mindful of the

1:02:17costs and time that's not also in our

1:02:20purview that's a council decision. So if

1:02:23we can find

1:02:25a training that truly does talk about

1:02:27the ways in which we speak about the

1:02:30humans that we share space with. That is

1:02:33the most important thing. Every single

1:02:36person that ever sits in this room

1:02:39whether at the dis or in the gallery is

1:02:41a part of a shared community and being

1:02:44able to speak about each other with

1:02:46compassion and grace I think should be

1:02:50something that yes we all deserve and

1:02:52should go through training on but

1:02:53something that we have to be

1:02:54specifically mindful of if we're ever in

1:02:56an elected or an appointed role which is

1:02:58why this is being asked of a counselor

1:03:02and not of somebody that's in a

1:03:04volunteer position to go through. Adam,

1:03:06I see your hand, but I saw Teresa's

1:03:08first, so we'll come back to that.

1:03:09>> Yeah, I've kind of thought I've kind of

1:03:11changed what I was going to say a few

1:03:12times. Um,

1:03:15but

1:03:16I really agree with what you're saying.

1:03:19Um, I hope I don't get like off topic.

1:03:22Sometimes I just ramble for a second,

1:03:23but um, I feel like this has become

1:03:28almost an unsafe space for a lot of

1:03:30people. I speaking for myself, I I can

1:03:34speak for myself, but nobody else. Um, I

1:03:37even have a difficult time coming in

1:03:38here for council meetings and I'm a

1:03:41white straight woman. So, I'm just

1:03:44saying um I understand the budget's

1:03:47really important, but I think there is I

1:03:51think I've already said this, but

1:03:52there's no price on

1:03:55um

1:03:57our ethical code and th those of the

1:04:00city councilors. And I also wanted to

1:04:03mention

1:04:05um yeah, I think everybody in the world

1:04:07should take this training. I really do.

1:04:09Um, but I I'll also mention like when I

1:04:11started my case management job, the

1:04:13trainings took days. Um, great

1:04:16knowledgeable information, but

1:04:19counselors also mostly have full-time

1:04:21jobs as well. I don't think it would be

1:04:23necessary or fair to have them sit

1:04:26through this. What is it like five

1:04:28interactive trainings, which I love that

1:04:31it's interactive. I think that's key

1:04:33because a lot of trainings you can click

1:04:35through. And I I really think there's

1:04:37even another one that had like 10

1:04:39assignments. I really like that idea. Um

1:04:42but I I just want to bring it back to um

1:04:45I don't know is it section 33-5.1

1:04:49unbiased conduct?

1:04:51>> Um that was broken and whether or not

1:04:54Yeah, everybody's recording at any

1:04:56moment. Um, sometimes we learn that the

1:04:59hard way. But beside that, um,

1:05:04what I'm seeing in this is that we need,

1:05:06not we, but also we're board members,

1:05:10um, must conduct ourselves in a manner

1:05:12that does not discriminate unlawfully

1:05:14against any person. And there's a

1:05:15there's numerous reasons, including,

1:05:18um, I would say race, color,

1:05:22um, genetic information, and that was

1:05:25specifically broken. I think for the

1:05:27sake of time, we really need to focus on

1:05:29choosing a training for this individual

1:05:32if we want to discuss down the road

1:05:34something for everybody to take. But

1:05:36again, I I don't really think that they

1:05:38have the time. And and I think that when

1:05:40you read this code of conduct, these

1:05:43things should be obvious. You you

1:05:45shouldn't say those things. You

1:05:46shouldn't say those things in a

1:05:48microphone or next, you know, even

1:05:50without a microphone. Um, so I I'm just

1:05:54glad that it was brought to our

1:05:55attention so that we can do something

1:05:56about it. Thank you,

1:05:59>> Adam. Um, just real quick, if I remember

1:06:02because I I was at that meeting where I

1:06:04was sitting out on council. I think if

1:06:07we can time bearing, I think giving two

1:06:10or three options to them just to make

1:06:13sure that they're not stuck in just one

1:06:16one thing and oh, it doesn't work out

1:06:18for that individual.

1:06:20So just just putting that in mind. Yeah,

1:06:23I think that I know that, you know,

1:06:26>> council does expect like a a formal

1:06:30recommendation, but

1:06:33I I don't see anything wrong with saying

1:06:35here it's kind of log of three top

1:06:39choices and what they cover to ensure

1:06:40that [snorts] they are the most

1:06:44intentional based on the need

1:06:48>> and equitable

1:06:50as well. Yeah, Mark.

1:06:53>> Um,

1:06:54just from a logistical standpoint, I

1:06:57think that while it would be great for

1:07:02present and future counselors to have

1:07:04this kind of training, um, that's not

1:07:07what we were asked to [laughter] do. Um,

1:07:10>> you're so good at being like,

1:07:12>> and I think that we have to [laughter]

1:07:14>> I think we have to be responsive

1:07:16>> absolutely

1:07:16>> to the council. Yeah.

1:07:18>> Just like um a few months ago when we

1:07:22were the council requested that we uh

1:07:25look at the issue of um people on the

1:07:28sidewalk on the street. Um we address

1:07:31that

1:07:32>> and I think in this case we need to just

1:07:35address what we were asked to look at.

