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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-14 City Council Minutes MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING BANGOR CITY COUNCIL—APRIL 14, 2025 Meeting called to order at 7:00 PM Chaired by Council Chair Pelletier Councilors Absent:None Meeting adjourned at 8:43 PM PROCLAMATION Proclaimed the Week ofApril 21-25,2025 Communiry Development Week PUBLIC COMMENT Laura Supica asked the City Council to adopt an ordinance prohibiting Bangor staff and law enforcernent from assisting ICE. Brendan Davison also spoke in favor of such an ordinance. Joshua Faile spoke in favor of support Rep.Ambureen Rana's bill to prohibit local law enforcement collaboration with Federal imrrcigration enforcernent. Scott Pardy requested that rrtore be done irt the City regarding pedestrian safety as there have been too many vehicle/pedestrian accidents. CONSENT AGENDA ASSIGNED TO ITEMNO. COUNCILOR *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�om the Consent Agenda for discussion. An item will only be removed if a City Councilor requests its removal to New Business. Councilor Mallar requested that the approval of the minutes of the Business and Economic Development Committee meeting be moved to New Business. MINUTES OF.• City Council Meeting of March 24,2025, and Government Operations Committee Meeting of April 7,2025 Action: Approved 25-109 ORDER Authorizing the Execution of a 11�unicipal Quitclaim Deed MALLAR for Real Estate Located at 37 Tyler Avenue Action: Passed 25-110 ORDER Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed TREMBLE jor Real Estate Located at 42 Elizabeth Avenue Action: Passed 25-III ORDER Authorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed HAWES for Real Estate Located at 53 Bowdoin Street Action: Passed 25-112 ORDER Autlzorizing the Execution of a Municipal Quitclaim Deed LEONARD for Real Estate Located at 424 State Street Actioii: Passed Page 1 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING BANGOR CITY COUNCIL—APRIL 14, 2025 CONSENT AGENDA ASSIGNED TO ITEMNO. CDUNCILOR 25-II3 ORDER Authorizing an Amendment to Bangor Housing BECK Development Corporation's State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Award Action: Passed 25-I14 ORDER Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Right-of-Entry MALLAR with the U.S.Arrrzy Corps of Engineers for Continued Remedial Investigations at the For►ner Bangor Military Range Action: Passed 25-115 ORDER Authorizing a Contract with ABMMechanical in the DEANE Amount of$333,000 for Data and Security Wiring and Related Equipment for Bangor City Hall Action: Passed 25-I16 ORDER Authorizing a Contract with Benchmark Construction in FOURNIER the Amount of$2,436,844 for the Gate II Boarding Bridge Replacement at the Bangor International Airport Action: Passed 25-117 ORDER Authorizing the City Manager to Apply for Funding From LEONARD the Northerrc Border Regional Commission (NBRC) in the Amount of$484,000 for the Purchase of Two Unmanned Exit Lanes to the Sterile Area of the Domestic Terminal Action: Passed 25-118 RESOL T�E Accepting a Donation of Three(3) Visitor Kiosks from the LEDNARD Recreation Economy for Rural Communities'(RERC) Maine Office of Tourism Grant, and Accept the Duties of Maintenance for a Three Year Period Action: Passed Page 2 MINUTES OF REG ULAR MEETING BANGOR CITY CO UNCIL—APRIL 14, 2025 REFERRALS TO COMMITTEE AND FIRST READING ASSIGNED TO ITEMNO. COUNCILOR 25-119 ORDINANCE Amending tlte Code of Ordinances to Clarify that Roberts BECK Rules of Order Apply Only to the Council and Boards, Committees and Comnzissions With Decision-Making Authority Justin Cartier,Hilari Simmons and Suzette Furrow spoke in opposition to this ordinance. Action: First Reading 25-120 RESOLVE Appropriating$199,511 from the Improvement Reserve to DEANE Fund Audio/[�isual Upgrades for City Hall Q Action: First Reading 25-12I RESOL T�E Appropriating$413,000 from the Unassigned Fund FISH Balance to Fund Wiring and Security System Upgrades at Bangor City Hall Action: First Reading 25-122 RESOL VE Accepting and Appropriating$192,565 from the Maine TREMBLE Emergency Medical Services Stabilization and Sustainabilily Program for the Bangor Fire Department Action: First Reading and Referral to Finance Comrriittee Meeting on April 23, 2025 UNFINISHED BUS�NESS ASSIGNED TO ITEMNO. COUNCILOR 25-104 ORDINANCE Amending the Code oJOrdinances to Expand the Abiliry for MALLAR Consent Agreements to be Used for City Code i�iolations Action: Motion made nnd seconded for Passage Vote: 9—0 Councilors Voting Yes:Beck,Deane, Fish, Fournier, Hawes,Leonard,Mallar, Tremble,Pelletier Councilors T�oting No:None Passed Page 3 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING BANGOR CITY COUNCIL—APRIL 14, 2025 NEWBUSINESS ASSIGNED TO ITEMNO. COUNCILOR MINUTES: Business and Economic Development Meeting of April 7, 2025, Councilor Mallar stated under Section D of the minutes that the information was incorrect. He had asked a question but did not get the answer that night. Staff was going to research and get back to him with an answer. Motion made and seconded to Postpone to the April 28, 2025 City Council meeting. Passed 25-123 OItDER Directing the City Manager to Take Possession