2026-10-26 - City Council

00:54Good evening. Welcome to the regular

00:56meeting of the Bangor City Council. It

00:59is now 7 o'clock. See, we had extra time

01:02tonight and we obviously are not used to

01:05that. So, we're trying to catch up with

01:07ourselves. Uh, we start all of our

01:10meetings with the pledge of allegiance.

01:12I'm going to ask Councelor Dean.

01:14>> Thank you, Council Chair.

01:17I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

01:20United States of America and to the

01:22republic for which it stands, one nation

01:26under God, indivisible, with liberty and

01:29justice for all.

01:38Now for the portion that none of you

01:39have heard this before, but we're going

01:41to do it again.

01:44This is the portion of the meeting set

01:47aside for general public comment

01:49directly related to city business for

01:51matters that do not appear on this

01:53evening's agenda. If you are here for a

01:56specific agenda item that is under

01:58unfinished business or new business,

02:01please wait until we reach that item.

02:04Items under first reading and referral

02:06will be discussed when they return under

02:09unfinished business and we will hear

02:11public comment at that time. Public

02:14comment requires a person to state your

02:16name and whether you are a resident of

02:18Bangor. The city council has adopted a

02:21public comment policy that we will

02:23adhere to. Statements during public

02:26comment should respect the dignity and

02:28seriousness of the proceeding and

02:30individuals will be restricted to

02:32speaking once. Obscene, truly

02:35threatening or overly repetitive

02:37comments will be deemed out of order and

02:40will be interrupted and removed. Topics

02:43that are considered out of order also

02:45include matters that are in litigation.

02:48Individual employees or employee groups

02:50discussing matters for which complaint

02:53or grievous grievance procedures are in

02:56place. Personal disputes between the

02:59speaker and another resident not gerine

03:01to city business. Support for or

03:04opposition to any candidate for

03:05political office and personnel

03:08complaints pertaining to individual city

03:10employees. There is a time limit of

03:13three minutes per speaker and the total

03:15time allowed for general public comment

03:18regarding city business will be limited

03:20to no more than one hour. The public

03:23comment period is for city council

03:25members to listen and not to respond or

03:28debate with persons. If you do not live

03:31in Bangor or own property in Bangor,

03:33please allow those who do to have the

03:35opportunity to speak first. If you'd

03:38like to offer comment on any item

03:40directly related to city business not

03:43appearing on the regular agenda, you may

03:46approach the podium. Individuals who

03:48have appropriately pre-registered

03:52to give public comment via remote means

03:54will be given the opportunity to

03:56participate remotely. Alternatively,

03:59counselors may be reached via email at

04:02counselors atbangmain.gov.

04:04A link to the adopted public comment

04:06policy can be find found on the city's

04:09website.

04:18Okay, if we can have director will let

04:22and Mr. Bernac come forward.

04:30>> Excuse me.

04:32Yes.

04:34>> Good evening.

04:35>> Evening.

04:37>> We have here

04:40a recognition recognizing the dedication

04:44of Tony Bernac's volunteerism

04:47each year with the Greater Bangor July

04:504th Corporation.

04:52Whereas Mr. Bernac has volunteered as

04:55the president of the Greater Bangor July

04:574th Corporation for several years. And

05:01whereas the Greater Bangor July 4th

05:04Corporation volunteers yearly assist

05:07with the festivities in the city of

05:09Bangor. And whereas festivities that Mr.

05:12Bernaci is involved in include the

05:15parade in the morning, music on the

05:17waterfront, and the fireworks show at

05:19night. And whereas the entire day of

05:22July 4th requires many volunteers to

05:25organize the parade units, manage

05:28waterfront activities, and the

05:30organization of the evening events. And

05:33whereas Mr. Fiber has dedicated

05:35countless hours preparing for the July

05:384th events and on the day of through the

05:41organization of volunteers, ensuring to

05:44details of each activity and managing

05:47these events throughout the day. And

05:50whereas Mr. Bernac takes great pride in

05:53ensuring the success of these events

05:55every year. And whereas if not for the

05:59dedication of the volunteers

06:01such as Tony Bonacci, the July 4th

06:05celebration in Bangor would not be the

06:07success and regional event that it is

06:10each year. Now therefore, I, Susan M. H

06:13mayor of the city of Bangor on behalf of

06:16the city of council and the citizens of

06:19Bangor.

06:20Do you hereby recognize given this 26th

06:24day of October

06:262026

06:28Mr. Hatch? Go ahead and receive that and

06:31I'm going to talk about your video.

06:55>> Thank you, Chair Hall and the city

06:56council. It's a recognition that is more

06:59than welld deserved but Mr. Bonacci has

07:01indicated in the recognition the July

07:044th activities here in Bangor not only

07:08regional and and local asset to the

07:10citizens of the city as well as those

07:11are in the surrounding communities. It

07:13takes a lot of work of many volunteers

07:16uh dedicated hours and a lot of time the

07:20day of uh Mr. and I spend a lot of

07:23quality time together were it not for

07:26his uh guidance and willingness to pitch

07:30in and dedicate however many hours needs

07:32to be dedicated to the success of these

07:34events in July 4th. I don't know where

07:36these events would be without us. So

07:37Tony, our appreciation to you. Uh he

07:40won't be able to leave without saying

07:41one or two things. So I'm going to yield

07:42the podium to him to let him do that.

07:43But again, thank you for the recognition

07:45from the council and thank you.

07:46>> Thank you.

07:53Well, as George Hail had told me on the

07:55um

07:57downtown review and scan during the

07:59Fourth of July parade, a lot of the

08:00words in here are true. And uh some of

08:03them I'll accept them as they are. But

08:05uh thank you. That's very much

08:07appreciated. Um I heard my name more

08:10times here than I did on the intercom at

08:11Bangor High School. It's that the um I

08:15this is season that just went by as my

08:1820th season of doing this. In 20 years,

08:22[snorts] myself and Michael Fern had

08:24raised well over a million dollars to

08:26fund these activities. This is not

08:29cheap. It's not easy. It takes a good

08:32deal of volunteers. Our committee

08:34consists of four people [snorts] and we

08:37make it all happen and we pull some

08:39volunteers together at the last minute

08:41and you were there. What' you think?

08:43Good time.

08:44>> It was an excellent

08:46>> excellent time. Um I myself I put about

08:49200 hours a year into this project. And

08:54when I first took it over 20 years ago,

08:57I stood on the re uh the Joshua

08:59Chamberlain Bridge selling tickets for a

09:02dollar a piece to view the fireworks for

09:042 hours beforehand. And we sold like a

09:08thousand tickets. And so, oh, boy, this

09:09is great. And then the fireworks went

09:12off and it was 7 minutes of the lamest

09:16fireworks I've ever seen in my life.

09:21I said to the president of the

09:23organization, "Boy, that really bites."

09:27And so, uh, next year as it came around,

09:30I was informed that I would be the

09:31president. And

09:35open your mouth, get an opportunity. I'm

09:37just saying, watch it. Um, it's been a

09:40lot of challenges over the years. We've

09:42had some

09:44had to administer first aid to kids, uh,

09:47broken glow sticks in their eyes. uh

09:50people suffering from heat, stroke, uh

09:52tragic fatality in 2013.

09:56Um we've endured through these. We've

09:58grown through them. We've learned from

10:00them and we've strengthened. It's my

10:02honor and privilege to be able to serve

10:04this community that I love so much. Born

10:06in Bangor, raised in Bangor, moved to

10:08Hampton 20 years ago when I got married.

10:10She's awesome. My my wife is the most

10:13important part of this organization. She

10:16lets me do what I need to do.

10:19Thank you all. I appreciate it.

10:33>> There's one more person that is also

10:36involved but would not have

10:40accepted.

10:44Where'd he go? He was right there.

10:46Director Willlette,

10:53did he leave?

10:55>> Did you have Did you have permission?

11:01>> Did you have permission to leave the

11:02room?

11:03>> Clearly not.

11:05>> Clearly not.

11:07>> I forgot to thank him for like 18 years

11:10of putting up my crap.

11:11>> Before you Now he's leaving the room. I

11:14just have no control of this room. Come

11:17back.

11:21You're going together.

11:24I was hoping that you would be able to

11:27talk about some of the things that Tracy

11:29has done to help over the years. He

11:31would not have accepted a recognition

11:33like we gave to you because that's just

11:36not him. He'll tell us that's his job.

11:39But for those of us that have been down

11:41there, we see he works really hard. So,

11:44I thought maybe you could just attest to

11:46that for a moment.

11:47>> In two words or less. Uh, stay right

11:50here.

11:51>> Can't stand it.

11:52>> About this gentleman right here. Don't

11:54walk away from me. Without this

11:56gentleman right here, none of it would

11:58be possible.

12:00I'm just a little card on the wheel.

12:02That's the wheel. If I need something

12:05done in this city, he makes it happen.

12:07if he can't. There's a gentleman out

12:09there in a uniform, Chief Haway, to make

12:12it happen.

12:13>> And sometimes we've had cases where we

12:15want to call him up just this year. But,

12:17uh,

12:19uh, Tracy bends over backwards

12:24for us. What do you need is the most

12:27common thing out of his mouth, and he

12:30makes it happen at the last minute.

12:34Tracy, I don't have any popups to keep

12:38the people cool on the parade uh

12:41reviewing stand. No problem, Tony. Got

12:42it covered.

12:44Um,

12:47we we got to communicate with B. No

12:48problem, Tony. Got it covered.

12:51Tracy, we need No problem, Tony. Got it

12:54covered.

12:56This is the guy that makes this city

12:58happen. The 4th of July, I start my

13:02morning about six o'clock since we

13:05stopped the pancake breakfast. Before

13:06then, it was about 3:30.

13:09>> And

13:11Grace Willlet and I are on the phone

13:12with each other no later than 7:00 a.m.,

13:15maybe 7:30.

13:18And

13:20he comes back and forth throughout the

13:23parade. And I see him here and there,

13:24usually standing down the center of Main

13:27Street with Mark Hathaway. And um also

13:31the police department do a great job on

13:33this phenomenal bang up in public works.

13:36Um park and recreation's crew. Um

13:40Tracy will be there during the concert

13:41making sure everything that we need, the

13:43power cords are there, the stages in

13:46place and set up. Um,

13:50also

13:53the two last people to leave the Bangor

13:56waterfront usually about 11:30 on July

13:594th. And that's gotten a lot better. It

14:01used to be 1:00.

14:03>> Literally clean this thing up. Usually

14:06about 11:30,

14:08Tracy's heading to his car and I'm

14:10heading to my truck and we're the last

14:11two rolling out of downtown. And it's

14:14really easy to leave the fireworks if

14:16you're the last one.

14:19It's no traffic impeding you at all. But

14:23um we're very fortunate to have Tracy

14:26Willer as the director in park

14:28recreations. Most people have no clue of

14:30how much this man's job encompasses this

14:34entire city. And if the population knew

14:38what this man does on a daily basis,

14:42I think a lot of people would bend over

14:44and kiss your ring.

14:46[laughter]

14:49>> We should go.

14:50>> We should go. [laughter]

14:52>> So, wait a minute. We haven't been

14:55authorized to leave yet.

15:00Tracy, thanks.

15:17Thank you, Madam Chair. Proclaiming

15:19October as domestic violence awareness

15:21month. Whereas domestic violence

15:24awareness month is observed every

15:26October since 1989 across the United

15:28States to unite advocates, survivors,

15:31communities, and organizations, an

15:33effort to end domestic violence. And

15:36whereas millions of Americans are

15:38affected by intimate partner violence

15:41with the CDC showing that 34% of US

15:44women and 17% of men have experienced

15:47contact, sexual violence, physical

15:49violence, or stalking by a partner. And

15:52whereas domestic violence is widespread

15:55community problem affecting Maine

15:56families regardless of geography, income

15:59or education. And nearly half of all

16:02homicides in Maine are related to

16:04domestic abuse and violence. And whereas

16:07every year one in 15 children live in

16:10homes where one of the adults abuses the

16:12other adult. 90% of these children are

16:15eyewitnesses to violence. And whereas

16:18domestic violence is not only a crime

16:20but a violation of a person's person's

16:22basic human rights and as such all

16:25victims and survivors deserve our

16:27support and all offenders need to be

16:29held accountable. And whereas all

16:32citizens should not only become aware of

16:34domestic violence in all aspects, but be

16:36willing to get involved and take action

16:38by advocating for adequate resourcing of

16:41domestic violence programs, helping to

16:43change the culture that supports

16:44violence, and supporting survivors in

16:47seeking support services, safety, and

16:49justice. And whereas consistent with our

16:53tradition of neighborly concern for one

16:55another and sense of fairness and

16:57justice, citizens are encouraged to

16:59report to law enforcement all suspected

17:01incidents of domestic violence and make

17:04referrals to domestic violence helplines

17:06such as partners for peace in Ponobscott

17:09and PC Piscatus counties for 247

17:12support.

17:14Now therefore, I Susan Dean on behalf of

17:17the mayor of Bangor, Susan M. Haw on

17:20behalf of the city council and the

17:22citizens of Bangor do hereby proclaim

17:25October as domestic violence awareness

17:27month and do hereby pledge our support

17:29and cooperation for ending domestic

17:32violence in our community.

17:35I believe Amanda Cost is here with

17:38partners for peace.

18:05Well, that's a tough act to follow those

18:07two, but um I'll do do what I can. My

18:10name is Amanda Cost. I'm the executive

18:11director at Partners for Peace. Partners

18:14for Peace has been in this community for

18:15over 50 years. um serving people

18:17affected by domestic violence and abuse.

18:20Uh thank you for having me here uh to

18:23proclaim October 2026 as domestic

18:26violence awareness month. I want to

18:28share a bit about Partners for Peace. Um

18:30as was stated, we are the domestic

18:32violence resource center in Ponobscot

18:34and Scatquist counties. We work

18:36alongside the Ponobscot Nation domestic

18:39violence and sexual assault advocacy

18:41center to support people affected by

18:43domestic abuse and violence in our

18:45region.

18:46We do this by offering free and

18:49confidential support through a 24-hour

18:51helpline, emergency shelter and housing,

18:54legal and court assistance, children's

18:57advocacy, support groups, and community-

18:59based prevention programming along with

19:02training, education and awareness

19:04programs. Our service area is vast,

19:07Kakajo all the way down to Newport and

19:09everywhere in between. and our reach is

19:12wide and still every year over half of

19:15the people who access our services are

19:17from city of Bangor. Whether that's our

19:19helpline or our shelter, it's really

19:21consistent across the across the

19:24numbers, 50%. Um, and so during this

19:28month, this awareness month, we take to

19:30our communities. Um, it's our goal to

19:32shine a light on domestic violence and

19:34abuse. It's a pervasive pattern of

19:37coercive, controlling behavior that

19:40affects individuals, families, and our

19:43entire community. It can show up in many

19:46forms, including emotional manipulation,

19:49isolation, financial abuse, physical

19:52violence, and in its most tragic cases,

19:55the loss of life. During this month, we

19:58are thankful for the support of the city

20:00and our generous community. And at the

20:03same time, we must acknowledge the

20:04uncomfortable truth. Awareness alone

20:07will not end domestic violence. Real

20:10change requires that each of us take

20:12responsibility for building a safer,

20:15more equitable community where everyone

20:17can live free of violence and fear.