1:07:38>> Yeah. Is there any of these that you

1:07:41have offered um and found that I they do

1:07:45all very specifically speak to

1:07:49anti-racism, unconscious bias, implicit

1:07:52bias, which I think

1:07:55aligns with the code. Is there one that

1:07:58specifically

1:08:01spoke to you that you were like, "Oh,

1:08:03this is

1:08:04>> Yeah, I think that the the um number one

1:08:09um

1:08:10>> diversity builder um it focuses on the

1:08:14impact of communications at work and um

1:08:17I think that could be generalized to um

1:08:21you know a council setting. Uh and then

1:08:25the the um

1:08:26>> Thank you.

1:08:28And the last one, the National Equity

1:08:31Project, um that looks at at bias, uh

1:08:35which certainly is involved in the

1:08:37situation.

1:08:39Um I'm not wedded to either one of

1:08:41those, but I those really kind of spoke

1:08:43to me as I was, you know, looking

1:08:45through them.

1:08:47>> Number five caught my eye as well, the

1:08:49National Equity Project.

1:08:51>> I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?

1:08:52>> Number five caught my eye as well, the

1:08:54National Equity Project.

1:08:57So Mark, this is the racial sensitivity

1:09:00training that you were talking about.

1:09:02Um, do you see the screen?

1:09:05Does this look familiar?

1:09:07>> Could you go back to the top?

1:09:08>> Sorry. Yep.

1:09:10>> Yes.

1:09:11>> That was the the uh the first port.

1:09:14>> Okay.

1:09:16Okay.

1:09:20Um

1:09:26yeah, that and then um let me look up

1:09:29the other one.

1:09:36So, this is either a Courtney or a um

1:09:41Mike question, but do you foresee

1:09:47um our committee either like what would

1:09:50be appropriate? Is it let's go through

1:09:53all of these and highlight or you know

1:09:55tally which ones we think are most

1:09:57important on Google in our own time and

1:10:00then we can use that as a final

1:10:02determination. Is it something that

1:10:03needs to be done in person with a formal

1:10:05vote?

1:10:06>> I think the Yes, the I think the

1:10:08recommendation should be made by a

1:10:10formal vote before.

1:10:12>> Okay.

1:10:14Okay. Um and and Mark just uh quickly

1:10:17this is the other

1:10:19This is the other one, correct? The um

1:10:22National Equity Project.

1:10:26>> Okay. [snorts] Okay. And then it looks

1:10:27like

1:10:29they've got a lot of virtual trainings

1:10:31which are fantastic.

1:10:33Wondering if they have like a catalog of

1:10:37trainings.

1:10:40Um [clears throat]

1:10:43what do folks think in the essence of

1:10:45time? We have another important item

1:10:47that I want to get to on the um

1:10:51agenda. So I do want to wrap this up.

1:10:54Would it be are

1:10:57May I ask if folks are amendable to

1:11:00either looking through all of these and

1:11:03coming back to a meeting?

1:11:06Is that more or less palatable than

1:11:11voting now?

1:11:16While you think on that Suzette, what's

1:11:17your question? Um, well, can I just ask

1:11:19like maybe Courtney that if if a way it

1:11:23could be done inhouse and not expensive

1:11:26and not violate a first amendment right

1:11:29potentially by making them do some other

1:11:31training outside of the city that the

1:11:33legal department just say, well, we

1:11:36could just

1:11:38do it here within the legal department

1:11:40here. like it I would think that's

1:11:42within their scope of

1:11:46not violating a first amendment right

1:11:49yet having some type of so some type of

1:11:53train they they must have something the

1:11:55legal department asked like

1:11:59if they have some kind of training

1:12:00within house like not that you know I'm

1:12:04saying that way it wouldn't be require

1:12:07too much time and money and you know

1:12:10what I'm

1:12:10Well, I can speak to that. We had the

1:12:12city solicitor at the table when the

1:12:13recommendation was made and that was

1:12:15brought up and he said they don't have

1:12:16anything for that and then he you know

1:12:19and that was one of the options was

1:12:21training as recommended by legal. So

1:12:24that's how we got here.

1:12:25Some of it is I mean it's like kind of

1:12:28but a lot of it is just that whole thing

1:12:30about the disclosure you know like like

1:12:32saying

1:12:34you know I'm speaking it's like we're

1:12:36supposed to say

1:12:38>> um Adam and then Ry

1:12:41>> ju just a correction this is not about

1:12:43the individual incident this is just for

1:12:47future trainings or or just like in

1:12:50general just a clarification

1:12:51>> well no the recommendation was ethics

1:12:53came back this was the findings and

1:12:55council said part of the findings this

1:12:58individual will go through training but

1:12:59however what training okay and so that's

1:13:01how this recommendation came here is

1:13:03what is the training that council should

1:13:06consider

1:13:07>> so

1:13:07>> for the individual

1:13:08>> thank you thanks for that clarification

1:13:10right

1:13:12>> um

1:13:14like you um already said if this was a

1:13:18decision already made by the ethics

1:13:19committee then we should move forward

1:13:21and just present I think a top three um

1:13:25flexible and applicable trainings and um

1:13:30yeah, leave it at that.