of the DEANE Properry Located at Waterworks Road Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Passed 25-124 ORDER Directing the City Manager to Take Possession of the FISH Properry Located at 75 Fourth Street Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Passed 25-125 ORDER Directing the City Manager to Take Possession of the FOURNIER Vacant Land Located at 10 Hersey Ave Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Passed 25-126 ORDER Directing the City Manager to Take Possession ojthe DEANE Vacant Land Located on Fourth Street Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Passed 25-I27 ORDER Directing the City Manager to Take Possession of the BECK T�acant Land Located on Gilman Road Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Passed 25-128 ORDER � Directing the City Manager to Take Possession of the BECK Vacant Land Located on Gilman Road Action: Motion inade and seconded for Passage Passed Page 4 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING BANGOR CITY COUNCIL—APRIL 14, 2025 NEW BUSINESS ASSIGNED TO ITEMNO. COUNCILOR 25-129 ORDER Directing the City Manager to Take Possession of the FISH Vacant Land Located on Smitlz Street Action: Motion made and seconded for Passage Passed PUBLIC HEARING: 25-130 ORDER Declaring the Structure at 67Lincoln Street to be a FOURNIER Dangerous Building and Authorizing its Demolition Action: Motion made and seconded to open the Public Hearing Public Hearing Opened Code Enforcement Officer,Brenda Hanscom Bilotta, reviewed the history of this property. A copy is attached to the minutes. Owner, Jarnes Butler stated he was waiting for the Fire Marshall to release its � report and requested an additional three months to take the building down as he wanted to salvage some of the building. Motion made and seconded to close the Public Hearing. Public Hearing Closed Motion made and seconded for Passage subject to the property owner having until May 31, 2025, to demolish on his own. Vote: 9-0 Councilors Voting Yes:Beck,Deane, Fish, Fournier,Hawes,Leonard,Mallar, Tremble,Pelletier Councilors Voting No:None Passed PUBLIC HEARING: 25-I3I ORDER Declaring the Structure at 271 Elm Street to be a MALLAR Dangerous Building and Authorizing its Demolition Action: Motion made and seconded to open the Public Hearing Public Hearing Opened Code Enforcement Officer,Brenda Hanscom Bilotta, reviewed the history of t{ais property. A copy is attached lo the minutes. Owner,Alaa AZ Jaber did not want the full slructure to be demolished His intent is to remove part of the structure and fix the remaining section for/zis family to live in. Co-owner,Ali Anthony,said there was a misunderstanding with the engineer and they are waiting for the engineer to provide the report on demolishing a portion of the structure and rehabilitating the remaining structure. Page 5 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING BANGOR CITY COUNCIL—APRIL I4, 2025 NEWBUSINESS ASSIGNED TO ITEMNO. COUNCILOR Motion rnade and seconded to close the Public Hearing Public Hearing Closed Motion made and seconded to postpone this item to the May I2,2025 City Council meeting to provide an opportunity for the owners to get the engineer's report. Passed PUBLIC HEARING: 25-132 ORDER Declaring the Structure at 354 Ohio Street to be a LEONARD Dangerous Building and Authorizing its Demolition Action: Motion made and seconded open the Public Hearing Public Hearing Opened Code Enforcement Officer,Brenda Hanscom Bilotta, reviewed the history of this property. A copy is attached to the minutes. Owner, Cheryl Lynne,stated she couldn't afford to fix the property and after the second fire the building cou[dn't be salvaged She would like the opportunity to remove some items before the deinolition. Motion made and seconded to close the Public Hearing Public Hearing Closed Motion made and seconded for Passage Vote: 9-0 Councilors Voting Yes:Beck,Deane, Fish, Fournier,Hawes,Leonard,Mallar, Tremble,Pelletier Councilors Voting No:None Passed CONTINUED PUBLIC Justin Cartier stated that Needlepoint Sanctuary was still operating illegally out of COMMENT: the Universal Unitarian Church and needed to be stopped. Hilari Simmons was disappointed with the proclamation for Community Development Week when Black History Month was not acknowledged She felt the City Council should publicly acknowledge the oversight and goi�g forward it should be acknowledged each year. ATTEST: Lisa . Good iri, MMC, City Clerk Page 6 Q����C W i n sl-�e9vt' Good evening, my name is Brendan Davison, I live in Bangor, and I rise this evening to call on this council to reject any potential contract between the Bangor Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Such an agreement would not only be a moral failure but also a financial burden for our city, forcing Bangor to shoulder costs that should not fall on our local taxpayers. When local police departments enter into agreements with ICE through 287(g) contracts, they do not receive federal funding to cover the cost of enforcing Federal immigration policies. Instead, municipal budgets are the ones that take the hit. That means Bangor's officers, resources, and taxpayer dollars would be redirected toward federal immigration enforcement, rather than serving the real public safety needs of qur community. ICE does not reimburse cities for the majority of expenses associated with these contracts. The overtime, training, administrative costs, legal fees, and even potential liabilities from wrongful detention lawsuits all come directly out of Bangor's budget. That is money that should be going to our public safety infrastructure, affordable housing, addiction treatment, and social services, not to carrying out the work of a federal agency that has no accountability to the people of Bangor. Additionally, these agreements damage public safety. 