20:20Consider taking action, but that goes

20:23beyond awareness, that makes lasting

20:25change in our communities. If you want

20:28to get involved, don't wait until next

20:30October. Visit our website at

20:32partnersforceme.org

20:34for more ways to help survivors and get

20:36involved in our community. If you are

20:39someone you know needs assistance,

20:41please contact our 24-hour free and

20:44confidential helpline. Thank you so

20:46much.

20:47>> Thank you.

20:56>> Okay, it is 7:20. We're going to open

20:59the public comment.

21:03>> I'll start. Hi, my name is Michael

21:05Norton. Good evening and happy Halloween

21:07everyone.

21:08>> Good evening.

21:09>> Um, I'm here to ask for the city's

21:14encouragement to put on as an item on

21:17one of the agendas forthcoming.

21:20a proposal for a parcel of property

21:25on 50 Broadway which is listed by

21:27Birkshire Hathway right now at 1.1

21:30million for a Bangor film office to help

21:33artists and workers integrate their

21:37skills and knowledge and support the

21:39film community. I'm a co-writer on the

21:42forthcoming

21:43Hollywood Age Discrimination Act. And I

21:48wanted to share with you a little story

21:50on top of that information. Uh there was

21:53a little girl about this the height of

21:56this [snorts] podium who starred in a

21:58couple movies in the early 1980s. It was

22:01called Poltergeist and Poltergeist 2 if

22:03you're into horror movies. And her name

22:05was Heather Aoric. She's a fantastic

22:08actress. But there was a press release

22:11that got out that said she mysteriously

22:13lost her life. And as you know, Elvis

22:17Presley isn't the only one who fakes his

22:20death.

22:21This little girl lives.

22:24And I'm using this podium right now uh

22:27not to show my bald head, but to help

22:31YouTube understand that Heather Ooric is

22:33still out there. And I love her as an

22:36actress and a being. I went to film

22:38school and met many actresses and she's

22:40a celebrity apprentice herself. So

22:43Heather, if you're out there, please

22:45step forward and help us get a Banger

22:47film office in Bangor play at 50

22:50Broadway where Meerowitz, the

22:53chiropractor, used to have his office,

22:55but it's up for sale $1.1 million. I

22:58have minute left. So, I'll say uh two

23:02doors down from that, there's 40

23:04Broadway, which is a fast food

23:06restaurant that has no main state law,

23:09labor law poster on it about minimum

23:11wage, and they pay their workers $2.50

23:16for months and months and years and

23:18years on end, promising them more money

23:20and never getting it to the workers.

23:22They have inspections listed fabricated

23:26by the uh American National Society or

23:31American National Standards Institute on

23:34their customer office wall for pickup

23:37where they pick up the food. They see

23:39ANSI with the person's name on it. It's

23:42certified that place is a wreck in need

23:45of repair. They're in deep debt. And I

23:49find it impossibly difficult to figure

23:52out why there's a police department here

23:54run by an officer for 30 plus years that

23:58has never marked them at all for any of

24:01their illegalities. Two doors away from

24:04a property on sale now for $1.1 million

24:08at 50 Broadway. Hopefully for the Banger

24:10Film Office. Happy Hollywood.

24:13>> Thank you. Anyone

24:21else?

24:30>> Good evening. My name is Scott Partardy

24:32and I am a resident of Bangor. And uh I

24:35I do want to say that uh I'm sorry that

24:38some of you will be leaving and uh it's

24:40it's been a pleasure to speak with most

24:42of you. Maybe all of you, I don't know.

24:44Anyway, I am here tonight with a sense

24:47of regret.

24:48Regret that I haven't been able to fully

24:50convey to this body the deep lasting

24:53harm that enabling causes in our

24:55community.

24:57I recently shared evidence-based data

24:59with you highlighting the direct link

25:01between substance use disorder and

25:03homelessness. Yet, even when confronted

25:06with clear data, some here still refuse

25:09to accept it.

25:11As a society, we keep searching for an

25:13easier, softer way out of addiction. But

25:15the reality is that addiction doesn't

25:18yield to comfort or convenience.

25:21Throwing vast amounts of taxpayer money

25:24into vain attempt to solve home to solve

25:26a homelessness crisis without directly

25:29addressing the addiction driving it will

25:31continue to fail.

25:34I have been closely watching the

25:35meetings of the homeless committee. I am

25:37confident that I am not the only one in

25:39this room who has noticed the

25:41dysfunction,

25:43the lack of direction, and the complete

25:46absence of tangible results.

25:49We are treading water while lives are

25:51being lost and our community suffers.

25:55We cannot keep repeating the same failed

25:58approach while expecting a different

26:00outcome.

26:01It is time to step back, re-evaluate,

26:04look at fundamentally different

26:06strategies,

26:08approaches that focus on real

26:10accountability,

26:11recovery, and breaking the cycle rather

26:14than enabling it. I urge this council or

26:18what's left of it to take a hard look at

26:22what is actually happening in in those

26:24committee meetings, confront the root

26:26causes of this crisis and demand real

26:29action instead of endless spending. On

26:32another on another note, I really want

26:34to to thank thank the the people that

26:37may that may be leaving or that are

26:39leaving and I appreciate your service. I

26:42really do. It's it's got to be a um it's

26:46I I think it would be a tremendous

26:48burden on anybody to sit up there. I

26:51really do. And so I appreciate you and

26:53it's it's uh it'll I'm sorry to see some

26:55of you go and uh but hopefully we'll

26:58we'll continue on or we'll try to

27:00continue on without you. Thank you very

27:02much.

27:03>> Thank you.

27:17Good evening. It's lovely to see all of

27:19you. Um,

27:23thinking about these kinds of comments,

27:25I wanted to just uh

27:28>> Can you give us your name, please?

27:30>> I'm sorry. Grace Nichols. I live here in

27:32Bangor. Um, and good evening. Um, so

27:37listening to this kind of comment, I

27:39feel like I need to articulate an

27:42alternative perspective. People are

27:44homeless because there's not sufficient

27:46housing. People are homeless because

27:48there's not sufficient jobs. People are

27:51homeless because the jobs they can get

27:54don't pay enough. And if you listen to

27:56people who are homeless, whether you're

28:00working at CHCS or um working at the uh

28:04teen center or I'm currently working in

28:07Ellsworth doing social work there. Um

28:10you hear these stories, they're waiting

28:12for their workers comp appeal. They've

28:16been putting up solar panels for years.

28:18They hurt their back. they have out of

28:20control diabetes and can't walk and are

28:24an elder. I mean, so the stereotype that

28:29all homeless people are addicted is

28:32inaccurate and that the addiction itself

28:36causes the homelessness is also

28:39inaccurate even for those who became

28:40addicted. Um,

28:43I thought a lot about

28:47why there's so much um, division on this

28:51topic and I think that it's very painful

28:54for everyone to see how much on the edge

28:57everyone is a paycheck or two away from

29:00homelessness. I think it's it causes us

29:03panic. It causes us pain to see the

29:06suffering that's in the streets. And

29:08because of that,

29:10you know, I I tend to give way to

29:12outrage, but other people give way to

29:15blaming the victim, right? And but as a

29:19city council and a homelessness

29:21committee,

29:22what we need is places for people to be,

29:26particularly as it's getting colder. And

29:28I urge you all to

29:32appeal for state funding to enlarge our

29:36um warming center capacity

29:39and to plan for daytime places for the

29:44homeless to be. This is Maine. The

29:46winters are brutal and we're going to be

29:48looking at mortality if we don't

29:52um swiftly increase our capacity. Um

29:57it's it's shocking the situation we're

30:00in, but we have to face it bravely and

30:03we got to take care of the people and

30:04not blame them for suffering. Thank you.

30:08>> Thank you.

30:16Hi, my name is Robin Perkins and I am a

30:18resident of Bangor. Many of you know me.

30:22While I might not have attended a

30:24[clears throat] lot of your meetings,

30:25I've watched just about every one of

30:27them and I am here to express my sincere

30:31thanks for your efforts to make Ba

30:33Bangor a better place for its citizens.

30:36You are elected to represent our

30:38community, which means balancing many

30:40different perspectives, regardless of

30:43how vocal or persistent certain

30:45individuals may be. I recognize the

30:48immense amount of time and effort you've

30:50all dedicated to the roles that you've

30:52done, much of wi which goes

30:54uncompensated and unappreciated.

30:57For the two council members attending

30:59your final meeting, thank you for your

31:02service. To the remaining members,

31:04please know that many of us in the quiet

31:06majority deeply appreciate your

31:09willingness to serve. Thanks for your

31:12dedication.

31:14>> Thank you.

31:20>> Hello, my name is Eden Sailor and I'm a

31:22resident of Bangor. I'm here to advocate

31:24for substantial funding to be allocated

31:26to together places warming shelter. I am

31:28confident in the city's ability to

31:30alleviate the struggles of our unhoused

31:32community members by ensuring these

31:34warming centers have enough funding to

31:36operate on a regular basis and at a

31:38substantial capacity. Additionally,

31:41multiple complaints have been called in

31:42to the Bangor Police Department against

31:44the Dollar General off of Broadway for

31:46playing a high-pitched tone akin to that

31:48of a hearing aid on the Fritz. It's

31:51obvious how distressing this can be for

31:53shoppers, employees, pedestrians, and

31:55wildlife. I am suggesting a quiet hour

31:58for businesses that use audio as

32:00loitering deterrence as it impacts every

32:02person and creature, not just the people

32:05trying to find a place to rest or as

32:07referred to by law, loiterers. So, as to

32:10reiterate, end noise pollution and

32:12allocate substantial resources to

32:14together places warming center. Thank

32:16you.

32:18>> Thank you.

32:25Hey, good evening, Madam Chair, council

32:27members. Uh, my name is Reese Perkins.

32:30I'm a resident of Bangor. Uh, I spent 14

32:33years volunteering for the city, uh, on

32:35the board of appeals, uh, historic

32:38preservation commission, planning board,

32:40most recently as chair of the board. I

32:42also ran for council last year

32:44unsuccessfully.

32:45I don't say that to brag. I say it to

32:48let you know that I care and I love this

32:50city. My message tonight is simple.

32:54Bangor has real challenges, but progress

32:57begins when we recognize the people

33:00already working to address them and ask

33:03how we each can help them. I concur with

33:06Mrs. Perkins, who spoke earlier, which I

33:09don't always do, by the way, um, and

33:12would go further to say that I am

33:13somewhat tired of hearing about how bad

33:15our city is, particularly due to the

33:17homelessness problem. I am also tired of

33:20hearing about the city government's

33:21inaction and carelessness. I know many

33:24of you personally and I know many of the

33:26city employees and I have never met one

33:30who didn't care and who didn't want to

33:32do anything they could to fix the

33:34various problems that we fight every

33:36day. In fact, most everyone I know loves

33:40the city just as much as I do and think

33:43this is a great place to live and to

33:44work. Could we improve? Sure.

33:48But you know, Robin and I have traveled

33:50to every state in the United States, and

33:53we still would rather live nowhere else

33:55but in Bangor.

33:57That is why instead of complaining, we

33:59go down to the waterfront, park three or

34:01four days a week, put our gloves on,

34:04grab our trash bags, then we get to work

34:07cleaning up trash. Sometimes we find

34:10needles, and when we do, we contact the

34:12Wabanakis, and they go down and they

34:15pick them up.

34:16Sometimes a police officer or a park

34:18employee will also help pick up the

34:20needles.

34:23They all can and are willing to help.

34:25And occasionally we see other volunteers

34:28around doing the same thing. I think

34:31what we really need is more people

34:33willing to volunteer and help our city b

34:36make it a better place. There is always

34:39a need for more volunteers on city

34:41boards and commissions. You guys know

34:43that. and plenty of need for volunteers

34:46on a cleanup crew somewhere. And I think

34:49we need less people complaining. Thank

34:51you for your time and your efforts.

34:54>> Thank you.

35:07>> Hello, my name is Jody McDonald. I am a

35:10Bangor resident. Um, I concur that I

35:13want every human being that is in my

35:15community be to be treated as a human

35:17being. I know that this takes a massive

35:20toll of time, of emotion, of focus, of

35:23finances and it is systemic across our

35:27society and if if we're watching

35:29international news, it's systemic across

35:31the entire globe. We are needing to make

35:35some changes to a much higher up problem

35:37and that includes changing a tax

35:39structure so that those who can afford

35:41more stop hoarding resources that the

35:44middle and lower classes need to

35:46survive. As someone has already

35:48mentioned, many of us are two, three

35:50paychecks away from homelessness. Many

35:52of us have been close to it as well. As

35:55a child growing up, I have mentioned

35:57before that I was very very very close

35:59several times with my mother by no fault

36:01of her own on three jobs. I mentioned

36:04this because we have many corporations

36:06in the city of Bangor who do not pay

36:08their workers enough to survive. We have

36:11a housing crisis. We have housing costs

36:14that are skyrocketing as well as

36:16residential neighborhoods that are being

36:18bought up by corporations. so that

36:20neighbors that I have now, 30 years from

36:22now, will still not own the homes that

36:24they have fallen in love with, that they

36:26are raising their family for, and that

36:28they are sending to schools to make this

36:30a beautiful place. I'm also incredibly

36:34concerned that one of the people running

36:36for governor would like to have there be

36:38ICE and would like there to be other

36:40members of enforcement outside polling

36:44stations.

36:45And I'm hoping for a beautiful turnout

36:47of voting and a passionate voters to

36:49make this a much better

36:52entire country, state, and local

36:55communities. But I once again want to go

36:57on record that Bangor needs to have

37:00Bangor police forces be supported to

37:03protect and serve us and that federal

37:05agents need to be federally

37:09going through the laws that they're

37:11supposed to do. and our first amendment

37:14right. Part of that needs to be that we

37:17are ensured that we are allowed to vote,

37:19that we are allowed to have our voices

37:21to vote. And I'm very concerned that

37:24next week while I go to greet some of

37:27you who are still running and others who

37:29are in the audience who are running to

37:31greet you, I'm hoping that I don't see a

37:33gestapo there as well. I'm very nervous

37:35about that. Thank you.

37:38>> Thank you.

37:58have one remote coming in.

37:59>> Oh.

38:44Uh, yes. Can you hear me?

38:46>> Yes.

38:47>> Okay. Yes. Um, sorry. Um, thank you for

38:50giving me my time to speak. Uh, this is

38:52George Lance. Uh, of course I am a a

38:55neighbor of yours in Bangor, Maine. Um,

38:58and I appreciate you giving me my time

38:59to speak today. Uh this issue is not

39:02related to homelessness in our city of

39:04Bangor. It is unrelated to that. Um but

39:08it is protected free speech and it is

39:10within your purview because this is

39:12something I'm asking your city to take

39:13action on. We need a declaration from

39:16your city with a bunch of wherees so you

39:19guys can tell a story with whereas

39:22beginning at every paragraph whereas uh

39:25white guys are feeling like we're

39:26getting the the short end of the stick

39:28in this country. Uh whereas, you know,

39:32it is not racist for white guys to feel

39:34like there's discrimination being done

39:36to our viewpoint, silencing us. Uh

39:39whereas

39:44>> Mr. Lance,

39:57>> are you going to let me speak? Are you

39:58interrupting my free speech?