1:13:33>> Teresa,

1:13:34>> um I

1:13:37can see why having three options is a

1:13:39good idea. I personally just think we

1:13:42should choose one, but um it's

1:13:45unfortunate that we don't have much

1:13:47information um on this cross-cultural

1:13:50community services one. So, I wonder um

1:13:55I think there's really great options

1:13:56that we could choose tonight, but I just

1:13:59this one it goes all around Maine. It

1:14:01works with many different groups, um

1:14:03faith-based, community groups, uh

1:14:06municipalities, schools. Um I just would

1:14:09love to get the price and more

1:14:12information from them.

1:14:14>> Yep. And then I just I think for ease

1:14:17maybe presenting one, but if if most of

1:14:19us think we could present more than one,

1:14:21I that's of course fine. I just um

1:14:26>> I agree with what you're saying. Okay.

1:14:28>> But the expectation is what training we

1:14:31present the training. Of course, if

1:14:34counselors are in disagreement, all of

1:14:36this stuff exists and is available to

1:14:39them should they want to look at other

1:14:41options. I agree. Um, I'm happy to fill

1:14:44out the paperwork for a consult to try

1:14:47to just get some information as to like

1:14:49what the timing and price would be on

1:14:51that one. Um, in the meantime,

1:14:55um, because it does not appear that we

1:14:58are prepared to vote on this tonight.

1:15:01Um, I would like us to set a date that

1:15:04we could reconvene shortly. I do

1:15:07anticipate it being a very short

1:15:08meeting. Um, again, we do not need to

1:15:11relitigate what happened, why we're

1:15:13being asked this, what the fairness is.

1:15:16The expectation is that we come together

1:15:18and vote on what we determine is a an

1:15:20appropriate training to meet the needs

1:15:23of this violation.

1:15:25Um,

1:15:29are you all set with that? Do you want

1:15:30to stop the share?

1:15:32[laughter]

1:15:33>> Yeah. Um, so then

1:15:41shall we put a date on the calendar now?

1:15:45Um, that would be

1:15:48that would work for folks.

1:15:52Might I suggest potentially the sixth or

1:15:55the seventh if possible? Um, if it was

1:15:59the sticks, um, well, either one would

1:16:02probably end up in the pop room, which

1:16:04should be just fine.

1:16:06>> The seven would work.

1:16:08>> Oh, right. That's the candidates for

1:16:09[laughter]

1:16:10>> like this room is being used that

1:16:12evening. Uh and

1:16:17>> what would be the expectation

1:16:20um for the October 6th or 7th meeting um

1:16:26>> to come with your top choice of training

1:16:28once I get the information on that one

1:16:30training that we're waiting on the

1:16:32timing and cost of I will make that

1:16:34available as soon as possible and send

1:16:36you all an email so that you can have

1:16:38that information and then when we come

1:16:39together we will vote on

1:16:42anything that is continually added to

1:16:45that spreadsheet in the meantime that

1:16:46you have all found that might be of

1:16:48service. And Mark, I'm happy to just

1:16:51type in what you put into there as well

1:16:53so that we have a full list in one space

1:16:56and then we'll come together and vote.

1:16:58>> Are we going to vote on are we going to

1:17:00um present three alternatives or just

1:17:03one?

1:17:04>> Just one.

1:17:05>> Just one. Okay.

1:17:08>> Top choice.

1:17:10>> Okay.

1:17:10>> A rose too.

1:17:12Um the sixth is that um favorable to

1:17:17individual that is a week from today.

1:17:20>> 6 p.m.

1:17:22>> 6 p.m.

1:17:25>> It was 6 p.m. Okay.

1:17:28>> And that will be in the fall onion room,

1:17:30but that's also good timing because that

1:17:32occurs before the council meeting the

1:17:35following week.

1:17:36>> Great.

1:17:37>> So it could go to the the workshop

1:17:39before the next council meeting.

1:17:41Wonderful. So, October 6, 6 PM in the PO

1:17:45Bunny. I will send out any um updates on

1:17:48timing. Um I'm excuse me, cost and

1:17:51timing for that change

1:17:54that come with your top choice. Thank

1:17:56you all very much. Um sorry to rush us,

1:18:00but I'm excited about this next um piece

1:18:03on our agenda, which is the council

1:18:05chambers wall display. I'm gonna hand it

1:18:08over to Assistant City Manager

1:18:11O'Donnell.

1:18:13>> All right. So, I'm going to pull up the

1:18:16um the uh rough draft, if you will, of

1:18:21what I'm talking about. But so, the

1:18:26it's been in the works since the

1:18:28renovations in terms of taking advantage

1:18:31of the back wall um here in council

1:18:34chambers with a historical timeline of

1:18:37Bangor. Um and so staff have been

1:18:40working with uh the Bangor Historical

1:18:43Society uh pretty extensively on and off

1:18:47um about this for quite some time and

1:18:49our goal is to actually have it up and

1:18:52functional by um early next year with

1:18:55any hope. And so as part of that, I I

1:18:58must tell you that um we've actually

1:19:00already determined that this uh layout

1:19:02will need to be amended a bit because um

1:19:05actually last week we had cutouts of all

1:19:08the size panels and just put it up there

1:19:10to see how it would actually work and

1:19:12immediately realized that we would need

1:19:14to make some adjustments. Um, however,

1:19:17that being said, I think that's normal,

1:19:19especially because as you can see in

1:19:20this design, there's going to

1:19:23beformational panels, photos, and also

1:19:26artifacts. So, like the saw blade, for

1:19:29example, [laughter] is very historic.

