Bangor council rejects legislative committee expansion, passes ethics timeline

With Chair Susan Hawes absent, Councilor Susan Faloon served as chair pro tem and led the July 27, 2026 Bangor City Council meeting. The council voted down an ordinance expanding the legislative committee's duties after public objections, passed an ethics code amendment setting a 120-day deadline for Board of Ethics opinions, and approved several consent items and special amusement licenses.

Key points

• Councilor Faloon was elected chair pro tem in the absence of Council Chair Susan Hawes.
• The council voted 6-2 to suspend the rules and take up Council Resolve 26-245, which reaffirmed the council's commitment to civility and procedural order; the resolve then passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 26-222, which would have let the legislative committee talk with candidates for office other than Bangor City Council candidates, failed 0-8 after several residents raised conflict-of-interest and transparency concerns; Councilor Carson, the committee's chair, urged colleagues to vote no.
• Ordinance 26-237 passed 8-0, adding a 120-day deadline for Board of Ethics advisory opinions and a procedure for the council to respond to them.
• Public comment covered a request for a city toxic waste take-back day, calls to shift public health funding to the state, support for Together Place's day center amid a $220,000 shortfall, and allegations of undisclosed conflicts of interest on the council.
• The council approved the consent agenda, including a collective bargaining agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 714, and granted special amusement licenses to Pike and Pepper LLC (Barlemans) and American Cruise Lines.

Next steps

• The council will take up remaining new business, including a credit enhancement agreement with Bangor Housing Development Corporation for 205 Corporate Drive.
• Together Place supporters asked the council to visit the facility before any vote on its funding; the organization said it has raised $139,000 in pledges and needs $81,000 more.

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