40:02>> Hello.

40:03>> What you are discussing is not city

40:05business.

40:06>> It absolutely is city business. You're

40:08not giving me a chance to speak. This is

40:10totalitarian what you're doing. This is

40:12free speech, woman.

40:22>> Point of order.

40:24Point of order. If Mr. Lance has

40:27something he would like us to put in a

40:29proclamation. I think he should send it

40:31to us via email so we can consider it

40:34and stop wasting our time on these

40:38calls.

40:47>> The second person who registered for

40:49remote comment isn't on right now.

40:51>> Okay.

40:55Yes, he's

40:57Did he go back there to sit? He's

40:59coming.

41:02>> So, that's a tough act to follow.

41:06>> So, I'm speaking on behalf of uh Seth D,

41:09pastor of House 274 uh in the Bangor

41:11Mall. Uh my name is Seth D and I'm a

41:15pastor here in our city. I was directed

41:17in I was directly involved with the

41:19warming shelter effort last winter and I

41:21wish I could be present tonight to speak

41:23with you personally. Since I cannot be

41:25there, I am grateful to have someone

41:27read these words on my behalf. I want to

41:29speak from experience about why

41:31emergency funding for our warming

41:33shelter is so important. Last winter, we

41:36did what we could with what we had. We

41:37relied heavily on the kindness,

41:39generosity, and sacrifice of volunteers

41:41who gave their time, energy, and hearts

41:44to serve some of the most vulnerable

41:45people in our community. Because of that

41:47kindness, we made it through the winter.

41:49People had somewhere to go. People had a

41:52place to sleep. And people who might

41:54otherwise have been left out in the cold

41:55were given shelter and care. But I want

41:58to be honest about the cost. We burned

42:00out our volunteers. We asked a great

42:02deal of people who were already giving

42:04sacrificially. and we tried to carry a

42:06responsibility that required more

42:08resources and support than we had

42:10available. I believe we did right by the

42:12people living on our streets last

42:13winter, but I'm not convinced we did

42:15right by the people who serve them. Good

42:18intentions and generous hearts can carry

42:20us a long way, but they cannot replace

42:22the funding, staffing, and structure

42:24necessary to sustain this kind of work.

42:27We cannot expect people to sacrifice

42:30indefinitely to fill a gap that our

42:31community has a responsible a

42:34responsibility to address together.

42:36Emergency funding would make a real

42:38difference. It would help provide a

42:40safe, warm place for people to sleep

42:42when the temperatures become dangerous.

42:45It would allow for appropriate

42:46supervision and support, including the

42:48ability to recognize when someone is in

42:50danger, respond to medical emergencies,

42:53and reduce the risk of people suffering

42:54harm from substance use while alone and

42:57unsheltered. Most importantly, it could

42:59help prevent people from freezing to

43:01death on our streets. I'm asking the

43:04city to consider not only the financial

43:06cost of providing the shelter, but also

43:08the human cost of failing to provide it.

43:10The cost is people freezing to death. I

43:13noticed medical emergencies and

43:14dedicated volunteers reaching the the

43:17point of exhaustion because they're

43:18trying to do what our community needs. I

43:21respectfully urge the city to approve

43:24emergency funding for the warming

43:25shelter. Let us protect the people who

43:28need shelter, support the people who are

43:30willing to serve, and take shared

43:31responsibility for the well-being of our

43:33community. Thank you for your time and

43:35for your consideration.

43:38>> Thank you.

43:49Seems like there's a bit of a bandwagon

43:50that I'm jumped on. Uh my name is Mike

43:52Jondro, also a resident of Bangor. Um I

43:55volunteered at the Together Place uh

43:57warming shelter last winter. Uh one of

44:01uh many volunteers that helped make that

44:02happen. Um,

44:05a lot of volunteers would know put their

44:07own money like to go purchase supplies

44:09were often short on things. Um, I've

44:13seen a lot of um, public comment

44:16regarding funding for shelters as

44:18comparing it to uh, uh, staying in a

44:21hotel room and that's not exactly a fair

44:23comparison because if you go stay at a

44:25hotel room, I mean, yeah, clean sheets

44:28and maybe a continental breakfast and

44:30this is way more than that. So there's

44:33at the together place, 35 beds. Um,

44:37and it's not just providing coffee and

44:39breakfast in the morning. There's

44:41somebody there, somebody that's ready to

44:43respond to an emergency, somebody who's

44:45ready who's ready to break up a fight or

44:47prevent one from happening. Um,

44:50occasionally there there were a couple

44:51of overdoses, but there were staff there

44:54to assist. So this is not like a hotel

44:56thing. it's, you know, people that have

44:58training, uh, who are levelheaded and

45:01can respond to an emergency if something

45:03happens. Um, some of this funding would

45:07go to paying staff so we're not he so

45:09heavily reliant on volunteers.

45:12Um, and it also covers things like like

45:15food, cleaning supplies, and that sort

45:17of thing. Um,

45:21I guess there's really not a whole lot I

45:22can add that hasn't already been said.

45:25um this funding would go a long way to

45:27helping keep people safe over the

45:29winter. And there's uh I don't know

45:34there's really no way to put it other

45:36than you know I mean the cost of not

45:38doing it is that we find people in snow

45:42banks and if you're if you freeze to

45:44death there's no chance you'll have a

45:46recovery.

45:48So simple as that. So uh let me vote for

45:51the funding and thank you.

45:53>> Thank you.

46:02Okay, we're going to consent agenda

46:06>> minutes of Bangor City Council regular

46:08meeting of October 14th, 2026. 26-297

46:12order authorizing the execution of a

46:14municipal bill of sale for real estate

46:16located at 8H Street. 26-298

46:20order authorizing the execution of a

46:22contract with Sheridan Corporation for

46:25the TSA security screening checkpoint

46:27expansion project at Bangor

46:29International Airport in the amount of

46:3112,931,640.

46:3626-299

46:37order authorizing the purchase of a 2028

46:40tandem axle plow truck for public works

46:43from Freightlininer and Western Star of

46:45Maine in the amount of $273,92.

46:5026-3000

46:52order appointing Grace Inis as interim

46:54city solicitor.

47:03I move the consent agenda.

47:06>> Second.

47:08>> Consent agenda has been moved and

47:10seconded. Is there any discussion?

47:15>> Seeing none, the consent agenda will

47:17have passage.

47:22Referrals to committee in first reading.

47:2426-301

47:26resolve appropriating customer facility

47:28charge funds for planning efforts

47:30associated with a consolidated rental

47:32car facility in the amount of $222,040.

47:36First reading 26-302

47:39resolve making an appropriation from

47:41undesated fund balance in the amount of

47:44up to $65,000 to fund a director of

47:46transit. First reading.

47:51I move referrals to committee and first

47:53reading.

47:54>> Second.

47:56>> It has been moved and seconded that

47:58these be referred to committee and first

48:00reading. Is there any discussion?

48:04Seeing none, they will be referred.

48:08Unfinished business. 26-293

48:11ordinance amending chapter 165 land

48:13development attachment two schedule A

48:16urban developed area to remove floor

48:18area ratio from the downtown development

48:20district council Mor

48:26>> I moved

48:30this ordinance amendment

48:31>> your mic

48:36thank you this ordinance amendment will

48:39remove floor rate ratio or F from the

48:42downtown development district, the DDD

48:45to provide flexibility for growth in

48:47downtown and promote infill development

48:51floor area ratio in the floor area of a

48:53building on a lot divided by horizontal

48:56area of the lot.

48:58F was used to control building bulk and

49:01volume in the early to mid 20th century.

49:05When Fs were implemented around the

49:08country, some of them some of the

49:10perceived benefits were protecting

49:12sunlight, neighborhood character, and

49:14infrastructure capacity, most of which

49:17do not hold true today. Additionally,

49:21some of the most well-known buildings

49:23downtown already exceed this standard.

49:25For example, the Graham building

49:29where RDman and Winshell offices are

49:31located have a far of an F of

49:35approximately 4.5 and the Eastern Trust

49:39Building at 6 State Street has an F of

49:425.3.

49:44The proposed amendment aligns this

49:46policy recommendation 1 and seven in the

49:502022 comprehensive plan regarding

49:53encouraging development in the growth

49:56boundary and increasing housing supply

49:59downtown by revising zoning regulations.

50:03This item was reviewed and unanimously

50:05approved unanimously recommended for

50:08approval at the planning board meeting

50:10of October 20, 2026.

50:15I move this reser.

50:18>> Second.

50:18>> Second.

50:22>> Ordinance 26-293

50:25has been moved and seconded. Is there

50:27any discussion?

50:31Seeing none, we will have a roll call

50:32vote.

50:33>> Council Beck,

50:35>> yes.

50:35>> Council Dean,

50:36>> yes.

50:37>> Council Foon,

50:38>> yes.

50:39>> Council Fish,

50:40>> yes.

50:41>> Council Leonard,

50:42>> yes.

50:42>> Council Mor,

50:44>> yes.

50:44>> Council Walker,

50:45>> yes.

50:46>> Council Hos,

50:47>> yes.

50:48>> Eight, yes. Zero, no.

50:52>> Eight, yes, zero, no. Ordinance 26- 293

50:56has passage.

50:59Next item,

51:00>> 26-294

51:01resolve accepting and appropriating

51:04$823,851

51:06for the NourishMe Rural Nutrition

51:09Education Program from the University of

51:11New England. Council Dean.

51:13>> Thank you, Madame Clerk. This resolve

51:15will accept an appropriate $823,851

51:20from the University of New England to

51:22implement the Nourish Maine nutrition

51:24education program in fiscal years 2027

51:27and 2028 in Ponobscot and Piscatus

51:30counties. Maine's rural health

51:32transformation program provides the

51:34funds for the Nourish Maine program

51:35statewide which focuses on reducing the

51:38burden of chronic illness through

51:39nutrition. Banger Public Health and

51:42Community Services implemented SNAPED

51:44programming from 2012 to 2025. Federal

51:48funding for the SNAP education program

51:49was ended nationally on February 28th,

51:522026. In response, Maine DHS dedicated

51:56new federal rural health transformation

51:59program funding to nutrition education.

52:02UNE is the implementing agency for the

52:05program. Funding is for a five-year

52:08program with year one funding beginning

52:10May 1st, 2026. This funding allows an

52:13important program to continue operating

52:15despite the loss of federal funding. In

52:17fiscal year 25, Bangor Public Health and

52:19Community Services, SNAPED nutrition

52:21educators provided nutrition education

52:24to 3,57 youth and 25 schools and 266

52:29adults in Ponobscot and Piscatus

52:31counties. The program helped teach

52:33participants how to stretch food dollars

52:35and make healthy choices. As a result of

52:37this program, statewide, 45% of adults

52:40increased eating vegetables. 27% of

52:43adults increased use of a grocery list.

52:4553% of teens increased use of nutrition

52:48label facts. 17% of youth increased

52:51physical activity. This item was

52:54reviewed and unanimously recommended for

52:56approval at the Gov Ops Committee

52:57meeting on October 5th, 2026. I move

53:01passage of council resolve 26-294.

53:05>> Second.

53:08Resolve 26-294

53:10has been moved and seconded. Is there

53:12any discussion?

53:16Are there any doubts?

53:19Seeing none, the resolve will have

53:21passage.

53:23Next item 26-295

53:26resolve accepting and appropriating up

53:28to $6,000 from John's Hopkins University

53:31as partners on a National Institutes for

53:33Health Arise grant to increase access to

53:36prep. Councelor Walker. Thank you, Madam

53:38Chair.

53:40Um, this order will accept and

53:42appropriate up to 6,000 from John

53:44Hopkins University as partners on a

53:46national institutes for health arise

53:50grant to increase access to prep. For

53:52the past year, Bangor Public Health and

53:54Community Services has been exploring

53:57opportunities to expand access to

53:59preexposure.

54:01Prophylaxis

54:03prep is an effective medication to

54:05prevent transmission of HIV. The the

54:08current HIV outbreak has revealed gaps

54:10in access to prep. It is often not

54:13offered through trai traditional primary

54:15care. As a result, other delivery models

54:18need to be established. Bangor Public

54:20Health and Community Services currently

54:22has two clinic locations that could

54:25offer prep services. In addition to

54:27meeting a community need, this would

54:29also be a billable service to contribute

54:31to the department's revenue. The NIH

54:34Arise grant will bring together John

54:36Hopkins University's expertise and

54:39leadership with Bangor Public Health and

54:41Community Services on the ground

54:43experience to create a plan to include

54:46increased access to prep through

54:48community partnerships and system

54:50building. The funding will be used to

54:52offset staff time to work on developing

54:54the plan and expenses for supporting

54:57community logistics.

54:59I move council resolve 26-295.

55:05>> Second

55:07resolve 26-295

55:09has been moved and seconded. Is there

55:11any further discussion?

55:16Any doubt?

55:18Seeing none, the resolve will have

55:20passage.

55:22New business

55:23>> public hearing application for special

55:25amusement permit of scoreboard social

55:27LLC doing business as Benjamin's

55:29Restaurant and Pub 123 Franklin Street.

55:32Council Beck.

55:33>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Madam Chair, I

55:34move we open the public hearing for the

55:36application for special amusement permit

55:38of Scoreboard Social LLC doing business

55:41as Benjamin's Restaurant and Pub, 123

55:44Franklin Street.

55:45>> Second.

55:46It's been moved and seconded to open the

55:49um public hearing for Benjamin's

55:51Restaurant and Pub. It is now open.

55:59>> Seeing no one approach, I move we close

56:01the public hearing.

56:02>> Second.

56:04>> Been moved and seconded to close the

56:06public hearing. It is closed.

56:09Madam Chair, I move we approve the

56:11application for special amusement permit

56:13of Scoreboard Social LLC doing business

56:15as Benjamin's Restaurant and Pub 123

56:18Franklin Street.

56:19>> Second

56:21>> the application for special amusement

56:23permit of Scoreboard Social LLC doing

56:26business as Benjamin's Restaurant and

56:27Pub 123 Franklin Street with no

56:31objections has passage.

56:35Public hearing application for special

56:37amusement permit of Ponobscot Theater

56:39Company join business as Ponobscot

56:41Theater Company 131 Main Street. Council

56:43of Beck.

56:44>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Madam Chair, I

56:46move we open the public hearing for the

56:47application for special amusement permit

56:49of Ponobscot Theater Company doing

56:51business as Ponopscot Theater Company,

56:53131 Main Street.

56:54>> Second.

56:56>> Moved and seconded to open the public

56:58hearing for Ponobscot Theater Company.

57:00It is open.

57:06Seeing no one approach, I move we close

57:07the public hearing. Second.

57:10>> It's been moved and seconded to close

57:12public hearing. The public hearing is

57:13closed.

57:15>> Madam chair, I move we approve the

57:16application for special amusement permit

57:18of Ponopscott Theater Company doing

57:20business as Ponobscot Theater Company,

57:22131 Main Street.

57:25>> Second.

57:25>> It's been moved and seconded for the

57:27special amusement permit of Ponopscott

57:30Theater Company. Um, and it has been

57:32approved.

