City Council – Jul 13, 2026

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING BANGOR CITY COUNCIL – JULY 13, 2026

Meeting called to order at 7:00 PM Chaired by Council Chair Hawes Councilors Absent: None Meeting adjourned at 8:35 PM

PUBLIC COMMENT

Amber Webb, Joyce Mallery, Tyler Shanahan, Marlene Brochu, Charlie Longo, Jeremy Russell, and Richard Chaucer spoke regarding homelessness.

Scott Pardy expressed his opinion on the Council's performance and felt very little was being accomplished.

Philip Henry had serious concerns as to where tax money was going and whether certain Councilors were recusing from discussions in which they may have a conflict.

Michael Furow felt the Chair of the Ethics Board acted like a dictator and there was an appearance of unethical standards with two board members.

Zoe Smith spoke against the federal government's administration.

Grace Nichols, Teal Vasquez and Adam Baker expressed their concerns regarding ICE and the need to condemn their actions in Biddeford.

Abbigail Short and Jody McDonald expressed their disappointment that the Council did not pass Order 26-095.

Emily Ellis and Hal Wheeler spoke regarding the vacant and abandoned property ordinance and the need for it to be applied and enforced equally.

Hilari Simmons and Suzette Furrow's written comments are attached.

Explanatory Note: All items listed in the Consent Agenda are considered routine and are proposed for adoption by the City Council by one motion without discussion or deliberation. Any member of the public may request that the Council remove an item from the Consent Agenda for discussion. An item will only be removed if a City Councilor requests its removal to New Business.

CONSENT AGENDA

ITEM NO.

MINUTES OF: Bangor City Council Regular Meeting of June 22, 2026

Action: Approved

26-228 ORDER Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed for Real Estate Located at 177 Larkin Street — Assigned to: DEANE

Action: Passed

26-229 ORDER Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed for Real Estate Located at 187 Laurel Circle — Assigned to: WALKER

Action: Passed

26-230 ORDER Authorizing the City Manager to Accept $6,440 in Funds, as Result of a State Criminal Forfeiture — Assigned to: DEANE

Action: Passed

26-231 ORDER Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Lease Agreement with Varney Aviation, LLC for Building #457 at Bangor International Airport — Assigned to: FISH

Action: Passed

26-232 ORDER Authorizing the City Manager or Her Designee to Sell the Property Addressed at 45 Allen Street to Rent 207 Properties, LLC in the Amount of $60,000 — Assigned to: FALOON

Action: Passed

26-233 ORDER Authorizing the City Manager or Her Designee to Sell the Property Addressed at 299 Essex Street to Tong Lu in the Amount of $35,000 — Assigned to: CARSON

Action: Passed

26-234 ORDER Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Lease Agreement with Bangor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for Office and Clinic Space for Bangor Public Health — Assigned to: BECK

Action: Passed

26-235 RESOLVE Ratifying Staff Action to Apply for the John T. Gorman Foundation Direct Service Grant Program for up to $30,000 of Funding Housing Stabilization Activities — Assigned to: DEANE

Action: Passed

26-236 RESOLVE Accepting and Appropriating $1,869,733 from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for the Maine Prevention Network for Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028 — Assigned to: WALKER

Action: Passed

REFERRALS TO COMMITTEE AND FIRST READING

ITEM NO.

26-237 ORDINANCE Amending Chapter 33, Code of Ethics, To Add Sections 33-22 (Response Deadline) and 33-23 (Council Response to an Ethics Board Advisory Opinion) — Assigned to: FALOON

Action: First Reading

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

ITEM NO.

26-222 ORDINANCE Amending the Code of the City of Bangor to Modify the Duties and Responsibilities of the Legislative Committee — Assigned to: CARSON

Action: Motion made and seconded to Postpone to the July 27, 2026 City Council Meeting Vote: 9 – 0 Councilors Voting Yes: Beck, Carson, Deane, Faloon, Fish, Leonard, Mallar, Walker, Hawes Councilors Voting No: None Passed to Postpone

26-223 ORDINANCE Amending Chapter 165, Land Development Code by Adding Flexibility for Manufactured Home Parks Existing as of January 1, 2026 — Assigned to: FISH

Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Vote: 9 – 0 Councilors Voting Yes: Beck, Carson, Deane, Faloon, Fish, Leonard, Mallar, Walker, Hawes Councilors Voting No: None Passed

26-224 RESOLVE Accepting and Appropriating a Housing Opportunity Program Municipal Ordinance Development Grant from the Maine Office of Community Affairs in the Amount of $10,000 — Assigned to: MALLAR

Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Passed

26-225 RESOLVE Accepting and Appropriating Grant Funds from United States Housing and Urban Development for the Purpose of Funding the Bangor Rental Assistance Program in the Amount of $1,144,879 — Assigned to: BECK

Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Passed

NEW BUSINESS

ITEM NO.

PUBLIC HEARING: Application for Special Amusement License of Bangor Grande Aviators, LLC d/b/a Blue Sky Lounge, 357 Odlin Road — Assigned to: BECK

Action: Motion made and seconded to Open Public Hearing Public Hearing Opened Motion made and seconded to Close Public Hearing Public Hearing Closed Motion made and seconded for Approval Approved

PUBLIC HEARING: Application for Special Amusement License of Waterfront Concerts, LLC d/b/a Waterfront Concerts, 1 Railroad Street — Assigned to: BECK

Action: Motion made and seconded to Open Public Hearing Public Hearing Opened

Richard Chaucer asked what this was. City Clerk, Lisa Goodwin, stated it was for entertainment, such as music, and was required because the facility is licensed to serve liquor.