1:19:32It's very large and heavy, and it will

1:19:35need to be mounted with plexiglass

1:19:37around it to make sure that

1:19:40>> Why is all going on?

1:19:42>> Yes. Um, and so there's also a PV. Um

1:19:45and um it's a yes I know that is the

1:19:48real name uh used um you know for lumber

1:19:51moving big uh uh

1:19:54>> down river. Okay.

1:19:55>> Um and so in any event um it starts with

1:20:00um you know this land of course um

1:20:02originally belonged to Native Americans.

1:20:05Um, so that's where the timeline starts

1:20:07and it goes all the way through being

1:20:09the lumber capital um of Maine and then

1:20:13the um industries that came through the

1:20:151800s up through the fire of 1911 and

1:20:18then photos that are kind of more

1:20:20current day. Um, and we, you know, want

1:20:24to highlight, you know, Paul Bunan, the

1:20:26the Kesuska extreme race and all those

1:20:28lovely things. And actually, as we were

1:20:30chatting this through, one of the things

1:20:32we wanted to ask this committee was for

1:20:34your input in case we missed anything,

1:20:36if there's any sensitivities that were

1:20:38missing and need to take into account.

1:20:40We also uh realized um when we were kind

1:20:43of doing our thing that we missed um

1:20:46including the schools, for example, um

1:20:49and even like a hospitals and things.

1:20:52And so we are working to kind of rework

1:20:54some of those items in. Um and so we are

1:20:58working with Ponobscot Nation um as well

1:21:01as uh the Bangor Chinese School also has

1:21:04given us some photos and information.

1:21:07And so um um

1:21:11we want to make sure that it's not

1:21:13overwhelming but at the same time is

1:21:15cool look at and educational. And so we

1:21:17do anticipate having QR codes um in

1:21:20which people can go to web pages and get

1:21:22more um information about the the

1:21:24various um items on the wall and the

1:21:27history behind it.

1:21:28>> That's great.

1:21:29>> Um and so yeah, that's sort of the

1:21:31overview that um this little thing here

1:21:34uh just in case you're curious, that's

1:21:35called a foundry form. Um, and we're not

1:21:39quite sure if we will get our hands on

1:21:41that or not, but that is um part of um

1:21:44the uh um I want to say pottery

1:21:47foundaries. It was part of the

1:21:49industrial um time frame in the early

1:21:521800s in any event. And so there's also

1:21:54a couple other artifacts that we were um

1:21:56trying to get our hands on as well, such

1:21:59as um we thought, for example, there's a

1:22:01bucket here that's original um for from

1:22:04the fire of 1911. We'd also we wanted to

1:22:07see about maybe getting um like a paddle

1:22:10because the Kadesca Extreme Race just

1:22:12had its 50th anniversary and things like

1:22:14that, but the things will be mounted um

1:22:18in a way that we'll be able to like swap

1:22:20some photos out and make sure that it

1:22:22stays current as well. And so, yeah, we

1:22:25just wanted to make sure that we weren't

1:22:27again [snorts] missing anything big or

1:22:29that we should be taking certain things

1:22:31into consideration or or what have you.

1:22:33But just so you know, this is just a

1:22:35draft. Um, we already know that it will

1:22:37need to be amended a bit, but the

1:22:39content largely um with some of those

1:22:43exceptions where I said we've already

1:22:44kind of discovered we've missed some

1:22:45things. Um, so

1:22:48>> who is the individual above the stamp

1:22:50pipe?

1:22:51>> Um, that is the first council chair of

1:22:54Bangor. Um, his name is escaping me. Um,

1:22:58but we realized too that when we were

1:23:01looking at that section in particular,

1:23:03um, that the the, um, it's not exactly a

1:23:07timeline there. And so, we want to

1:23:09rework the end a little bit to be, um,

1:23:12to make more sense, but also make best

1:23:14use of the space because, as you can

1:23:15tell, it's fairly limited. Um, so

1:23:18>> is that the airport at the bottom?

1:23:20>> Yes, it is. And in fact, there's a photo

1:23:22of Amelia Heheart um, when she visited

1:23:24the airport. So,

1:23:26>> nice. going to mention the airport.

1:23:28>> Yep.

1:23:28>> Yeah, there's several photos down here

1:23:30of of the airport. That's the Bangor

1:23:33Chinese School, Waterfront Concert,

1:23:34Stephen King House, uh the race, Paul

1:23:38Bunan. This is um of Gerald E. Talbet.

1:23:41And when we renamed Talbot Park from

1:23:43Second Street Park, Water District, the

1:23:46um Oh, the name's escaping me.

1:23:49>> Um it was the uh like railroad station

1:23:52uh down over Yes. Union Station. Thank

1:23:54you. Um, yeah. And that's Hannibal

1:23:58Hamlin downtown

1:24:01and

1:24:04>> I'm not sure if I can remember which

1:24:05ones those ones are.