57:36>> 26-303

57:38order amending the remote participation

57:40policy. Council of Flo.

57:42>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. This order would

57:44amend and update the city of Bangor's

57:47remote participation policy to no longer

57:49allow public comment via remote means.

57:52This item was brought before the

57:53government operations committee at the

57:55request of councelor Foon. That's me. Uh

57:59the policy has been amended in the past

58:01to remove and then reinstate remote

58:04public comment. The city is not not

58:07required to allow public comment by

58:09remote means. The city is only required

58:12to provide a method for citizens to

58:14attend by remote means when members of

58:16the public body participate by remote

58:19method. In order to participate in

58:22public comment, citizens may attend

58:23meetings in council chambers or submit

58:26written comments. The Government

58:28Operations Committee reviewed and

58:30recommended approval at its meeting on

58:32October 19th, 2026.

58:35Madame Chair, I move passage of order

58:38number 26-303.

58:41I will enthusiastically second that.

58:49Order 26-303

58:52has been moved and seconded. Is there

58:54any discussion?

58:58Are we taking comments?

59:02We have a couple of comments.

59:06Just make a line if there's more than

59:08one of you. My name is Katie Co. I'm a

59:10resident of the city of Bangor. I think

59:12this is a great idea, but I do think

59:14that it is difficult for some people to

59:16get to city hall after the buses stop

59:19running. And I would suggest that I

59:22think it would be great if on Monday

59:23nights when we have council meetings or

59:25Wednesday nights when we have council

59:26meetings if the buses could run late

59:28because I do know there are folks that

59:30cannot attend because they don't have

59:31transportation. Thank you.

59:34>> Thank you,

59:36>> Adam Baker. Uh Bangor resident, all my

59:39words are my own. It don't reflect any

59:40committee I'm on. Um I'm just here to

59:43give advocacy that I think this is a

59:45needed change. We went through the

59:47process this whole year. I saw it come

59:49go and come back again. I think it's

59:52only been bogging down time in re city

59:54business that's already

59:57being bogged down enough in in a lack of

1:00:00a better term. Um also with previous

1:00:03speaker also still giving the advocacy

1:00:05for accessibility for people as well. I

1:00:08know it's in city code or whatnot but

1:00:10still to advocate for that and then also

1:00:13transportation as well. So thank you.

1:00:16>> Thank you.

1:00:19Susan Fur. I'm a resident of Bangor. The

1:00:21opinions are my own and not those of any

1:00:23committee I may be on. Uh I'm I'm

1:00:26opposed to this just because I have had

1:00:28to participate remotely before and um

1:00:31from sickness or traveling. And just as

1:00:33you counselors have the privilege of,

1:00:35you know, participating remotely. I

1:00:37think the public should be as well. And

1:00:39just because um we don't agree with

1:00:41maybe what someone said, maybe we don't

1:00:44agree with what someone says, we're here

1:00:46either. I think it should be allowed to

1:00:48continue. Thank you.

1:00:50>> Thank you.

1:00:53>> My name is Jodie McDonald, Bangor

1:00:55resident, and I also concur that there

1:00:58needs to be a way for people to actively

1:01:00participate who are unable to be here. I

1:01:04try to be here as often as I can. I've

1:01:06missed several meetings because I have a

1:01:08chronic illness and often can't walk. I

1:01:11would like to still be able to have the

1:01:13ability to log on to be able to give the

1:01:17city that I love so much my voice as

1:01:19well. So, if we are going to do this,

1:01:22which I tend to be alarmed at the

1:01:26content that is remotely given, um I do

1:01:29hope that there are still some forms of

1:01:31considerations so that Bangor

1:01:33constituents are still able to have a

1:01:35voice even if their presence due to

1:01:37transportation or physical ability is

1:01:39not able to be happen.

1:01:49Seeing no comment. Any council comments?

1:01:53Council Fu.

1:01:55>> Um I just want to say that um yeah, it's

1:01:58been since January that we brought this

1:02:01back. We've had one person participate

1:02:04during that time in a meaningful way

1:02:06that wasn't disruptive, which is why I

1:02:09thought it was worthy of having um of

1:02:11revisiting this. Um and certainly

1:02:15anybody who has um a a medical reason

1:02:20um who would like to um participate

1:02:22remotely can ask for an accommodation

1:02:26and and that would be granted. So this

1:02:28is by no means going to restrict people

1:02:32um you know who have a um a a medical

1:02:35reason and need that accommodation. And

1:02:37then also just a reminder that folks can

1:02:39email mail us at any time or have

1:02:42someone come in and read like we saw

1:02:45happen um earlier tonight. If you're not

1:02:48able to make it um someone could read it

1:02:51for you, but it I in my opinion it has

1:02:54really bogged down our meetings and been

1:02:57very distracting. So I will that's why I

1:03:00brought it forward and why I will be

1:03:01voting in favor of it. Thank you.

1:03:03>> Council Leonard.

1:03:06I I definitely understand like why

1:03:08councelor Fuoon uh brought this forward.

1:03:10I don't even necessarily uh disagree

1:03:13with you on the merits of it. Uh it has

1:03:15been disrupting for um a good chunk of

1:03:18the year having these problematic uh

1:03:20people coming in. I I do also remember

1:03:24many years being on the council where um

1:03:28remote participation was a tool for

1:03:31advocating for things that the city was

1:03:33doing that people that didn't

1:03:34necessarily live in the city but still

1:03:37were invested in the city wanted to

1:03:39participate in those conversations. for

1:03:41example, uh the flavored tobacco

1:03:44conversation um ordinance or when it

1:03:48came to uh uh the the initial issue that

1:03:51the firefighters had many years ago that

1:03:53that there's there there are actually

1:03:56really good you uses for remote

1:03:59participation and um I'm not condoning

1:04:03the bad actors that get on there

1:04:06practically every two weeks hearing them

1:04:09non-stop. I don't like the idea of

1:04:13taking a privilege away from people that

1:04:15can be a really good tool and a really

1:04:18good communicator for us as a council

1:04:20just because of a couple of bad actors.

1:04:23And I and and I get that this isn't a

1:04:26right, it's a privilege, but I don't

1:04:28feel comfortable taking that privilege

1:04:29away from uh the average citizen. So for

1:04:34honestly, for that reason alone, I I do

1:04:36have to vote against this.

1:04:39Council Meer,

1:04:43>> as one who has used Zoom

1:04:46by when I've been on the train or when

1:04:48I've been in Boston for medical reasons,

1:04:51I think we should uh allow this to

1:04:55continue.

1:04:57I'll be voting no.

1:05:05So, the city has only started using Zoom

1:05:08since CO. So, I guess my question was

1:05:12the city silencing people before CO I I

1:05:15don't think so. Um,

1:05:18my issue with this is was on display

1:05:20tonight. Can you hear me? Hello? Are you

1:05:25there? Hello? Are you there? Hello? Can

1:05:29you hear me? Hello?

1:05:33Can you hear me? So, I mean I mean like

1:05:36that's the kind of stuff where this is a

1:05:38business meeting. We need to move things

1:05:40forward. There's a number of ways for

1:05:43people to be able to reach us. Email,

1:05:44phone, uh US mail, um you c and but of

1:05:49course certainly come in, have someone

1:05:50else read it for you. Uh one of the

1:05:52things I appreciate is something I've

1:05:54seen uh happen is when you write in, you

1:05:57can have that read into the record and

1:05:59have it be part of the mean the meeting

1:06:00minute. So everyone, all citizens can

1:06:02see it. Um, so I'll be voting in favor

1:06:05of this uh because this is a business

1:06:08meeting and I want to hear from people.

1:06:09That's what public comments about. We

1:06:11have a common uh public period for that

1:06:13uh in person. Um, and I please encourage

1:06:16everyone who's not able to attend in

1:06:18person email because we all read all of

1:06:21the emails. I know I do. Uh, and it

1:06:23gives you more time to sit there and

1:06:25process uh it anyway. Uh, so I will be

1:06:28voting in favor of this. Any

1:06:32other comments?

1:06:37>> Thank you. I just wanted to discern

1:06:39between the citizens remoting in and the

1:06:41counselors remoting in. Counselors are

1:06:43elected officials or a body of nine. We

1:06:46need to have a quorum. I think it's

1:06:48perfectly acceptable and we're not

1:06:49questioning whether a counselor can

1:06:51remote in. But for the public to remote

1:06:53in and be disruptive, I find is

1:06:56basically offensive. And I am most

1:06:59definitely in favor of eliminating the

1:07:03uh remote access at this point.

1:07:07>> Any other comments?

1:07:10>> We do a roll call.

1:07:13>> Council Beck,

1:07:15>> yes.

1:07:16>> Council Dean,

1:07:17>> yes.

1:07:18>> Council Foon,

1:07:19>> yes.

1:07:19>> Council Fish,

1:07:21>> yes.

1:07:22>> Council Leonard,

1:07:23>> no.

1:07:24>> Council Mor,

1:07:25>> no. Council Walker,

1:07:27>> yes.

1:07:28>> Council Hos,

1:07:29>> yes.

1:07:30>> Six yes, two no.

1:07:34>> Okay. Order 26-30.

1:07:38Um 6 yes, two no does have passage.

1:07:45>> Next item.

1:07:48>> Amending the schedule of fees by adding

1:07:50fees starting November 2nd, 2026,

1:07:53council of 5th.

1:07:55Thank you, Madame Clerk. This order will

1:07:58amend the city schedule of fees to

1:08:00create new fees for planning services

1:08:02beginning November 5th, 2026.

1:08:05Currently, there is no fee to send

1:08:07mailed notices for land development,

1:08:10zone change, or historic preservation

1:08:12applications. However, notices to the

1:08:15abuing property owners are required for

1:08:18almost all types of development, all

1:08:20zoning map changes in historic

1:08:22preservation applications.

1:08:25Depending on whether the project is

1:08:27conditional use or there are many

1:08:28abudding property owners, mailings can

1:08:31be quite large. Therefore, similar to

1:08:34how the city charges developers for the

1:08:36cost to advertise certain developments

1:08:39and review land development permits,

1:08:41staff proposes to change for the cost of

1:08:43the mailing notices to the abuters so

1:08:45that the cost doesn't fall on the

1:08:47taxpayers.

1:08:49Additionally, the city was given

1:08:51delegated authority by the state to

1:08:53review storm water permits triggered by

1:08:55the developments that create 20,000

1:08:58square ft of new impervious area within

1:09:02an urban impaired stream wershed or

1:09:051acre imperous area in an unimpaired

1:09:09watershed. However, this authority comes

1:09:11with extra staff time needed to review

1:09:14the projects, inspect the storm water

1:09:16systems to ensure compliance. The state

1:09:20currently charges developers for this

1:09:22permitting. Therefore, this new proposed

1:09:24fee would charge similar amounts for the

1:09:26city to do this this permitting. This

1:09:29fee would be charged as part of the land

1:09:32development permit application for a

1:09:34period if it meets the threshold for

1:09:36requiring this permitting. and the storm

1:09:39water permitting portion would be

1:09:41transferred to the storm water utility

1:09:43fund to cover those extra costs. This

1:09:46item was received and recommended for

1:09:49approval at the October 5th, 2026

1:09:52Business and Economic Development

1:09:54Committee meeting.

1:09:56Madame Chair, I move order 26-304.

1:10:02>> Second.

1:10:03Item 26-304

1:10:06order has been moved and seconded. Is

1:10:08there any discussion?

1:10:13Any doubts?

1:10:17Seeing none, the order has passage.

1:10:21>> Madam Chair, on this next item, I have a

1:10:23conflict of interest.

1:10:25>> Okay. I'll be leaving the room.

1:10:27>> All right.

1:10:3626-305

1:10:38order authorizing the city manager to

1:10:40direct up to $105,000 from Bangor

1:10:43Community Development Block Grant to

1:10:45Bangor Public Health and Community

1:10:47Services to fund three nonprofit

1:10:49organizations. Council Dean,

1:10:52>> I move passage of council order 26-305.

1:10:55>> Second.

1:10:57I move to amend by substitution council

1:11:00order 26-305.

1:11:02>> Second.

1:11:04>> This order will authorize the city

1:11:06manager to direct up to 100,000 from

1:11:09Bangor Community Development Block Grant

1:11:11to Bangor Public Health and Community

1:11:13Services to fund two nonprofit or

1:11:15organizations. This item requires a

1:11:18public hearing prior to voting. The well

1:11:21will receive $10,000 to support their

1:11:23operation of a warming space. The well

1:11:26operates a day space that offers a safe

1:11:28space for people to be during the day as

1:11:30well as food, clothing, phone charging,

1:11:32and laundry services. A number of

1:11:35programs such as options team, PCHC

1:11:37street outreach, city outreach, path,

1:11:39and other organizations provide services

1:11:42at the well to link people to housing,

1:11:44health care, and other resources. Last

1:11:46year, the well served approximately 70

1:11:48to 80 people a day. Up to 90,000 will be

1:11:52allocated to support an as-needed

1:11:54warming overnight shelter, particularly

1:11:56on cold nights when demand is expected

1:11:58to be highest between November 2026 and

1:12:01April 2027.

1:12:03Based upon their experience coordinating

1:12:04a warming shelter during the 2025 2026

1:12:07winter season, Together Place is best

1:12:10situated to receive the funding. The

1:12:13proposed funding sources for the as

1:12:16needed warming shelter include heating

1:12:18assistant funding administered by the

1:12:19public health and community services for

1:12:21$5,000, general assistance reimbursement

1:12:24approximately $11,000, and community

1:12:27development block grant of $90,000. The

1:12:30advisory committee on homelessness will

1:12:32assist by developing requirements and

1:12:34policy for operating the asneeded

1:12:35warming shelter. The funding will

1:12:37reflect actual costs and expenses. This

1:12:41order further authorizes the director of

1:12:43public health and community services and

1:12:44the community development officer to

1:12:47execute any and all documents to

1:12:49affectuate this award. These awards will

1:12:52be subject to further eligibility. The

1:12:54director of public health and community

1:12:55services and the community development

1:12:57officer will develop routine reporting

1:12:59requirements. This item is being amended

1:13:01by substitution to remove an allocation

1:13:03of $5,000 to Mana Ministries. Mana

1:13:06Ministries has withdrawn their request.

1:13:09I move passage of council order 26-305

1:13:13by substitution. I

1:13:15>> think we have to vote on the amendment.

1:13:16>> We do.

1:13:19>> Okay. We first need to vote on the

1:13:21amendment.

1:13:24>> I move passage of council order 25-305.

1:13:29>> Uh that sher says second. I um I mean we

1:13:33have to vote by amendment. It was

1:13:34already moved in second.

1:13:35>> It was approved. So why did you Okay, we

1:13:39just decided to do it twice.

1:13:41>> Well, now it's still

1:13:42>> Do it three times.

1:13:42>> It's doubled. [laughter]

1:13:44Not the money.

1:13:49>> All right.

1:13:51It has been uh there is there any

1:13:52further questions on this order? No

1:13:55comments.

1:13:58Council me.

