City Hall·Bangor Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights
Bangor equity committee votes to support lived experience on homelessness panel
The Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council prioritize individuals with lived experience of homelessness for the new standing committee on homelessness. Members also discussed the committee's operational relationship with the City Council, agreeing to wait for council direction before proposing structural changes. The group began gathering data on language access needs in the city, with the City Manager promising to consult department heads on current barriers.
Key points
- The committee unanimously voted to make a formal recommendation to the City Council to include members with lived experience of homelessness on the new standing committee.
- Councilor Michael Beck reported that the council plans to split the proposed homelessness and housing committee into two separate bodies, with the homelessness panel to be discussed at the March 2 GovOps meeting.
- Members debated whether to recommend a specific number or percentage of seats for those with lived experience, ultimately deciding to offer support and resources rather than mandate a specific quota.
- The committee discussed concerns about its standing with the City Council, noting that some council members have questioned the committee's effectiveness and approach.
- Members agreed to wait for the council to hold a workshop on the committee's future before making formal requests for joint meetings or structural changes.
- The group began a discussion on language access, with members noting the lack of data on language barriers faced by residents and staff.
Next steps
- Chair Katie Brydon will draft a formal recommendation to the City Council regarding the inclusion of lived experience on the homelessness committee.
- City Manager Carollynn Lear will consult with department heads to gather initial data on language access barriers and needs.
- The committee will wait for the City Council to schedule a workshop on the advisory committee's operations before taking further action on that issue.
Where this came from
City of Bangor YouTube
The summary and transcript were made by software from the public meeting video, with names checked against the official roster, then reviewed before publishing.
Watch the meeting ↗The summary and transcript were made by software from the public meeting video, with names checked against the official roster, then reviewed before publishing.