1:24:08>> Yeah, it's very cool.

1:24:10>> I love that it starts with the age.

1:24:12>> I know. I just

1:24:16>> me too. Um,

1:24:19sorry, counselor, before I saw your

1:24:21hand, I saw Adam.

1:24:22>> Sure. No. Um, I was just going to just

1:24:24because my mind um, was there anything

1:24:28including I didn't say anything

1:24:29including like LGBTQ plus community at

1:24:32all. Just like just to throw it out

1:24:34there because if there's nothing for it

1:24:36and that's fine. I just want to advocate

1:24:38for that group as well.

1:24:39>> I know like our history.

1:24:40>> I mean I mean yeah

1:24:42>> um actually um

1:24:44>> I know the QR code thing and whatnot.

1:24:47can't fit everything on there, but just

1:24:48>> I think we can definitely probably

1:24:49incorporate something into that collage

1:24:51for sure. Um, you know, especially in

1:24:54light of, you know, Charlie.

1:24:56>> Yeah.

1:24:56>> Yeah, I think that would have be really

1:24:58>> also that also reminded me too of the um

1:25:01the bank robber thing that was a big

1:25:04thing.

1:25:05>> Yeah, Brady Gang.

1:25:08>> Absolutely.

1:25:11Um,

1:25:12>> okay.

1:25:13>> Sorry, counselor, you were next.

1:25:15>> Oh, no. We're just gonna say something

1:25:16totally selfish and self- serving, but

1:25:20uh the NFL played a game here in 1959.

1:25:23[laughter]

1:25:24We'll have a picture of the Packers and

1:25:25the Giants. Uh

1:25:27>> I I feel like that is a

1:25:29>> when they were here

1:25:30>> to

1:25:31say, "Okay, one, you let me know."

1:25:33[laughter]

1:25:35>> Um also, I I I forgot to mention too

1:25:38that um this section here also talks

1:25:40about immigrants to our area. Um and of

1:25:43course the early 1900s um is when um uh

1:25:47we got uh the Chinese population

1:25:51actually and so the Bangor Chinese

1:25:53school has a lot of uh cool history

1:25:55around that uh because we do have a

1:25:57population of about se or a few thousand

1:26:01um Chinese Americans here or American

1:26:03Chinese um here in uh Bangor and so we

1:26:06wanted to make sure that they were

1:26:07included as well. But that's also the

1:26:09sort of thing that if we're missing a

1:26:11group like that, we want to know.

1:26:13>> Absolutely. Would it be appropriate then

1:26:14instead of it being early European

1:26:17settlers to be like, you know, Bangor

1:26:21immigrants or something or immigrants to

1:26:23Bay and then talk.

1:26:24>> I think the updated version does have um

1:26:27an additional section about that, but

1:26:29that's a great flag. I will double check

1:26:31that.

1:26:32>> Thank you. Um Teresa and then Susette

1:26:35and then Adam. Did you have your hands?

1:26:37Oh my good. I'm sorry.

1:26:38>> Um, I liked Adam's point. I really I

1:26:41want to just say again, I really love

1:26:42that the PC nations being included. I

1:26:44think that's very important.

1:26:46>> Um, might I [clears throat] suggest for

1:26:48like the LGBTQ I because of Charlie, um,

1:26:52even just like a picture of the

1:26:54crosswalk that is painted, although this

1:26:56year didn't go very well due to hate, I

1:26:59still think that it's something like

1:27:01that the city continues to do. I don't

1:27:03know how long they've done that.

1:27:06Um, we've been doing it um I think like

1:27:0910 years.

1:27:10>> I think that's just something

1:27:13beautiful about Bangor or even something

1:27:16with Bangor beautiful because I just

1:27:18love going around downtown right now. My

1:27:21kids are like, "Oh my gosh." Like even

1:27:23me and my fiance are like, "Wow, it's so

1:27:25beautiful." Maybe something big or

1:27:27beautiful. But even just a photo of that

1:27:29crosswalk, I think would be telling that

1:27:33we're remembering Charlie what happened.

1:27:35Don't want to go back to that despite

1:27:36what happened to the crosswalk this

1:27:38year. But

1:27:38>> I agree. I agree. I think it's

1:27:40important. I was like nervous about like

1:27:45you want obviously you don't want to

1:27:47paint this as like all positive, but

1:27:49also, you know, being mindful of the

1:27:52hard things that, you know, we've done

1:27:53and come hopefully beyond.

1:27:57>> [clears throat]

1:27:57>> Really quick before I forget to your

1:27:59point, murals. That might be a really

1:28:01great way to integrate the schools

1:28:02because all the schools have murals on

1:28:04the

1:28:04>> That's cool.

1:28:05>> The down east one is really nice. They

1:28:07all are.

1:28:08>> Root has a new one. They're beautiful.

1:28:10Um

1:28:11>> uh Suz,

1:28:13>> um so I was just also I don't know if

1:28:15it's on here. I can't read the part, but

1:28:17um the Irish and the French and the

1:28:19Catholics because there was like the St.

1:28:21John's and the St. Mary's and different

1:28:23side. There's a book, Hard Times, Hard

1:28:25Madden about that, but

1:28:27>> that's a big part of the history here.