1:14:03The only comment I'd like to make is the

1:14:05fact that we're unaware of what types of

1:14:10uh

1:14:12authorizations the public health

1:14:14department is going to make and I think

1:14:16we need to be made aware of how the

1:14:18money is being spent before it's spent

1:14:21not after.

1:14:22So I need information coming from public

1:14:25health before we administer or we issue

1:14:28checks.

1:14:31Okay. Anything

1:14:35else?

1:14:41Let me just make a note that. Okay. So,

1:14:45order 26-305

1:14:48has been moved and seconded as amended.

1:14:52If there's no further discussion,

1:14:56>> you want to say something, I can tell.

1:14:58>> Yeah. Were you going to vote on the the

1:15:00motion to amend by substitution and then

1:15:02vote as amended?

1:15:05>> Would you like me to read that?

1:15:07>> Yes.

1:15:08>> I move passage of

1:15:10the amended by substitution order

1:15:1226-305.

1:15:15>> Second.

1:15:16>> Okay. The order to amend by substitution

1:15:18has been moved and seconded.

1:15:22Roll

1:15:22>> call.

1:15:25Roll call. Yeah. Why not?

1:15:28Council Dean,

1:15:29>> yes.

1:15:30>> Council Foon,

1:15:31>> yes.

1:15:31>> Council Fish,

1:15:33>> yes.

1:15:33>> Councelor Leonard,

1:15:34>> yes.

1:15:35>> Council Mor,

1:15:36>> yes.

1:15:37>> Council Walker,

1:15:38>> yes.

1:15:39>> Council Hos,

1:15:40>> yes.

1:15:41>> Seven, yes. Zero, no.

1:15:43Okay. The order has

1:15:50Okay. Order 26-305.

1:15:53Seven. Yes. Zero. No. To amend by

1:15:56substitution. does have passage.

1:16:02>> Then you need to have a motion to a to

1:16:05pass as amended.

1:16:06>> As amended.

1:16:07>> Oh,

1:16:08>> I would make a motion to pass order

1:16:1126-305

1:16:13as amended.

1:16:14>> Second.

1:16:15>> Okay. 36-3

1:16:1826-305

1:16:20has been moved and seconded to pass as

1:16:23amended.

1:16:25Is there any discussion?

1:16:29None.

1:16:34>> Um,

1:16:36should we do it after we've done the

1:16:37amendment?

1:16:40>> Take the comment after it's done.

1:16:42>> You have voted on

1:16:45you've you've voted on the amendment.

1:16:46So, this would be

1:16:47>> okay. As

1:16:48>> who wanted to make a comment?

1:16:51Go.

1:16:54>> Adam Baker, Banganger resident. Uh, all

1:16:56my words are my own and do not reflect

1:16:58any committee. Uh, I'm here to share a

1:17:02little bit of my experience of being a

1:17:03volunteer at Together Place this past

1:17:05winter. Um, I fully support these funds

1:17:09that Together Place needs to have

1:17:12sustainable or to just to support our

1:17:15community during our coldest days here.

1:17:18I know

1:17:20the burden, not the burden, the stress

1:17:22on volunteers that work here, it can I

1:17:25remember council Leonard um mentioning

1:17:28that on like one of my shifts uh

1:17:32overnight, I had to go work the other uh

1:17:34my day job in the morning. and as I am

1:17:38glad to do that but I believe that these

1:17:42positions need to be staffed funded and

1:17:45they need to be properly trained and

1:17:48supported that way. So please approve

1:17:51this funding. Thank you.

1:17:52>> Okay. Thank you.

1:17:56>> Uh hello Aadia Miller Bangor resident.

1:17:58Um I just wanted to reiterate how

1:18:02important this funding is. I only

1:18:04volunteered for a very very short time

1:18:06last winter at the Together Place, but I

1:18:09saw firsthand um all of the things that

1:18:13they do and I think that it's really

1:18:16important that we meet people where

1:18:18they're at. Um and especially low

1:18:21barrier shelters are needed. So, thank

1:18:24you.

1:18:25>> Thank you.

1:18:31>> Good evening. I'm Shea Malaney. I work

1:18:33in downtown Bangor and I serve as board

1:18:36president of Together Place Fear Run

1:18:37Recovery Center. Uh I've heard a lot of

1:18:40inaccuracies in this room over the past

1:18:42weeks. The worst is that nonprofits

1:18:45import homeless people to justify our

1:18:47existence. Homelessness in Bangor is a

1:18:50homegrown problem and requires a

1:18:52homegrown solution. In this chamber,

1:18:55Main Housing told us that 68% of our

1:18:57unhoused residents come from Ponopscot

1:18:59County. That's almost seven of 10. Only

1:19:03one in 10 report from being out of

1:19:05state. As the county seat, it falls on

1:19:07Bangor to lead. Nor does homelessness

1:19:10look like it's been portrayed online.

1:19:13It's a woman fleeing an abusive partner

1:19:15right before the holidays with or often

1:19:18without her children. It's a senior

1:19:20citizen living in her car because she

1:19:23can't afford rent, heating, medication,

1:19:25and groceries this winter. It's an LGBTQ

1:19:29kid from Corinth whose parents have

1:19:31decided they'd rather see him in a

1:19:32homeless shelter than home on Christmas.

1:19:36It's a retail worker working two

1:19:38seasonal jobs who still isn't making the

1:19:40$33,000 per year you need to survive in

1:19:44Maine. It's a man with severe mental

1:19:47illness who got turned away from Acadia

1:19:49again and is back on the street. These

1:19:52are all true stories. We have a

1:19:55shortfall of 45 shelter beds with the

1:19:58currently allocated state funding. The

1:20:00proposal before you represents a

1:20:02creative and a cost-effective solution

1:20:04to the shortfall. Embracing a

1:20:06reimbursement model for this project

1:20:08means the allocation is not a price.

1:20:11It's a maximum expenditure for services

1:20:14as they are delivered. And it's

1:20:16calculated on the $44 per bed night

1:20:18which is the statewide average. Yes,

1:20:21it's the compassionate and humane thing

1:20:22to do, but it also makes economic sense.

1:20:26This proposal will allow unhoused

1:20:28individuals access to a bed, food,

1:20:31one-on-one, and group recovery support,

1:20:33monitored bathrooms, and resource

1:20:35navigation on the coldest nights. This

1:20:38is the kind of solutionsoriented

1:20:40approach that people on all sides have

1:20:41been calling for this city to provide.

1:20:44Together is once again ready to deliver

1:20:46for the people of Bangor, provided that

1:20:48the service is fully funded. Would a

1:20:51for-profit business work for free?

1:20:53Neither can a nonprofit business if it

1:20:55expects to be sustainable.

1:20:57Another inaccuracy is that nonprofits

1:20:59aren't businesses. We do create jobs. We

1:21:03spend money at other businesses here in

1:21:05town. Nonprofits employ 100,000 mayors,

1:21:09contribute $16 billion to the main

1:21:11economy, and mobilize 400,000 volunteers

1:21:15totaling $800 million in donated time

1:21:18annually.

1:21:20Like any other business, we run on

1:21:22fiscal responsibility, accountability,

1:21:25and transparency.

1:21:26We are Mayers helping Mayers doing it

1:21:29the way we've always done it together.

1:21:32Thank you.

1:21:33>> Thank you.

1:21:39All right, three minutes accountant. Uh,

1:21:42I wanted to first start by saying I

1:21:44voted today and I thought that the uh,

1:21:47you know, the cross insurance center, it

1:21:49was running very smoothly and I wanted

1:21:51to compliment the clerk for that. Thank

1:21:52you.

1:21:53>> Mr. Longo, can you tell us where you

1:21:55live?

1:21:56>> Yes. 48 Elm Street, Bangor, Maine. Nice

1:21:59big three unit. Um, and uh, so I'm I'm

1:22:03very privileged to be here as someone

1:22:06that is housed, right? So imagine being

1:22:08out there tonight. It's not so bad right

1:22:11now, but imagine being under a tarp, you

1:22:13know, um, surrounded by needles. Not a

1:22:15good thing, you know, at the end of the

1:22:17day. Um, not even your own needles

1:22:19necessarily. You might just have to be

1:22:21there. But regardless, uh I what I

1:22:25wanted to to say is if someone is in the

1:22:29middle of January and they need a place

1:22:31to stay, we need to provide that at some

1:22:33some level. We don't want anybody to

1:22:35freeze to death. But I question um and I

1:22:39think we have to move forward probably

1:22:41because uh there's no other solution and

1:22:44winter is coming, right? The Game of

1:22:45Thrones or whatever.

1:22:46Uh but with that being said, uh CBDG

1:22:51uh funding is not necessarily my first

1:22:54choice to take that. It's community

1:22:56development block grant. So I guess I

1:22:59would challenge the council and the

1:23:01community. How do we develop? This is

1:23:04more like treading water or putting a

1:23:06band-aid on a wound. It's not

1:23:08necessarily gonna uh fix things. I think

1:23:10I would challenge it when it's warmer or

1:23:12when we start with the new council uh in

1:23:15a week or two. Uh how can we prevent

1:23:18this from happening next year so that

1:23:21we're developing we're making it so that

1:23:23folks may not need it. Our regional

1:23:25partners that are willing to step up

1:23:28potentially at least they say so uh in

1:23:31in Brewer and around they share the cost

1:23:34you know at the end of the day. So

1:23:35that's all I just I think development

1:23:38needs to happen. And I also wanted to

1:23:40thank uh those who are leaving uh for

1:23:43your service and uh that's basically it.

1:23:46But I just I don't think it's

1:23:47necessarily the intended use going

1:23:49forward. I think this is a temporary

1:23:50band-aid for a wound that's really uh

1:23:53gaping, you know. So what can you do

1:23:55except your best, right? So thanks. you.

1:24:04>> My name is Crystal Giles. I am a

1:24:06resident of Bangor. Um, and I am here to

1:24:11um, in support of the proposed community

1:24:13development block grant funding. Um, but

1:24:16more importantly to me, when I come into

1:24:18these spaces, I want to make sure that

1:24:20we're talking about the people behind

1:24:22the conversation.

1:24:24I have worked in the community for over

1:24:27six years with the homeless community

1:24:30and I have been out twice for the pit

1:24:32count in the last two years. So, while

1:24:34we talk about who gets what and who's

1:24:38deserving of what, I just want to give

1:24:39the numbers that we got at our last pit

1:24:41count. Maine's pit count identified 866

1:24:46young people experiencing homelessness.

1:24:48That was 656 children under the age of

1:24:5218.

1:24:53It counted 628 do uh adults with serious

1:24:56mental illness, 377 adults with

1:24:59substance use disorder, 115 veterans,

1:25:02and 341 adults aged 55 years and older.

1:25:07They may overlap in categories,

1:25:09[clears throat] but they show that

1:25:10homelessness reaches across generations

1:25:12and circumstances. These are Maine's

1:25:15children, our veterans, and our elders.

1:25:18And we cannot forget or overlook our

1:25:20disabled manners who experience homeless

1:25:22as well. Homelessness as well. The pit

1:25:25count does not count account for the

1:25:27disabled population. However, we know

1:25:29nationally that 35% of our homeless

1:25:31population is disabled. That includes

1:25:34people with cognitive, intellectual and

1:25:36development or developmental

1:25:37disabilities that we are not talking

1:25:39about. We set a dangerous precedent when

1:25:42we isolate addiction as the only cause

1:25:45of homelessness. And we overlook those

1:25:48who are suffering and in need of these

1:25:50services as well.

1:25:53Children are growing up without the

1:25:54security of a home. Disabled people are

1:25:56struggling to find housing that meets

1:25:58their need. Older adults are facing

1:26:00threats to their safety and dignity. And

1:26:01families are pushed out of their homes

1:26:03that they can no longer afford. Veterans

1:26:05are left without stable housing. And

1:26:06people who have worked their entire

1:26:08lives are discovering that employment

1:26:10and personal responsibility do not

1:26:12guarantee housing security.

1:26:16You do not have to be or to use drugs to

1:26:19become become homeless. You do not have

1:26:21to be unemployed or irresponsible. You

1:26:22do not have to make a decision that

1:26:24should disqualify you uh that should

1:26:26disqualify you from a safe place to

1:26:28live. In a housing affordability and

1:26:30energy crisis, circumstances can change

1:26:32faster than people can recover. It can

1:26:35happen to any of us.

1:26:38While we debate, people remain outside

1:26:40in dangerous weather. While we argue

1:26:42about the causes of homelessness,

1:26:44families are losing their housing and

1:26:45people are dying. Tonight's proposal

1:26:47addresses immediate and urgent need.

1:26:49Fund the warming shelters. Restore the

1:26:51kitchen. Support the daytime warming

1:26:53spaces. But do not leave this room

1:26:54believing that those are solutions to

1:26:57homelessness. They are band-aids. They

1:27:00are temporary. We need prevention,

1:27:03affordable and accessible housing and

1:27:04services that meet the needs of people

1:27:06that are often Thank you. without

1:27:08options.

1:27:09>> Times up.

1:27:14>> One more. Katie,

1:27:16>> my name is Katie Co. I'm a resident of

1:27:18Bangor and mine is really short. So many

1:27:21of our issues that come before the

1:27:23council are really complicated. This one

1:27:25is simple. If you don't pass this now,

1:27:29then people will die.

1:27:31The cold kills. The cold harms. The cold

1:27:34can make you lose fingers, toes.

1:27:38You are saving people's lives with this

1:27:40simple act.

1:27:42Please pass it. Thank you.

1:27:48>> Good afternoon. My name is Richard

1:27:49Chaucer. I'm right on the border of

1:27:51either being a resident or non-resident.

1:27:53I fall right into this category. A

1:27:55service is not being implemented

1:27:57properly. Miscommunication between

1:27:59entities waiting to the last minute to

1:28:02find out who's doing what. I'm not going

1:28:04to go into detail or mention names or

1:28:06entities. Some of the things that we

1:28:08should look at that need to be

1:28:09cretailed.

1:28:11We need to think about individuals. What

1:28:12is next phase? What is the next phase of

1:28:16these requirements of these entities?

1:28:18Say for example, who who will have who

1:28:21who will be in charge of a matrix to see

1:28:24what services are being provided and the

1:28:26accountability

1:28:28who and what requirements will the

1:28:30outreach outreach navigators have to

1:28:33have to to be qualified to be an

1:28:35outreach navigator? I ran into a

1:28:37situation. A person says I was

1:28:41I ran into a situation where I where I'm

1:28:43moving and a person came up to me and

1:28:46said I'll help you move. Great. And this

1:28:48individual said, "How long you been

1:28:49doing this?" This individual said, "3

1:28:51years." And I go, "Really?" And I said,

1:28:53"I got to get this." I get, "No, no, no.

1:28:54Just grab what you can and get out." I

1:28:56said, "What? Wait a second. I'm 60ome

1:28:58years old." No, hurry up. We got to go.

1:29:01In the meantime, then I said, "What

1:29:02about the things we left here?" Well,

1:29:04let them take care of it. What happens

1:29:05is I would be responsible for the

1:29:08cleanup of that. And in the meantime,

1:29:10the things I would have or the

1:29:12individual would have

1:29:14would be be discarded. Which brings up

1:29:17to what I'm trying to say.

