Bangor Finance Committee approves workout agreement, tables others for policy review

The Bangor City Council Finance Committee approved a one-year tax workout agreement for a property at 129 Bowling Drive while tabling two other agreements to allow for a review of the city's matured tax lien policy. The committee also voted to write off approximately $129,000 in uncollectible personal property taxes and selected a new audit firm for a one-year contract.

Key points

• Councilors voted 4-1 to approve a workout agreement for 129 Bowling Drive, which has 13 years of outstanding taxes, with Councilor Wayne Mallar voting against.
• Workout agreements for 88 Sydney Street and 145 Gordon Road were tabled so staff can revisit the city's policy on tax delinquency and lien enforcement.
• Councilor Mallar argued that the city should follow existing rules to sell properties after three years of non-payment, while other members supported giving taxpayers a chance to make good on their debts.
• The committee approved a motion to write off $129,000 in uncollectible personal property taxes from the city's overlay account.
• Staff recommended a one-year contract with CBiz for independent financial audits, replacing the firm that had served the city for nearly three decades.
• The committee voted to waive the bid process and sole source a new software platform for the Bangor International Airport to replace an outdated system.

Next steps

• Staff will review and propose updates to the matured tax or utility lien policy, including potential limits on arrears duration and financial verification requirements.
• The city will negotiate a one-year audit contract with CBiz, with options for renewal to be discussed later.
• The airport will proceed with the sole-source purchase of the new FBO software platform.

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