1:28:29And then also the burning of the St.

1:28:31Mary's Church, which was horrible. Um

1:28:34>> St. Mary's Church was where the, you

1:28:37know, behind the homeless shelter and

1:28:39that empty lot there. That was a St.

1:28:42Mary's Church that burned in 1978,

1:28:44burned to the ground. It was horrible.

1:28:47Um, and then I got a few things here. I

1:28:51don't know the ice harvesting. I know

1:28:52that was more in Brewer, but I don't

1:28:54know if there's anything in there

1:28:55because I think it was done by both, but

1:28:57Gachalice was in, you know, brewer. Um,

1:29:00and then the Bakewell cream, the guy was

1:29:03Byron 8 Smith from Bangor. He was a

1:29:06chemist.

1:29:08He did Bakewell cream, which they still

1:29:11make, which is made in Herman now, but

1:29:14>> it was in Bangor. Now it's in Herman.

1:29:16Um,

1:29:17>> and then the brick history, I don't

1:29:21know. There was Brewer Brickyard, but I

1:29:22think there was also a Bangor brickyard.

1:29:26>> Actually, I remember the historical

1:29:28society mentioning something like that.

1:29:30And I think you might be right that it

1:29:32was largely based in Brewer, but I'll d

1:29:34I'll double check that for sure.

1:29:35>> And then snow and I don't know if that's

1:29:37on there, too. The axe company and um

1:29:40that was a big

1:29:42>> Okay.

1:29:42>> And then wood stoves that they made

1:29:45here.

1:29:47I got a whole list, Courtney. Sorry. And

1:29:50then brownies, but that's controversial.

1:29:52>> I was gonna say brownies.

1:29:53>> That's like I don't know if that's

1:29:55>> that's brownies. Like I think Frank's

1:29:58bakery does they say something about

1:29:59there

1:30:01in Bangor. But whether it's

1:30:02>> according to regional report, the very

1:30:05first chocolate brownie was accidentally

1:30:07created by a Bangor housewife. The story

1:30:09goes she was making chocolate cake that

1:30:11collapsed because she forgot baking

1:30:12powder. Instead of throwing it away, she

1:30:15cut the dense flat into squares and put

1:30:18it in cookbooks as Bangor brownies.

1:30:20>> Wow. I I didn't hear I didn't hear.

1:30:23>> Really cool, you guys.

1:30:25>> I love that.

1:30:26>> We have an actual brownie. They're all

1:30:28behind

1:30:28>> the taffy. Isn't there

1:30:30>> Oh, yeah. But yeah, a real brownie.

1:30:33>> Taffy.

1:30:34>> Yeah, I don't know about that.

1:30:36>> The brownie factory, too. I don't know.

1:30:38[laughter]

1:30:40Um, I know we're just throwing a lot of

1:30:42suggestions and whatnot, but um,

1:30:43possibly just the evolution of our

1:30:46waterfront. I know

1:30:48>> um, it used to be a lot of industrial

1:30:50and then it got switched to there was

1:30:52like nothing there, but now there's more

1:30:54commercial like now just

1:30:57>> just food for thought.

1:30:59>> Absolutely. Um, also supposedly the

1:31:02first automative snowplow came out of

1:31:05Bangor.

1:31:07while we're throwing machinery up on

1:31:09this bowl. [laughter]

1:31:13Um, but in terms of like, you know,

1:31:15community, I do think that, yeah, really

1:31:18highlighting that the different

1:31:19immigration status of of folks that have

1:31:21really came to create a home here in

1:31:23Bangor is really, really special. So,

1:31:25thank you for highlighting that.

1:31:28>> Um, yeah. And so, um, we will be

1:31:33continuing to to work through this as we

1:31:35develop the panels and the web pages and

1:31:38stuff. Um, and so my hope is to have it

1:31:41actually in pretty good shape before um

1:31:44before I leave the end of November so

1:31:46that um ready to go. Um, but many thanks

1:31:51um to the Bangor Historical Society in

1:31:53particular. They have put a lot of work

1:31:55into this for us.

1:31:57>> It's a great use of the space. It's a

1:31:59really neat neat story.

1:32:01>> I think it'll be great.

1:32:04>> Yeah. Um, as usual, counselor, we're out

1:32:08of time and it's time for your updates.

1:32:10>> Oh, you can skip me if you want. I have

1:32:14them.

1:32:15>> I do have a big one, just so you know.

1:32:17So, no pressure.

1:32:20>> Would you like to go

1:32:22>> first?

1:32:23>> Oh, okay. Well, uh,

1:32:26>> so we've had two council meetings since

1:32:28the last time we all met here. And so,

1:32:31as you know, we have new appointments

1:32:32for Acre, uh, that Vile Lynn is the new

1:32:36exeicio student that was approved last

1:32:39night, Annie, who's on Annie Tomkins,

1:32:42regular member. Uh, Adam was reappointed

1:32:46for [laughter] your term. Uh, there's so

1:32:49two regular committee seats open left.