1:29:19Folks try some of these issues that are

1:29:22not being addressed or like the previous

1:29:24presenters t spoke about a person

1:29:27dealing with autism or asberers people

1:29:30coming from adoption warehouses. What

1:29:33are we going to do? Who's going to be in

1:29:34charge of these? And these and the ratio

1:29:37we have like 3 to one, four to one these

1:29:39case management. We expand the case

1:29:41management. We train these case

1:29:43managements. Not just like, oh, I took a

1:29:46I took a peer support case. I'm a train.

1:29:48I'm a I'm a navigator. No, no, no. We

1:29:51need professionals. We have so many

1:29:54nurses, so many people in the profession

1:29:56that are being discharged. They're being

1:29:57held unemployment.

1:29:59have them v pay them what they what they

1:30:03deserve to be these so-called navigators

1:30:06and help people. You have a person's

1:30:09been that's in a it's in the shelter

1:30:12system and after a while they get burned

1:30:14out. They say person is going through

1:30:16it. Same thing happens over and over. In

1:30:19the winter time, well, we got a place

1:30:21for we got a place for you. Then in the

1:30:23summertime, oh you're kicked out. You're

1:30:24kicked out. Why? Why? Why? Were these

1:30:27place were these were the on the

1:30:29original agreement like when we used to

1:30:31have a program going to have someone

1:30:32that's going to help you get a job? Do

1:30:34we have that in place? Are we going to

1:30:36have a where people are helping them get

1:30:38further education? Is that going to be

1:30:39in place? We're going to help them with

1:30:40that control their funding. Is that

1:30:42going to be in place or are we just

1:30:43going to throw good money bad like the

1:30:45previous people said after it's gone

1:30:47it's gone? No. We need to keep it

1:30:50so keeps retaining itself. I have so

1:30:52many things to say. I'm burnt out. um

1:30:55homelessness

1:30:57like we're talk about.

1:30:59>> Sir, your time is up.

1:31:00>> Thank you.

1:31:01>> Thank you.

1:31:04>> Good evening to the chair, members, and

1:31:05the committee. My name is Ariel Nappy.

1:31:07Um I moved out of Bangor over the last

1:31:10year, but I do work in Bangor. Um I

1:31:14wasn't planning on speaking, but my

1:31:15heart wouldn't let me stay silent. I've

1:31:17spent the last six years in homeless

1:31:18services right here in Bangor, Maine.

1:31:20I've spent the I have been part of three

1:31:22encampment closures and spent many

1:31:24winter nights doing outreach in the

1:31:26cold. What I've learned is this. Warming

1:31:28centers save lives by being humane

1:31:30first. Last winter, our warming centers

1:31:32logged 10,78

1:31:34beds and 425 unique individuals. 80 to

1:31:3885 people a night, 125 of the coldest

1:31:41nights. At the brick church alone,

1:31:43Pastor Leon welcomes 60 to 70 souls

1:31:45every night. Those are not just numbers.

1:31:47Those are 425 of our neighbors. 425

1:31:51people that didn't die. When it is so

1:31:53cold that our 1 hour outside does irrep

1:31:56ir irrepitable damage, frostbite in 10

1:31:59minutes at 0 degrees. Where do you want

1:32:01these humans to go? To the ER, to freeze

1:32:04hiding in our backyards, to die alone in

1:32:06the woods. The CDC tells us 2520

1:32:09Americans died from hypothermia last

1:32:11year. Those deaths are preventable. A

1:32:14warm room prevents them. But a warming

1:32:16center does more than prevent death.

1:32:18Death. It pre it preserves dignity. It

1:32:20says you matter. You are seen. You are

1:32:22worthy of warmth. You would be surprised

1:32:25what happens inside those walls. A hot

1:32:26cup of coffee, a hot meal, a listening

1:32:29ear without judgment. And someone

1:32:30saying, "I'm glad you're here tonight."

1:32:33That is the love God shows us first. We

1:32:35love because he loves us first. 1 John

1:32:374:19. When we lead with that compassion,

1:32:40lives change in that moment. That's when

1:32:42someone says, "Okay, I'll go to

1:32:44treatment tomorrow." Okay, I'll let you

1:32:46help me get housing. We cannot enforce

1:32:48our way out of homelessness. We have to

1:32:50love our way through it. I want to honor

1:32:52Pastor Leon at the Brook Church and

1:32:54Pastor Terry at the mansion who open

1:32:56their doors every night when there is

1:32:57nowhere else to go and to the well for

1:33:00during the day. Yes, we have housed. We

1:33:03have a housing crisis. 312 people

1:33:05homeless in Ponobska County and 292 a

1:33:08day in Bangor. Over a thousand families

1:33:10on the wait list. But tonight is not

1:33:12about housing policy. It's about

1:33:13humanity. for $400 a night to the

1:33:16Together Place. We can choose

1:33:18compassion, we can choose kindness, and

1:33:19we can choose to love our neighbors as

1:33:21ourselves. Thanks.

1:33:23>> Thank you,

1:33:25Council Dean.

1:33:28We need to All right, two more and then

1:33:31we're going to close the comments

1:33:32because we need to move the order here.

1:33:35>> Next.

1:33:35>> Yeah, I'm uh Pastor Leon Larter. I live

1:33:38in Orington. I pastor the brick church.

1:33:40Um, and yes, I am the largest warming

1:33:43shelter in the state of Maine. We do

1:33:45house be over 70 people a night in the

1:33:47winter. We have capacity for that. We

1:33:50don't we haven't been there, but if this

1:33:52is uh turned down tonight, I definitely

1:33:55will be at 70 plus. And um you know I I

1:34:01spoke with Bruce Hughes and I said do

1:34:03you want to make that decision on the

1:34:0571st person who I turn away because we

1:34:08don't have the capacity in the city of

1:34:10Bangor without the together place the

1:34:13together place and I worked very well

1:34:15together with Terry and the well um we

1:34:19we we collaborated all winter long.

1:34:22There is a great communication between

1:34:24us so that the people I can't handle I

1:34:27send over to the together place. I can't

1:34:30handle all of them because some of them

1:34:31have psychiatric issues, some of them

1:34:33have drug issues and the together place

1:34:35has those professionals in place. So

1:34:39they're there already. So I send them

1:34:41down there. When they're calmed down,

1:34:43they can send them back to me. I take

1:34:45all the elderly because I had people in

1:34:48the warming shelter last year that were

1:34:5082 years old, 73 years old, 75 years

1:34:54old, people in wheelchairs.

1:34:57I take those people because that's they

1:35:01can get into our warming shelter because

1:35:03I have a ramp. As far as drug abuse, um

1:35:07there's a lot of miscommunication on

1:35:08that. Um we get a lot of people in

1:35:12rehab. I work together very closely with

1:35:15with the Together Place and with Joe

1:35:16Hartell and and working with him, it's

1:35:20been awesome. We got we've gotten people

1:35:22into domestic violence homes. We've got

1:35:25people diverted back home to where they

1:35:27want to go. We've got people into rehab.

1:35:30We got them into detox. And we

1:35:33collaborate all the time. He transports,

1:35:36you know, I'll make some phone calls, he

1:35:38makes phone calls. We work very well

1:35:40together. And without him um in that

1:35:43warming shelter process this year, I'm

1:35:46afraid to say that we will have a lot of

1:35:48people on the street. Um I can house up

1:35:51to 70, but I don't know if any one of

1:35:54you I know you're all on your phones on

1:35:56email. I can find out which one of you

1:35:58want to make that decision. You know, if

1:36:01I have a mom and a daughter coming in

1:36:03and I'm already at 69,

1:36:06what who do I take? Do I take the mom or

1:36:07do I take the daughter? That that's a

1:36:10good question. You know, that's a very

1:36:11valid question because I get it. I get

1:36:14all of them. And we work with them

1:36:18every single day. Whether they're it's

1:36:20addiction, whether it's mental illness,

1:36:23whether they've lost their homes. I've

1:36:25had people that lost their homes from

1:36:27domestic violence. I've had people lose

1:36:29homes because of just

1:36:32uh they're not getting paid enough and

1:36:34they come and stay with us. and and I

1:36:37can work with Joe very well and Noel and

1:36:40Terry.

1:36:42>> Thank you.

1:36:43>> I'm up. Thank you.

1:36:50>> Hello.

1:36:52My name is Theresa Fallon. I'm a

1:36:54resident of Bangor. My views are my own.

1:36:56Um I'm here tonight in strong support of

1:36:58funding the Together Place for the

1:37:00emergency warming shelter. I want to

1:37:02speak directly to the mindset that I've

1:37:04witnessed far too often in this

1:37:05community. Uh the belief that

1:37:07homelessness is a problem we can address

1:37:08by simply making it less visible. As a

1:37:11current case manager and former crisis

1:37:13worker in this community, I understand

1:37:15how complicated the issues of

1:37:16homelessness, substance use, mental

1:37:18illness are.

1:37:20Uh what I struggle to understand is how

1:37:22anyone believes that denying people a

1:37:24safe space to exist during a frigid

1:37:26Maine winter is going to do anything

1:37:28except exacerbate these issues. So,

1:37:30let's talk about the alternative. If we

1:37:33refuse to provide safe spaces for people

1:37:35experiencing homelessness, where do you

1:37:37think they'll go? They won't simply

1:37:39disappear. They'll remain on our streets

1:37:41and in our public spaces, exposed to the

1:37:43elements and struggling to survive.

1:37:46This brings me to an argument I hear far

1:37:48too often in this community. Our

1:37:50children shouldn't have to see this. I

1:37:52understand wanting our children to feel

1:37:54safe. I question when the suffering of

1:37:57another human being became something we

1:37:59should be more concerned about

1:38:00witnessing rather than addressing. You

1:38:03can choose to shield your children from

1:38:04the harsh realities of the world, but

1:38:06you cannot shield them from the

1:38:07consequences of a community that refuses

1:38:09to address those realities.

1:38:12With the rising costs of housing, food,

1:38:14and heat, more of our neighbors are

1:38:15struggling just to survive. If we

1:38:18continue opposing the very resources

1:38:19designed to protect them, we risk

1:38:22witnessing members of of our community

1:38:24quite literally freezing to death on our

1:38:26streets. The together places offering

1:38:29something our community desperately

1:38:30needs, additional shelter during the

1:38:32most dangerous nights of winter. We know

1:38:34that our existing warming centers um can

1:38:37struggle to meet that demand. If you're

1:38:39opposing the use of existing public

1:38:41funding to provide this resource, then I

1:38:43have to ask, what is your alternative

1:38:45for protecting another human being from

1:38:47suffering through Maine's coldest

1:38:49nights? Compassion should not be

1:38:51conditional.

1:38:53Dignity should not be reserved for those

1:38:55whose circumstances we understand or

1:38:57whose choices we agree on. We're talking

1:39:00about our neighbors, human beings.

1:39:02We don't need to solve every issue

1:39:04surrounding homelessness tonight to

1:39:05recognize that everyone deserves warmth

1:39:07warmth and safety. I urge the council to

1:39:10support this funding not only to promote

1:39:12public safety but as a reflection of who

1:39:14we are as a community. Thank you.

1:39:16>> Thank you,

1:39:18>> Council Dean.

1:39:21>> Thank you, Madam Chair. I move passage

1:39:23of council order 26-305

1:39:26as amended.

1:39:28>> Second.

1:39:30Council order 26-305

1:39:32has been moved and seconded as amended.

1:39:35Is there any discussion?

1:39:38Any doubts?

1:39:47>> We're going to do a roll call.

1:39:49>> Council Dean,

1:39:50>> yes.

1:39:51>> Council Foon,

1:39:52>> yes.

1:39:53>> Council Fish,

1:39:55>> yes.

1:39:56>> Council Leonard,

1:39:57>> yes. Council Malor,

1:40:00>> I will vote yes, but I only because I

1:40:04feel that

1:40:06the people that sit out there don't

1:40:08understand the other responsibilities we

1:40:11have. It's not just to the homeless.

1:40:13It's to the people that are sitting home

1:40:16that are trying to maintain a home that

1:40:18have no money. So, I really have this is

1:40:22a tough decision. I would prefer to say

1:40:24no, but I understand where you people

1:40:26are coming from. So I will weaken which

1:40:29is unusual for me and vote yes.

1:40:34>> Council Walker,

1:40:35>> yes.

1:40:36>> Council Hos,

1:40:37>> yes.

1:40:38>> 7 yes, zero no.

1:40:41>> Order 263-305

1:40:44has passage. 7 yes, zero no.

1:40:5726-306

1:40:59order finding councelor Wayne Mallerow

1:41:00violated two provisions of the city's

1:41:02ethics code during a break at the March

1:41:0531st, 2026 meeting of the city's ethics

1:41:08board and imposing a requirement to

1:41:10undergo training. Councelor Fuoon.

1:41:12>> Thank you, Madame Clerk.

1:41:14This order would find that councelor

1:41:16Wayne Mor's conduct at the March 31st,

1:41:192026 board of ethics meeting violated

1:41:22two provisions of the city's ethics code

1:41:25and would impose a requirement that

1:41:27councelor Morer undergo a customized

1:41:30interactive training program facilitated

1:41:32by cross-cultural community services.

1:41:35While attending the March 31st ethics

1:41:37board meeting during a break for an

1:41:39executive session, Council Mer made the

1:41:42following comments to a city employee in

1:41:44council chambers, which were picked up

1:41:46by a live microphone in broadcast live

1:41:48to the public on the meeting's YouTube

1:41:50feed. Quote, "The school department's

1:41:54asking for a 10% increase. As far as I'm

1:41:56concerned, they get no increase. They

1:41:59can't speak English, read English, or

1:42:01write English. It's not a disability. we

1:42:03do not have to furnish. They're probably

1:42:05all illegals anyway. That's what the

1:42:08cultural center is supposed to be

1:42:09doing." End quote. Bangor schools are

1:42:12required by state and federal law to

1:42:14provide English instruction to

1:42:16multilingual students, and failing to

1:42:18find any such program would violate the

1:42:20law. Section 331 of the ethics code

1:42:24requires city councilors to be fair,

1:42:26impartial, and responsive to the needs

1:42:28of the people, and to maintain a

1:42:30standard of conduct that would inspire

1:42:33public confidence in the integrity of

1:42:35the city's government. Section 33-5.1

1:42:39of the code of ethics requires that city

1:42:41councilors conduct themselves in a

1:42:42manner that does not discriminate

1:42:44unlawfully against any person because of

1:42:47race, national origin, or cultural group

1:42:50among other factors. Upon referral by

1:42:52the city council, this matter was

1:42:54investigated and reviewed by the city's

1:42:57board of ethics and the board made

1:42:59findings and submitted a written

1:43:01advisory opinion to the council. This

1:43:03order follows the findings and

1:43:05recommendations made by the ethics

1:43:06board, including findings that councelor

1:43:08Mer's actions violated sections 33-1 and

1:43:1233-5.1 of the ethics code. The order alo

1:43:16also follows the ethics board's findings

1:43:19that councelor Mor's actions did not

1:43:21violate section 33-13.1

1:43:25of the ethics code.