287(g) contracts are linked with an increase in racial profiling and other civil rights violations. We have seen time and time again that when local police collaborate with ICE, it creates fear in immigrant communities, making people afraid to report crimes or seek assistance from law enforcement and city officials when they need it. That makes our entire city less safe, less trusting, and is fully at odds with this city's commitment to fostering a caring and welcoming community. Recently, our own Representative Ambureen Rana has introduced a bill in the Legislature, LD 1259 that would prohibit local law enforcement from entering into these contracts, and I want to applaud her for this legislation, but Bangor should not wait for the state to act, we should be leading the way by rejecting these contracts now. Regardless of what we think about Immigration as a is not just a moral question; it is a practical one. We face major challenges as a city, and we need to prioritize using our resources on policies that keep our city safe, strong, and welcoming. Partnering with ICE is a wasteful, harmful, and unnecessary use of the police, the city budget, and our taxpayers dollars. I urge the Council to reject any such contract and keep Bangor's resources where they belong, serving our community. Thank you. �u..bl�� �>„��,,-�� Public Testimony in Support of Rep.Ambureen Rana's Bill to Prohibit Local Law Enforcement Collaboration with Federal Immigration Enforcement Delivered at Bangor Ciry Council Meeting �4 April 2025 � By Jo.shua Faile Good evening, Council Members, Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is Joshua Faile. I live and work here in Bangor, and I am here to express iny strong support for Representative Ambureen Rana's proposed bill, LD 1259,which would bar Maine's local and state police from entering into agreements with federal agencies to carry out immigration enforcement. Let me begin with the main reason pardon the pun—I support this bill: immigrants are welcome members of our community. Immigrants are not"illegal"people. They are our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and friends. They are essential to the fabric of Maine's society and economy. Our comrnunities are stronger, safer, and more vibrant because of them. As an economist and data analyst with a particular interest in demographic and economic modeling, I can also say with confidence: immigrants are indispensable to the future prosperity of our state. And like all members of our community, immigrants are entitled to equal protection under the law and due process. These are not privileges for a select few. They are constitutional guarantees afforded to all people residing in the United States.Yet,time and again, federal immigration enforcement—especially under the Trump administrations—has trampled those rights in pursuit of a mass deportation agenda. ICE has detained individuals without proper due process, separated families, and operated with little accounta.bility, often with the cooperation of local law enforcement. These practices are not only morally indefensible,many have been challenged as unconstitutional. If you need a clear warning of where these practices may lead, consider what the President of the United States said earlier today in the Oval Office during a televised meeting with the President of El Salvador. Just before the press was allowed in, President Trump was caught on a hot mic saying to President Bukele: "Home-growns are next. The home-grown,s. You gotta build about.five more places. It:s not big enough."He was referring,unmistakably, to El Salvador needing more prisons to house US citizens. When asked by a reporter if he would consider deporting not just immigrants, but U.S. citizens, President Trump replied—andl quote—"If they are criminals and hit people with baseball bats, if they rape 87-year-old woinen, yeah.Yeah. That includes them. I'm all for it." Page 1 of 2 At one point, when asked if El Salvador would return Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a Salvadoran immigrant the administration illegally deported and whom the Supreme Court ordered to be returned last week— President Bukele began to respond with"no,"before President Trump cut in, calling the reporters"sick people"for asking the question. Let us pause to consider the gravity of these comments. The President of the United States is openly discussing deporting U.S. citizens to a foreign country to be imprisoned indefinitely.And he is doing so while his Department of Tustice argues in federal court that neither lower courts nor the Supreme Court have the power to restrain deportation orders,nor to compel the Executive to return someone