1:32:52So, if there's anyone out there watching

1:32:53and want to get involved, be sure to

1:32:55apply. Uh, also there was a one at least

1:32:58one renewal on the advisory comm

1:33:00homelessness. Uh, and then, uh, we also

1:33:03had a new addition to the advisory comm

1:33:05housing. Uh, but they, uh, there's still

1:33:08an open seat there as well. So, people

1:33:10are interested to be on that board,

1:33:12definitely need more applications. Um,

1:33:15the Yellen Pines project, the uh, the

1:33:19TIFF was approved on that one. Uh so

1:33:22that was approved last night. And let's

1:33:25see, uh we've also got um project hope,

1:33:29which we talked about before. Uh council

1:33:32could not decide on a funding source, so

1:33:34that project ended up being uh defeated.

1:33:37Uh so that won't be going forward, at

1:33:39least not in current iteration. It may

1:33:40come back. Uh but it was voted down last

1:33:43night. Um the Together Place uh they

1:33:46approved funding for the Together Place

1:33:48last night. Uh so they can remain open.

1:33:51um approve the bonding for 103 Main

1:33:54Avenue. So, public health when that sale

1:33:57goes through will be moving into 103

1:33:58Main Avenue. So, that'll be good space

1:34:00for them. We don't have to keep leasing

1:34:03from Texas AB. Um this month was

1:34:06National Recovery Month. There was a

1:34:08proclamation on September 14th.

1:34:10>> Uh so, Bob Picket from the barn came and

1:34:12accepted that. Um public health is going

1:34:14to be uh going through some clinical

1:34:16modernization. uh they're going to be uh

1:34:19having a modern electronic health record

1:34:21and billing platform. So that's going to

1:34:24be uh great for various community

1:34:26services uh given billing capacity for

1:34:28things uh including STD testing,

1:34:32treatment, immunization, case

1:34:34management, lactation services. Um so

1:34:36that's be helpful to the department. And

1:34:38last but not least, there is a result

1:34:40that passed last night celebrating the

1:34:42partnership with uh PonSk JobCore.

1:34:45>> Wonderful. Thank you.

1:34:47>> Good work.

1:34:49>> Um so, um the uh state's office of new

1:34:54Americans had reached out um and they

1:34:57were looking for um partners here in the

1:35:01Bangor area. They recently released an

1:35:04economic impact report of immigrants um

1:35:07in the state. Um it has a lot of

1:35:10information. Um I believe I sent you

1:35:12guys the link um in the email. Um but

1:35:14you can also just simply Google it. Um

1:35:16and it comes up pretty easily. Um and so

1:35:19as part of that um the office of new

1:35:22Americans was established by state

1:35:24statute actually. Um and so they their

1:35:28purpose is to improve the economic and

1:35:31civic integration of immigrants into the

1:35:33state workforce and communities to

1:35:35strengthen the economy over the long

1:35:37term. Um, and so what they're looking to

1:35:41do this fall is actually hold um um

1:35:45dialogues or uh community based meetings

1:35:48um throughout the state um and they uh

1:35:51to hear feedback around what folks are

1:35:53experiencing on the ground um and um and

1:35:58realities if you will of main immigrant

1:36:00communities and those that employ them

1:36:02um in particular. And so they're looking

1:36:06to do um um a few different meetings

1:36:10here in this area. So they they are

1:36:13going to hold um one for employers

1:36:16um and also one um for the immigrant

1:36:21population itself. And so they're

1:36:23working through a multicultural center

1:36:24for that part. Um and then the third is

1:36:27um going to be a broader sort of

1:36:29stakeholder discussion, community- based

1:36:31conversation.

1:36:32um and that um they looking

1:36:35recommendations on stakeholders and who

1:36:38should who should be invited to the

1:36:40table if you will for that conversation.

1:36:42So for example um I was thinking

1:36:45representative or multiple

1:36:47representatives from this committee

1:36:48might want to attend. I think city staff

1:36:50will be there um as well as um an

1:36:53invitation sent to schools. Um I assume

1:36:56that actually health care um and

1:36:58hospitals would be invited to the

1:37:00employers one in particular. Um, but

1:37:03again, I guess on either side of those,

1:37:05if you guys have recommendations for who

1:37:08we should make sure is included in that

1:37:10conversation, please let me know because

1:37:12they're developing um a work plan that

1:37:15they want to revisit every year and

1:37:17they're using that feedback uh to make

1:37:20sure that they are taking the realities

1:37:22of what people are facing every day into

1:37:24consideration when they develop that

1:37:26work plan.

1:37:27>> So, um it's I think it's it's good work.

1:37:30Um, and uh, they've been lovely. And so

1:37:33if you guys have um, yeah, if you guys

1:37:36have feedback or thoughts on who we

1:37:38should make sure is at the table, please

1:37:40let me know. Um, if not here on the

1:37:42spot, then just shoot me an email

1:37:45>> like within the next week or so because

1:37:47they are looking to schedule those

1:37:49meetings as soon as possible.

1:37:52>> I do think some of us should go. I would

1:37:55absolutely love to. I'm not sure how we

1:37:56should choose, but I do think that we

1:37:58should absolutely be there. It will be a

1:38:00public meeting. So,

1:38:01>> okay.

1:38:02>> Yeah.