Motion made and seconded to Close Public Hearing Public Hearing Closed Motion made and seconded for Approval Approved

PUBLIC HEARING: Application for Special Amusement License of Roca Azul LLC d/b/a Roca Azul Mexican Restaurant, 248 Odlin Road — Assigned to: BECK

Action: Motion made and seconded to Open Public Hearing Public Hearing Opened Motion made and seconded to Close Public Hearing Public Hearing Closed Motion made and seconded for Approval Approved

PUBLIC HEARIG: Application for Special Amusement License of Seadog Ventures, Inc. d/b/a Seadog Ventures, Inc., 26 Front Street — Assigned to: BECK

Action: Motion made and seconded to Open Public Hearing Public Hearing Opened Motion made and seconded to Close Public Hearing Public Hearing Closed Motion made and seconded for Approval Approved

ATTEST: Lisa J. Goodwin, MMC, City Clerk

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Good evening, Mayor, Councilors, and members of the public.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.

I am here because I believe the public deserves confidence that the City's Code of Ethics is applied fairly, consistently, and without regard to who the individual is or what position they hold.

Ethics standards exist to protect the integrity of government. They are intended to ensure that public officials conduct themselves in a manner that promotes transparency, impartiality, and public trust. Those standards only have value if they are enforced equally.

My questions tonight concern consistency.

When City Councilors give interviews to the Bangor Daily News or other media outlets on matters involving City business, under what circumstances are they considered to be speaking on behalf of the City versus expressing their personal opinions?

For example, Councilors Michael Beck and Susan Faloon have participated in media interviews while serving on the Council. What policy governs those communications? Are councilors authorized to speak on behalf of the City, or are those interviews considered personal commentary? If there is a distinction, how is it determined, and is that standard applied uniformly to every member of the Council?

I have the same question regarding social media.

Many elected officials maintain Facebook pages or other public social media accounts that identify them as City Councilors and regularly discuss City issues. When those pages are used to communicate with the public about City business, does the City consider those communications to be official, personal, or a combination of both? Has the Council adopted any guidance or standards governing the use of social media by elected officials?

I also have questions regarding conflicts of interest in the ethics process itself.

What measures are in place to ensure that members of boards or committees responsible for reviewing ethics complaints are free from actual or perceived conflicts of interest? Are members required to disclose relationships, affiliations, or other circumstances that could affect—or appear to affect—their impartiality? When appropriate, are recusals required to preserve the integrity of the process?

Transparency is essential to maintaining public confidence. Residents should be able to trust that ethics decisions are based solely on the facts, the City's Code of Ethics, and a fair, impartial review—not on personalities, political viewpoints, or personal relationships.

Finally, I ask the Council to consider whether the same expectations are being applied to every elected official. Equal treatment under the City's ethics policies is fundamental to good government. If one official is held accountable for certain conduct, the public should understand how similar situations involving other officials are evaluated and why the outcomes may differ.

These questions are not intended to criticize any individual. They are intended to promote transparency, consistency, and accountability in the application of the City's ethics standards.

The people of Bangor deserve confidence that their government operates fairly, that ethical standards are applied equally, and that every public official is held to the same expectations.

Thank you for your time and your consideration.

[signature]

Monday, July 13, 2026

My name is Suzette Furrow, I am a resident of Bangor. The opinions I express are my own and do not reflect those of any committee I may be a member of.

I would like to talk about the City of Bangor Ethics Board. I attended the Ethics Board meeting on June 30, 2026. I spoke during the public comment time. I spoke about the chair of the Ethics Board. The chair is a business partner with one of the members of the Ethics Board. According to the Board of Ethics Procedural Rules Article IV-Due Process and Ethics SS4.2 Public Meetings:

"Board Members may not discuss pending matters with each other outside of a Board meeting. No decision may be made by the Board outside of a regular or special meeting of the Board. Board members may discuss pending matters with City Staff or their representative(s)."

Whether or not the chair or the Board member discuss pending matters is irrelevant. The fact that they work together (run a business together) should not be allowed. The chair as the leader of the Board, should not have a business relationship (partnership) with one of its members. I cannot think of any other Board or Committee representing the City of Bangor that has a chair who has a business partnership with one of its members. Of all Boards and committees, the Ethics Board should be held to a higher standard.

Also, according to the Board of Ethics Procedural Rules under Article VII-Administrative Provisions, SS7.3 Procedural Rules:

"The rules contained in the current edition of Democratic Rules of Order shall govern the Board in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with State law, City ordinance, these procedures and any rules adopted by this Board."

According to the Democratic Rules of Order, during Formal meetings: the chair guides impartially and does not participate in discussion. The chair's function is to maintain order, recognize speakers, and ensure procedures are followed.

I would urge the Bangor City Council and the legal department to review the Ethics Board meeting which took place on June 30, 2026, and consider the fact that the chair is supposed to follow the Democratic Rules of Order and not participate in discussion as well as the fact that the chair is in business with one of the members of the Ethics Board.

Also, the Bangor City Council and the Legal Department should consider that 3 members are required for a quorum for the Ethics Board. This means that 2 of the three members for a quorum could be the 2 that are in business together.

Before the City Council considers imposing punishments based on findings from the Ethics Board, I suggest the Council examine the Ethics Board and whether they are following their own Procedural Rules and the Democratic Rules of Order which their Board is supposed to adhere to.

Thank you