1:43:28Upon return of this matter from the

1:43:30ethics board, the council requested a

1:43:32recommendation from the city's advisory

1:43:34committee on racial equity, inclusion,

1:43:36and human rights on appropriate

1:43:38training. This order adopts the first

1:43:40recommendation made by the acre

1:43:42committee for customized interactive

1:43:45training facilitated by cross-cultural

1:43:47community services or CCCCC.

1:43:50Three C's and an S. [laughter]

1:43:53um a main-based organization

1:43:55specializing in cultural competency,

1:43:57equity, and inclusive practices. CCCS

1:44:00offers tailored educational programming

1:44:04uh that encourages participants to

1:44:06examine personal assumptions, recognize

1:44:08the influence of bias, and develop

1:44:10skills for respectful engagement across

1:44:13cultural differences. This item was

1:44:15reviewed at the government operations

1:44:17committee meeting on October 19th, 2026.

1:44:21Madame Chair, I move passage of order

1:44:2426-306.

1:44:28>> Second.

1:44:30>> Order 26-306

1:44:34um has been moved and seconded. Is there

1:44:36any discussion?

1:44:48>> I just want to say one thing. Does

1:44:51Donald Trump have to go through this

1:44:52too? Talk to you later. Thank you.

1:44:59>> Good evening. Uh, my name is Tyler

1:45:01Shanahan. I am a Bangor resident. I'm

1:45:03speaking against order 26-306.

1:45:06This order would formally find that

1:45:08counselor Wayne Mor violated the ethics

1:45:12code for private comments he made during

1:45:14a break, comments caught on hot mic, and

1:45:17would require him to undergo specialized

1:45:19training. I urge you to vote no. On June

1:45:2222nd of this year, Councelor Joe Leonard

1:45:24sat at this table and called the

1:45:26president of the United States a rapist,

1:45:29pedophile, fascist president. He

1:45:31described ICE as a criminal organization

1:45:33and detention facilities as

1:45:35concentration camps. Those remarks were

1:45:37made on the record during a public

1:45:39meeting while the council was debating

1:45:41city business. A fellow counselor walked

1:45:45out in protest. There was public outcry.

1:45:48Yet no ethics referral followed. No

1:45:51censor, no training requirement, no

1:45:53formal finding that those statements

1:45:56failed to be fair, impartial, or inspire

1:45:59public confidence. Comments like those

1:46:02do more than criticize policy. They

1:46:04perpetuate and exacerbate division among

1:46:07city residents. When an elected official

1:46:10uses that kind of language from the

1:46:12council table, it deepens the fractures

1:46:14in our community rather than helping the

1:46:16council work through difficult issues.

1:46:19Residents who disagree with the rhetoric

1:46:21or who simply want their local

1:46:23government focused on local problems are

1:46:26left feeling that their views are

1:46:27unwelcome or that the standards of

1:46:30conduct depend on who is speaking.

1:46:32Councelor Mor, by contrast, has now been

1:46:35referred to the board of ethics twice in

1:46:37roughly a year. Both cases have consumed

1:46:39months of staff time, legal review,

1:46:42board meetings, and council workshops.

1:46:45Tonight's order is the latest chapter.

1:46:47People can disagree about what councelor

1:46:50Mor said, but the disparity in how the

1:46:53two situations have been handled is

1:46:55difficult to ignore. Councelor Leonard's

1:46:58comments were delivered from his seat on

1:47:00the council as an elected official

1:47:02speaking on a city matter. Councelor

1:47:04Morers's were made to a colleague during

1:47:07a break. Yet only one of them faced

1:47:10repeated formal ethics proceedings in

1:47:12now a proposed training mandate. It is

1:47:16fair to ask the ethics process

1:47:20uh to uh excuse me is being applied

1:47:22evenly or whether it is being used more

1:47:25readily against a counselor who is more

1:47:27willing to disscent from the majority

1:47:29and who can be described as

1:47:31conservative. The ethics code should not

1:47:34function as a tool to police the

1:47:36political speech of some members while

1:47:38others face no consequences for far more

1:47:41explicit and public remarks that further

1:47:43divide the community. This process has

1:47:46also been a significant diversion.

1:47:49Bangor has pressing needs, housing,

1:47:51homelessness, infrastructure, public

1:47:53safety. The council's own stated

1:47:55priorities this year center on those

1:47:57issues. Months spent on ethics

1:48:00investigations and training requirements

1:48:02for hot mic comments. Do not move those

1:48:05forward.

1:48:06>> I urge you,

1:48:08>> Time is up. Thank you.

1:48:10>> Continue a pattern of selective

1:48:11enforcement and wasted time. Sir, your

1:48:14time is complete.

1:48:18>> Good evening. My name is Scott Party and

1:48:20I'm a resident of Bangor. And my

1:48:22objection to this order isn't about

1:48:24defending hot mic comments at all, but

1:48:28about the ongoing process itself. For

1:48:31months, this issue has cycled through

1:48:33the ethics ethics board, back to city

1:48:35council, over to the advisory committee

1:48:37on racial equity, through the government

1:48:39operations committee, and now we're back

1:48:41here again. It's just been going on

1:48:43forever. It feels like this has turned

1:48:46into a neverending cycle of public

1:48:48hearings, committee referrals, and

1:48:50administrative orders. Every hour our

1:48:53city leadership spends consumed on

1:48:56procedural ethics reviews and mandating

1:48:59customized training programs is time and

1:49:02taxpayer money diverted away from the

1:49:05core responsibilities the city is

1:49:07facing. Our skyrocketing municipal

1:49:09budget, rising property taxes, aging

1:49:12infrastructure, and our response to

1:49:14public safety and homelessness. The

1:49:17March meeting happened seven months ago.

1:49:20The public heard the comments the ethics

1:49:22board investigated and the community is

1:49:24fully capable of evaluating the conduct

1:49:27and words of its elected officials for

1:49:30themselves. We need a city government

1:49:32focused on the pressing structural and

1:49:34financial challenges in front of us

1:49:36rather than remaining trapped in an end

1:49:38endless cycle endless endless

1:49:40administrative cycles. I urge the

1:49:42council to bring this to closure so that

1:49:45the process tonight to this process

1:49:48tonight so the city can finally redirect

1:49:50its full attention back to the business

1:49:52of managing Bangor. And uh just as a

1:49:56side comment you know I said the same

1:49:58thing when Joe Leonard was was uh

1:50:00excommunicated several times [laughter]

1:50:03centured or whatever but thank you for

1:50:05hearing me out and let's help.

1:50:10Thank you.

1:50:12>> Good evening again, Jodie McDonald.

1:50:14There is a major difference between fact

1:50:16and opinion. One person who has been

1:50:18mentioned tonight was expressing their

1:50:20opinion. Another person who has been

1:50:22mentioned tonight for the same sort of

1:50:24issue has been mentioning things that

1:50:27have been proven. I do agree with the

1:50:29words of all who have been speaking

1:50:31here. However, fact versus opinion. I

1:50:35also want to mention that it is never

1:50:37weakening one's opinion to listen to

1:50:40one's community. The community is upset.

1:50:43These types of trainings that people

1:50:46have to do, every teacher has to take

1:50:48them. Many different public officials

1:50:50and public servants already have to do

1:50:52it. And if in 2026 we're not refu if

1:50:55we're not referring to human beings as

1:50:57human beings. But giving them un

1:50:59dehumanized

1:51:00terms like illegals shows me that this

1:51:03is not somebody who is understanding how

1:51:07to lead and how to represent their

1:51:10population. Many of us who look

1:51:13differently,

1:51:15whether or not we came to this nation

1:51:17speaking English, speak as if we are

1:51:21your grandchildren. Speak as if we are

1:51:23your cousins. Speak as if we are who is

1:51:27in charge of the next 50 years. We're

1:51:30all in this together.

1:51:37Uh she uh I'm speaking uh in my own not

1:51:41representing any other organization. Uh

1:51:43councelor Morer and I have uh different

1:51:46views on many things. Um, but if there's

1:51:50something that I could say from what we

1:51:52just saw with the unanimous vote of this

1:51:54council, when we stop thinking of

1:51:56ourselves as that side, this side, us,

1:52:00them, liberal, conservative, when we

1:52:02stop labeling each other, when we stop

1:52:05pointing fingers at each other, when we

1:52:07stop threatening each other's families

1:52:10and other forms of harassment, we can

1:52:12get things done. we can work together

1:52:15across lines um to really solve our

1:52:18problems. So um I feel a tremendous

1:52:22amount of hope in this room uh after

1:52:24tonight and I just wanted to express

1:52:26that. So thank you all counselors.

1:52:29>> Thank you.

1:52:33>> Um Jackie Smallwood. I'm a Bangor

1:52:35resident. I'm speaking on order 26306.

1:52:38Councelor Mor's remarks were his own to

1:52:41answer for and the ethics board's

1:52:42findings came from the process this

1:52:44council put in place for that. Once the

1:52:46ethics board sent this matter back, the

1:52:48council handled that decision directly

1:52:51to diversity and equity advisory

1:52:53committee of appointed unelected

1:52:55residents and this order is to adopt

1:52:58their recommendation. I would challenge

1:53:00this procedural step. This advisory

1:53:02committee was not created to decide what

1:53:05corrective action an elected official

1:53:08must personally undergo. Tonight, a

1:53:10committee that nobody in this city voted

1:53:13for is effectively dictating a mandatory

1:53:15requirement for a person that we did

1:53:18elect.

1:53:19Where in our charter or in our comm in

1:53:22our committee structure does any

1:53:23advisory committee have the authority to

1:53:26determine disciplinary remedies for an

1:53:28elected official? If that authority

1:53:30doesn't clearly exist, then adopting

1:53:32their recommendation without the council

1:53:34independently reviewing or mod modifying

1:53:36it sets a precedent that unelected

1:53:39committees can shape consequences for

1:53:41the people that people voters put in

1:53:44office.

1:53:46I'd also, excuse me, [clears throat] I'd

1:53:48also ask this council to look at its own

1:53:50inconsistency here. Councelor Leonard

1:53:52has since been censured three times by

1:53:55this body for his own public misconduct,

1:53:58including one time when he slandered the

1:53:59president of the United States. One

1:54:01counselor gets a multi-step process and

1:54:03a mandatory training requirement set by

1:54:06an unelected committee while a single

1:54:08committee over a single comment while

1:54:11another gets censored three times with

1:54:13no outside process at all. If this

1:54:15council wants a consistent standard,

1:54:17then it must apply the same process to

1:54:19every case rather than outsourcing them

1:54:21to a committee with no accountability to

1:54:24voters. Thank you.

1:54:26>> Thank you,

1:54:29>> chair. Uh ju just for education, um the

1:54:33three times I was censured were done

1:54:35illegally. That was an illegal process.

1:54:38Thank you.

1:54:41Okay, last comment on this, then we're

1:54:43going to move on with the order.

1:54:45>> My name is Adida McCov, um, Bango

1:54:47resident, um, son of immigrants, English

1:54:50is my second language. Um,

1:54:53while I may not agree with many things

1:54:55with council Malor, shock of shocks,

1:54:58we've had many wonderful conversations

1:54:59and I always appreciate uh I always

1:55:01appreciate conversations with council

1:55:02Mor. [gasps]

1:55:04An easy way to deal with this and not

1:55:06feel that anyone is singled out would

1:55:08[clears throat] be the entire council

1:55:10outgoing counselors and incoming

1:55:12counselors as well to undergo this

1:55:13training as well. Simple solution less

1:55:15than two and a half minutes.

1:55:18>> Thank you.

1:55:24>> Did you

1:55:27did you move the order?

1:55:28>> I did move the order, I think. All

1:55:31right. 26-306

1:55:34has been moved and seconded.

1:55:38Is there any council comments?

1:55:42Any doubts? Seeing none.

1:55:46>> No, I was going to do that.

1:55:50He's not voting.

1:55:52>> He's just trying to boss.

1:55:55>> Yes. Roll call, please.

1:55:57>> Councelor Beck.

1:55:58>> Yes.

1:55:59>> Council Dean.

1:56:00>> Yes.

1:56:00>> Council Foon. Yes.

1:56:02>> Council Fish.

1:56:04>> No.

1:56:05>> Council Leonard.

1:56:06>> Yes.

1:56:07>> Council Walker.

1:56:09>> Yes.

1:56:10>> Council Hos.

1:56:11>> No.

1:56:13>> Five. Yes. Two. No.

1:56:16>> Five. Yes. No. The order does have

1:56:18passage.

1:56:21That I believe

1:56:25is the last item on the agenda. Would

1:56:29you pass me those please?

1:56:37Okay.

1:56:39Everybody has it except us.

1:56:45>> What?

1:56:46>> We have a majority.

1:56:48>> Well, that's okay. We're not done.

1:56:50>> They They can scream whatever they want.

1:56:53They're leaving. Okay. Hey, if I could

1:56:55get the two C the three counselors that

1:56:59are leaving or potentially leaving over

1:57:02there

1:57:13>> just over there

1:57:14>> because she's going to want to come

1:57:15around and take a picture. She's already

1:57:17over there.

1:57:21Any

1:57:25helping us?

1:58:03Thank you. Thank you.

1:58:06We have comments.

1:58:13[clears throat]

1:58:19Okay. So, the last thing, council

1:58:21comments,

1:58:23council back. Uh, well, first I'd like

1:58:26to say thank you to Grace Inis for uh

1:58:28stepping up and agreeing to be the

1:58:29interim uh city solicitor. That's much

1:58:32appreciated.

1:58:33>> Um to the uh outgoing counselors, it has

1:58:36been an absolute pleasure working with

1:58:37all of you. Um, and as a resident, thank

1:58:41you for stepping up for our city that we

1:58:44all love and serving because not

1:58:47everybody does that. And so, as a

1:58:49resident, I absolutely appreciate that.

1:58:51Um, and also, I would be remiss if I

1:58:53didn't mention that this would be the

1:58:55last regular meeting under uh, Chair

1:58:57Hos's chairship. Um, and to that end,

1:59:01it's it is not an easy job. uh got to

1:59:04got to do it once and here you are every

1:59:07week doing it. So uh I am absolutely

1:59:10grateful. I believe the council would be

1:59:13uh grateful as well. And to that end uh

1:59:16it's been asked of me to present you

1:59:21with this gavl commemorating your year

1:59:23of service. Thank you.

1:59:39Thank you very much.

1:59:42Well, we might as well just keep going.

1:59:43Councelor Dean.

1:59:45>> Well, thank you, Madam Chair. It's been

1:59:47an honor. Don't use that on Al.

1:59:50>> Don't.

1:59:53>> Good evening, Bangor.

1:59:55How time flies. Three years ago, I was

1:59:59awaiting election results to become a

2:00:03councelor for the city of Bangor. And

2:00:04now I'm at the end of my three-year

2:00:05term. It's been an absolute honor to

2:00:08serve you.

2:00:11I've learned so much about municipal

2:00:12government, about our citizens, and

2:00:15about myself throughout the last three

2:00:16years.

2:00:19I enjoy interacting with all the

2:00:21department heads, and I assure you that

2:00:23they are the very best of the very best.

2:00:25They are extremely dedicated. They put

2:00:27in numerous hours. They go above and

2:00:30beyond much more than you see here.

