Bangor council advances three priorities, closes ethics referral with no action

The Bangor City Council agreed to formalize three priorities for the coming year (comprehensive plan, homelessness and housing, and regional cost sharing) and accepted the Board of Ethics' advisory opinion without further action. The council also heard updates on vacant building enforcement, legal department work, and a state historic rehabilitation tax credit bill.

Key points

• The council confirmed three priorities for the coming year: establishing a comprehensive plan, continuing to address homelessness and housing needs, and working toward a fairer share of regional costs. A formal order will go to the next council meeting.
• Councilor Joseph Leonard suggested handling remaining priority topics, such as infrastructure, through existing committee meetings rather than scheduling a separate strategy session. The city manager said she would schedule them in vote priority order.
• The council voted to accept the Board of Ethics' advisory opinion and take no further action. The board found it lacked jurisdiction over the open deliberations question and found no violation of the code of ethics section on disclosure of confidential information.
• Councilor Leonard said he would submit a memo proposing two government reforms for discussion: creating council districts for neighborhood representation and establishing a city elected executive officer, possibly through a charter review commission.
• City Solicitor David Szewczyk reported that 58 formerly vacant buildings are no longer vacant since tracking began in late 2023, with 61 properties currently on the vacant list, 33 registered and current and 28 not registered.
• Szewczyk said the legal department rewrote the Board of Ethics' procedural rules, which dated to the 1990s, and is coordinating Freedom of Access Act requests with a designated contact in each department.
• The council voiced support for continued backing of a state bill (referred to as LD 435) that would raise the historic rehabilitation tax credit for small projects from 25 to 30 percent and extend credits to homeowners, including extra credits for accessory dwelling units and previously vacant properties.

Next steps

• A council order formalizing the three priorities will be placed on the agenda for the next council meeting.
• The city manager will schedule remaining priority topics into committee meetings in vote priority order.
• Councilor Leonard will submit a memo proposing council districts and a city elected executive officer for future discussion.
• The legal department will provide Councilor Wayne Mallar with outside attorney costs to date for the ethics referrals.
• The city will continue supporting the historic rehabilitation tax credit bill as it moves to appropriations.

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