1:38:02>> Yeah. Even appointing somebody to sort

1:38:05of

1:38:06>> leaz back what's you know what the

1:38:08stakeholders are working on, how we

1:38:09might best support, what the needs are.

1:38:12That would be wonderful. I'm I'm happy

1:38:15to Courtney. I don't know if it's um it

1:38:17would be appropriate for individuals to

1:38:20if either send Courtney an email if you

1:38:22have a recommendation or if you would

1:38:23like to be appointed the liaison. That's

1:38:27something that you could just approve,

1:38:28right? not in an official capacity but

1:38:31say

1:38:32>> um yeah and actually I guess like um if

1:38:35some if somebody did let me know that

1:38:37they were interested in being the lesson

1:38:38on I'll let the full committee know and

1:38:40then probably when we come back to a

1:38:42future meeting um then you can decide

1:38:44who in or anyone that may have attended

1:38:47may want to give a report anyway doesn't

1:38:49have to be formal

1:38:50>> yeah that sounds good

1:38:51>> wonderful

1:38:52>> I feel like a few of us will definitely

1:38:54have an interest

1:38:56>> absolutely

1:38:57>> when was this or when to support.

1:39:00>> We do not know yet. The the meetings

1:39:02have not been set, which is of course

1:39:04another thing that it would probably be

1:39:05hard to determine a late as long because

1:39:07we don't know who will be able to

1:39:08attend, but um yeah, we'll make sure

1:39:10that that is um out there and available

1:39:14and folks know in advance as soon as

1:39:15possible.

1:39:16>> Yeah, I didn't know if it just slipped

1:39:17over.

1:39:19[laughter]

1:39:20>> You zoned out for a second. All right.

1:39:21Well, yeah, once you share that with us,

1:39:23I think that Jesse being able to

1:39:24determine like, yes, I I will be in

1:39:26attendance, you know, via email that's

1:39:28appropriate. Correct. We respond all and

1:39:30say will be there so we have an idea.

1:39:33That would be wonderful.

1:39:35All right. Um, any other final updates,

1:39:39comments, questions from the committee?

1:39:42>> Yes, you bet.

1:39:43>> So, I had spoke before about that I

1:39:45wanted to write about dyslexia. So, do I

1:39:47just submit that? I don't want to just

1:39:49go ahead and put it on the I don't

1:39:50really know how to do it anyway, but do

1:39:52I just write something and then give it

1:39:54to you and then you can

1:39:55>> Yes,

1:39:56>> you can because I know we've talked

1:39:57about October

1:39:59>> and October's coming right up and I

1:40:00haven't done it yet. So, do I just um

1:40:03what show your case?

1:40:04>> So, thank you for bringing that up. I

1:40:05also had the same like oh my goodness

1:40:07thought. Um because October is also

1:40:11National Employment Awareness National

1:40:14Disability Employment Awareness Month. I

1:40:17actually had a blog for my work that's

1:40:19specific to Dangor that I put up there.

1:40:22What I did was on in our acre folder.

1:40:25Can you access this?

1:40:26>> I think you you sent me the link.

1:40:28>> Okay. If you send it to me, I can put it

1:40:29up here as well.

1:40:31>> Um I guess

1:40:34that would sort of be the question and I

1:40:36I Yeah, I completely

1:40:39>> love Well, would it be appropriate for

1:40:41us to quickly discuss this on the sixth?

1:40:43>> That's what I was thinking.

1:40:44>> Oh, sure. We could add that to the

1:40:45agenda for the sixth. Yeah. Yeah.

1:40:47Because I mean I think that just being

1:40:49an available resource and having

1:40:51information on our website is the key. I

1:40:53don't think that there's like a limit to

1:40:54what we put up there. So if you have a

1:40:56blog and you send it to me, I'll put it

1:40:58up here.

1:41:00>> Well, I will send reminders, but please

1:41:01go into the file, look at the trainings,

1:41:04look at the blogs, see if you have any

1:41:06feedback thoughts, and then we can make

1:41:08a decision next week as to what our

1:41:12training recommendation are. thoughts

1:41:14and feedbacks on any October information

1:41:17sharing and then we can present that to

1:41:19Courtney to put on our

1:41:21>> acre page. Yeah,

1:41:23>> correct. All right, awesome. Thank you

1:41:24so much, Suzette. I'm so glad you

1:41:28>> uh so sorry I missed last meeting. I am

1:41:30so overwhelmed lately that I completely

1:41:31forgot. So, I wanted to say that. But,

1:41:33um I I think that you did send out like

1:41:36a Excel sheet where we put our names

1:41:39next to the months that we could work

1:41:41on. Um, does anybody want to like

1:41:44forward that to me?

1:41:45>> Yeah, I will send an email like

1:41:48>> Yeah, I will send it out again.

1:41:51>> Great. Awesome.

1:41:52>> Yes. Wonderful. All right, so um we have

1:41:56to

1:41:59Okay, I'm going to adjourn us without a

1:42:02vote because I trust us all being 13

1:42:05minutes past the time. Thank you so

1:42:06much, Annie. It was nice to meet you.

1:42:08Thanks for

1:42:09>> Thank you so much. I'm really excited,

1:42:10guys. Thank you.

1:42:12Thanks all.

1:42:13>> Appreciate it.

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