2:00:33I have been very appreciative to work

2:00:36closely with city manager Lear,

2:00:38assistant manager O'Donnell, city clerk

2:00:41Goodwin, and city solicitor Subject. But

2:00:44what I most appreciate is the trust that

2:00:47you, the citizens of Bangor, put in me

2:00:49as a candidate three years ago. And I

2:00:52hope that I have done you proud.

2:00:56I really want to dispel the assumption

2:00:58that this council does not get along

2:01:01because we actually do work together. If

2:01:04we all agreed 100% of the time, this

2:01:07would be a very boring agenda.

2:01:10Case in point,

2:01:12Councelor Leonard, we started on very

2:01:15rocky terms,

2:01:17but over the years we have worked

2:01:19together and I now consider your friend.

2:01:22I consider everyone in this council a

2:01:24friend and I have enjoyed working with

2:01:26you. I respect you and I am so proud

2:01:29that I have been a part of this whole

2:01:32procedure over the last three years.

2:01:35This job is not for the faint of heart.

2:01:38I assure you it is a very difficult job.

2:01:41We put in countless hours research

2:01:44talking to constituents, emailing and

2:01:47trying to do the best for you. Those of

2:01:50you that saw me three years ago, I

2:01:52didn't have a gray hair in my head. Now

2:01:55look at me. [laughter]

2:01:56Nice choice.

2:01:59We have done some very important work,

2:02:01but there's still much to do and I'm

2:02:03looking forward to seeing what the new

2:02:05council brings. I wish all those that

2:02:08are running the best of luck.

2:02:12Councelor Beck, Councelor Leonard,

2:02:15Council Chair Haw, my dear friend

2:02:17Councelor Fish, Council Mor, Councelor

2:02:20Walker, and Councelor Fuoon. I have

2:02:22enjoyed every moment of the last

2:02:26one, two, three years, depending on how

2:02:28long I have worked with you,

2:02:30and Councelor Carson, who's probably

2:02:32watching, at least he's here in spirit.

2:02:34I've enjoyed sitting next to you as

2:02:36well. I'm not done with this city. I

2:02:39hope to sit on a board or a committee at

2:02:40some point in the future. I am going to

2:02:42commit the next few months to my husband

2:02:44who has missed me over the last three

2:02:46years. But I am deeply thankful for the

2:02:50chance to make a difference. With that,

2:02:52I will say good night and happy

2:02:54Halloween and thank you so much for your

2:02:56support.

2:03:11I'll just keep it really really short.

2:03:13Uh only because I'm extremely tired. Um

2:03:16thank you for your service, Councelor

2:03:18Fish and Councelor Dean, Council Chair

2:03:20Haw, thank you so much for your

2:03:22leadership over the council. Uh November

2:03:253rd is the day we go out and vote. So

2:03:28make a plan, go out and vote. Maybe

2:03:31you'll see me in a couple of weeks. Who

2:03:32knows? Have a good night, everyone.

2:03:36>> That's the flow.

2:03:39Um, okay. Where to begin? Um, I just

2:03:43want to thank Councelor Dean, Councelor

2:03:47Leonard, and maybe we'll see you back.

2:03:49Uh, best of luck to you, Councelor Fish.

2:03:52Um, it's been a pleasure working with

2:03:55all of you and thank you for your

2:03:57patience during during my first year on

2:04:00the council. I can't believe it's

2:04:01already been a year, so I'm sure I'll be

2:04:04saying the same thing after three years.

2:04:06Um,

2:04:08uh, Chair Haw, I I did have the

2:04:10opportunity to sit in your hot seat one,

2:04:13uh, one week and yes, it's a hot seat

2:04:16for sure. So, thank you for your service

2:04:19there. Um, thank you to all of the

2:04:23candidates who are running. Uh, it is a

2:04:26lot of work and especially this year, I

2:04:28I think you've had four forums. So, you

2:04:31know, between the canvasing and the

2:04:33forms and preparing for that and uh you

2:04:36know, getting your signs out and all of

2:04:37the it's so much work and it's it's

2:04:39money. And please don't get frustrated

2:04:42if you don't get in this time. Come back

2:04:44and try again. Um I will see you on

2:04:47election day. Um I hope I'll see a lot

2:04:50of you if you haven't already voted. I

2:04:52like to wait until election day because

2:04:54I want to go see you standing there and

2:04:57greet you and shake your hands because

2:04:59you've definitely earned that. Um, and

2:05:02thank you also to our amazing city clerk

2:05:06Lisa and all of her staff, but for all

2:05:09this is a a crazy week for them and

2:05:11they've been doing this already with um

2:05:14the early the absentee voting and the

2:05:16early voting and they've streamlined the

2:05:18process and they've just really got a a

2:05:20welloiled machine and it really shows

2:05:23and so thank you so much for all of the

2:05:26work that you have done and with that I

2:05:28will say good night Bangor.

2:05:33I just want to express my gratitude to

2:05:35councelor Dean and counselor Leonard and

2:05:38counselor Fish. This last year has been

2:05:41quite a year. Um but I learned a lot

2:05:44from all three of you and I appreciate

2:05:47your kindness and your guidance when

2:05:48needed and when just appreciate you guys

2:05:51a lot and thank you Cher Haw for um

2:05:54[clears throat] your service as well. I

2:05:56want to say thank you to um the city

2:05:59staff, all of the staff. I think they do

2:06:01amazing work. Um and to our community

2:06:05members that show up that that speak up

2:06:08about the items that are on the agenda

2:06:10and what you have going on and um your

2:06:14opinions and your words, um your emails.

2:06:17I appreciate all of those. Um there's a

2:06:20lot that goes into uh being up here. We

2:06:23don't just sit up here. There's a lot of

2:06:25work that's being done and I I certainly

2:06:27take everyone's emails, your uh

2:06:30comments, your your opinions into

2:06:32consideration. Um and [clears throat] I

2:06:35hope everyone has a fun and safe

2:06:36Halloween. And with that, I will say

2:06:39good night, Bangor.

2:06:49It's been a pleasure working with uh

2:06:52councelor Dean Councel Leonard and

2:06:54councelor fish and coun and chair haw

2:06:58this past year well two years for some

2:07:01of you one% and uh

2:07:05I am looking forward to the future but

2:07:09not with positive If I mean I don't know

2:07:12who's what we're going to end up with.

2:07:13I'm sure it will be the same as we've

2:07:16had. We'll have good days and we'll have

2:07:18bad days, but I'm sure we'll all work

2:07:20together hopefully for the benefit of

2:07:23the city, which is what all of us are

2:07:26supposed to be doing

2:07:28>> and good night Bangor.

2:07:33>> Do you have 12 pages?

2:07:35>> No.

2:07:36>> Oh, okay.

2:07:38Just

2:07:39>> good night, Bangor. No, I'm just messing

2:07:41with you

2:07:42>> as

2:07:43>> Sorry. Sorry. I know I'm going late.

2:07:45Everybody's uh tired, but I just um and

2:07:48and I really tried to like do the three

2:07:50minute rule on myself. Three years and

2:07:52three minutes now. I know what you're

2:07:53all going through. When you try to get

2:07:55up there and to us, it's like, wow, is

2:07:56it really when's the three minutes going

2:07:58to be up? You're probably going to be

2:07:59saying that about me tonight. Uh but

2:08:02it's pretty hard when uh I have, you

2:08:04know, so much to say about what I've

2:08:06learned. And I want to send a message to

2:08:08my supporters and those of you that come

2:08:10out and so passionately uh tell us your

2:08:13opinions and your perspectives. It's

2:08:15very important. You don't think we hear

2:08:17you. You don't think you make a

2:08:18difference, but I assure you, you do. Um

2:08:20so I'll just get on with this so we can

2:08:22get out of here tonight. Um past three

2:08:24years have been really tough. Uh as I

2:08:27prepare to lead the council, I find

2:08:28myself somewhere in between. Thank God

2:08:30I'm done. And you know, there's still so

2:08:33much more I'd really like to do. I'd

2:08:35like more to help lead the Bangor into

2:08:37the future that I know is possible

2:08:39because despite the frustrations and the

2:08:42disappointments and the difficult

2:08:43decisions, I love Bangor and I believe

2:08:46deeply in what the city can become. I

2:08:48envision Bangor that rises above our

2:08:50current challenges in a with wisdom and

2:08:53balance and compassion guided by the

2:08:55principle of a willingness to work

2:08:57together. Homeless addiction and mental

2:08:59illness are profound challenges. They

2:09:02demand compassion, but they also demand

2:09:04practical solutions, sound judgment, and

2:09:07an honest understanding of what the

2:09:09boundaries and limitations are for our

2:09:11municipal government. What we can do and

2:09:14maybe more importantly what we cannot

2:09:16do. These are not city problems to solve

2:09:19alone. We are not the exports nor

2:09:21experts nor should we pretend to be. Our

2:09:24responsibility is to build stronger,

2:09:26effective, and accountable coalitions to

2:09:29confront these challenges together.

2:09:32Compassion and accountability are not

2:09:34adversarial opposites. Neither are

2:09:37progress and balance. We need both. We

2:09:40cannot allow ourselves to become so

2:09:42consumed by any one issue that we lose

2:09:45the balance and become stagnant or lose

2:09:47sight of our broader responsibilities.

2:09:50While every resident matters, we must

2:09:53never become so focused on one group

2:09:56that we forget the people and the

2:09:57responsibilities we have to the others

2:10:00as everyone has their own struggles,

2:10:03their concerns and their needs. We must

2:10:05continually examine ourselves, how we

2:10:07operate, how what our processes are,

2:10:09what our checks and balances are, what

2:10:11our transparency is, and most

2:10:13importantly, our accountability.

2:10:15Are we doing things right, getting the

2:10:17results we need? Are we serving the

2:10:19people who have entrusted us with their

2:10:22money and their confidence? We must

2:10:24never allow our inequities and our

2:10:26differences or our most difficult issues

2:10:29be Bangor's leading narrative. But

2:10:31challenges we must strive to overcome

2:10:34together. I look at these three years

2:10:36seriously. I put in hours attending

2:10:38meetings, researching issues, reaching

2:10:40out to residents, listening, asking

2:10:42questions, a having countless

2:10:45conversations. and I worked hard to

2:10:47understand the issues that continue

2:10:49meaningfully to the decisions before us

2:10:52today. But I still leave wishing I had

2:10:56done more.

2:10:58There were many disappointments.

2:10:59Certainly, there were moments that

2:11:01tested my patience and challenged my

2:11:04expectations, but there were also

2:11:06moments that inspired me, taught me, and

2:11:09changed me as a better person. I grew

2:11:11through this experience, became more

2:11:13open-minded. I learned to look at issues

2:11:16from different perspectives that I might

2:11:18not have considered before. But I did

2:11:20not abandon my principles, my beliefs,

2:11:22or my integrity. If anything, this

2:11:25experience reinforced how important it

2:11:27is to hold firmly to those things while

2:11:29remaining willing to listen and to learn

2:11:32and to grow.

2:11:34I believe that a deeper appreciation for

2:11:36the city's extraordinary uniqueness, its

2:11:39opportunities and its people, and the

2:11:41many things that are still make Bangor

2:11:43such a remarkable place to live. This

2:11:46should be our narrative. We have real

2:11:48problems to address, but we also have an

2:11:50extraordinary strength. Um, this is what

2:11:53makes Bangor and what is possible for

2:11:55Bangor. And those strengths and our

2:11:57uniqueness and as a community together,

2:12:00those far outweigh our challenges.

2:12:03That's what makes Bangor great. That

2:12:05should be our narrative. I have great

2:12:07appreciation for the city that runs uh

2:12:09the folks that run this city from public

2:12:12works, police, fire assessing, clerks,

2:12:14financing, economic department, legal,

2:12:17parks and wreck, and all the other

2:12:19departments. Um if I've left out one,

2:12:22it's not intentional. The work of the

2:12:23city is far more complex than most

2:12:26people realize. And they do so much

2:12:29without any recognition. You you serve

2:12:32the residents, solve problems, manage

2:12:34competing demands, and keep essential

2:12:37services moving under difficult

2:12:39circumstances. I have a much greater

2:12:42appreciation for the breadth of your

2:12:43responsibilities and demands that you

2:12:45have upon you. Thank you for showing up

2:12:48every day to do this work. I was one of

2:12:51the complainers, but now I have a

2:12:53greater understanding for all you do,

2:12:54and I appreciate you. To those who

2:12:57volunteered or have volunteered their

2:12:59time to serve on city council or or

2:13:02committees, I have a whole new

2:13:04appreciation for you too. This work asks

2:13:07more of the people than most of our

2:13:09citizens realize. It requires time,

2:13:11preparation, difficult conversations,

2:13:13definitely a thick skin, and a

2:13:15willingness to make decisions knowing

2:13:17that not everybody will agree with you

2:13:20and might even call you names. It's it's

2:13:23about showing up though, doing the work,

2:13:25listening, learning, making the best

2:13:27decisions we can, and remaining

2:13:29accountable to the people that we serve.

2:13:31You the taxpayers, to the Bangor city

2:13:34residents, the business stakeholders,

2:13:36and all of those that live and look to

2:13:38us leaders and everyone who takes the

2:13:40time to email and speak to to the

2:13:43meetings, ask questions, or simply make

2:13:45your concerns known known. You are the

2:13:48foundation of our city. You are the

2:13:51fabric. You are the lifeblood and you

2:13:53are the future. I encourage you to keep

2:13:56raising your voices, making those

2:13:58questions, challenging your elected

2:14:00officials, and expecting transparency

2:14:03and accountability and thoughtful

2:14:05decisions about how your money is spent

2:14:07and what you are getting in return. But

2:14:10I ask one more thing of you. As you

2:14:12advocate for what matters to you, make

2:14:15room for the possibility that others see

2:14:17things differently. Listen to their

2:14:19experiences. Try to understand their

2:14:21concerns and extend the same respect you

2:14:24hope to receive yourself. We must be

2:14:27willing to listen, find common ground,

2:14:29and agree to disagree without losing

2:14:32sight of our shared responsibility to

2:14:34this community to make it a better as a

2:14:37whole. I know I did not accomplish

2:14:39everything I'd hoped to. I know there's

2:14:41still much work to be done, but I gave

2:14:44this uh responsibility all the time and

2:14:46energy and attention that I could spare

2:14:48and made my best effort. I leave with

2:14:51gratitude for what I've learned, respect

2:14:53for the people who do the work, and

2:14:55abide in the belief in the people of the

2:14:57city in the future. Bango deserves

2:14:59thoughtful leadership, balanced

2:15:01judgment, honesty, accountability, and

2:15:04the courage to keep moving forward even

2:15:07when the path is difficult. I'm almost

2:15:09done. Really, one more sentence. May we

2:15:12never lose sight of the city we can be

2:15:14tomorrow because of the overwhelmed

2:15:16because we're overwhelmed by the

2:15:18problems we have today. I might be

2:15:20leaving council, but I'm not leaving my

2:15:23belief in the city of Bangor. It has

2:15:25been an honor to serve you, Bangor. I

2:15:27hope I've served you well. I love you,

2:15:29Bangor. Good night, Bangor.

2:15:44Thank you for hanging in. It's been a

2:15:46long meeting, but we are at the end. I

2:15:49think you've heard all that you're going

2:15:51to hear tonight. So, we are journed.

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