deported without due process. In other words, the President is asserting that he can send anyone he chooses out of the country, and once they're gone,there's no legal mechanism to bring them back. That is not only unconstitutional, it is frighteningly authoritarian. This is precisely why Maine's local and state governments must draw a firm line. We cannot allow our law enforcement officers to be deputized into federal actions that violate civil rights and flout the Constitution. This bill is not about politics. It is about protecting the rule of law. It is about defending civil liberties. It is about keeping every member of our community—regardless of status—safe from illegal and unconstitutional abuse of power. I urge the Bangor City Council to support LD 1259 and send a clear message: In Maine, we do not collaborate with agencies that violate civil rights.We do not aid in deporting our neighbors without due process.And we do not compromise our values or abandon the Constitution for political expedience. Thank you, � Joshua Faile 30 West Street Bangor, ME 04401 Page 2 of 2 _� �� � .. � . M� Presh Start, Inc. 207-481-8201 100 Center St �reshstartrecodery-maine.org �angor, Maine 04401 � April 14, 2025 Honorable City Councilors, I wish to address you this evening regarding pedestrian safety in Bangor, specifically concerning the recent incident involving one of my tenants. As some of you may know, I provide housing for individuals in recovery, currently accommodating two tenants in my four-bed- room home. Last Saturday, at approximately 8:30 PM, one of these tenants was struck by a vehicle while wa.lking home in my neighborhood. Fortunately, due to his age and physical condition, he sus- tained minimal injuries. A police report has been filed. I am not here to assign blame, but rather to highlight contributing factors that demand attention. I be- lieve the incident was caused by a combination of poor visibility on Kenduskeag Avenue and the ab- sence of clearly marked crosswalks on Husson Avenue. My tenant contacted Bangor Public Works and was informed that snow plowing had damaged the paint, and that repainting is an annual occur- rence. However, my observations suggest that crosswalks, as well as lane markings, are not consist- ently maintained. Furthermore,the outbound lane of Kenduskeag Avenue, from Husson Avenue to Griffin Road, is improperly configured,hindering safe pedestrian movement facing traffic. I urge the council to prioritize the prompt repainting of these areas and to allocate sufficient re- sources to ensure timely completion. I understand there were delays last yeax, and I suggest explor- ing the option of engaging multiple contractors to expedite the process. Additionally, I request that the council conduct a thorough review of pedestrian-vehicle accidents in Bangor. The tragic loss of my classmate, Jeff Green, remains a stark reminder of the dangers pedestrians face. I implore you to take immediate action to protect my tenants and a11 residents of Bangor from further harm. �M U �C,l �C l,v n�.rn,c� April 14, 2025 To: Bangor City Council Re: Request for City Recognition of Black History Month Dear Bangor City Council Members, I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing as a concerned resident of Bangor to express my disappointment and concern regarding the City's recent proclamation of Community Development Week(April 21-25,2025)while having failed to officially recognize Black History Month this past February. � While I wholeheartedly support initiatives that promote the development and improvement of our community, it is troubling to see that our city was able to publicly honor this week while overlooking the opportunity to recognize and reflect on the profound contributions and enduring struggles of Black Americans through a Black History Month proclamation. Black History Month is not just a ceremonial observance. It is a time to honor a history that is deeply woven into the fabric of our nation—a history that includes triumphs, cultural richness, and enduring resilience in the face of systemic injustice. By failing to officially acknowledge this month, our city sends a discouraging message about whose stories and legacies are seen as worthy of recognition. This discrepancy raises an important question about equity, inclusion, and the values our city chooses to uplift. I ask that you consider the impact this has on our Black community members, and the message it sends to future generations. As such, I respectFully urge the City Council to: 1. Publicly acknowledge the oversight of failing to proclaim Black History Month in 2025; 2. Commit to issuing an annual proclamation for Black History Month moving forward; 3. Engage with local Black leaders, educators, and community organizations to support culturally meaningful initiatives during February and beyond. Representation matters. Recognition matters. And the time to act on our values is now. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response and to seeing our city take meaningful steps toward equity and inclusion. Hilari K. Simmons-Resident of Bangor Suzette Furrow Resident, Bangor City Council Meeting: Monday, April 14, 2025 �5-119 ORDINANCE .Amending the Code of Ordinances to Clarify that Roberts Rules of Order apply Only to the Council and Boards, Committees and Commissions with Decision-Making Authority (First Reading) Did the city solicitor consult with a Piofessional Parliamentarian prior to proposing this Ordinance? Basic Robert's Rules states that without a quorum, the only motion that can be made is for postponement or adjouxnment. At a recent Parks, Recreation and Harbor Advisory Committee Meeting (held on 3-13-25), the city solicitor was at this m�eting. A quorum was not declared, then the chair entertained a motion to approve the minutes. The city solicitor discussed Robert's Rules and th� requirement of a quorum for a meeting to malce any motions. It was t11en determined that there was not a quorum at this meeting. The city Solicitor told them that they needed to adjourn. The one member mad� a motion to adjourn, no one seconded it, and the meeting continued, despite the recommendation of the city solicitor. I would advise the council to NOT pass this ordinance. Even though an Advisory Committee does not have any decisions Making authority, they do advise the council. The council has historically made decisions based on the decisions of advisory committees, if they did not, why would they even exist? If they do not follow Robert's Rules, regarding a quorum, which is fundamental to ALL Rules, then why follow any? Will we allow committees to picic and choose the rules they are going to follow? These advisory committees go on for well over an hour (longer than most council meetings) without a quorum. Tl�ere are city employees at these meetings, and they axe using city resources. What is the point of holding a meeting when no decisions can be made, or motions made, not even the approval of the minutes if there is NOT a quorum? The chair of the advisory committee should contact the committee m�mbers to determine whether a quorum will be present for the meeting; if a quorum will not be present, the chair should reschedule the meeting. This would prevent city employees and other committee members from wasting their time at a meeting when no decisions can be made. The members of these committees applied to be on them. They were � cnosen ay cne councxi. aome o�ner reslaents o� tsangor may have appiied � to be on these cammittees and were not accepted. Is the city going to a11ow committee members to be essentia�ly "place holders"? Thzs means that members may be chosen to be an a committee simply to enhance their resume, do nat attend meetings, yet sti11 say they are members a�'a cammittee. They are preventing another resident �af Bangor who may see soxne value in a committee and want to show up far the meetings. Same ca��mittee members may want to be on a com�nittee as a springboard for future political aspirations, despite rarely shawing up for a meeting. Despite not having a quo:rum and being unable ta make any motions, the Advisoaky Committee on Equity, Diversity and Human Rights made a decisian recently {mostly by 2 members) to try and change their by laws to a11ow a high school and college student who "live in the Bangor area" instead of live in Bangar. If a com�nittee cannot get enough members that reside in Bangor, then the committee shauld probably be disbanded. Bangar residency should be a fiindamental requirement for ALL Committee members. This decisian will have to be apprQved by the council; however, such a decision should not be made by a couple of commzttee members when a quorum is not present. The council has nat noticed that these committees have been running meetings without quorums. The council does not ask if the advisory committee had a quorum when a decision was made. What is the point af holding a meeting without a quorum? UVhat do you think the purpose of a qua�rum is? If this ordinance is approved, you run the risk of having 2 people on an advisary committee making decisions, without a motian, and then having the council assu.me this was a more balanced decision. As I mentioned earlier, these committees do make decisions and recommendations even when a quarum is no�present. This.invites undue minority control over critical issues.. A sma�l number of committee members can drive the agenda in a direction which most of the members do not actually support. Quarums are established to ensure that deciszons made have legitimacy and carty the weight of the entiure group's agreement. Maybe members of a committee do not see the value of the committee and da not feel it serves a purpo.se which may be why they are not attending meetings. There is a Racial, Equity and Human R.ights Committee a� Bangor High School. Why do we need one at the city level? This committee has a member whc� has referred to councilors as "white, Christian, Neo Nazis" this same member made a comment at an advisory Committee meeting that she vc�as concerned that parents were not allavving their children to �ransition fast enough. If you allow a meeting to proceed with only a couple of committee members present, you run the risk of people with racist anti-C;hristian views �itce tnis maxmg aecisions lur �nc entire committee. Why are people allowed on this committee with views they have expressed publicly which go against the whole purpose of the committee? This member has not been censured and has not apologized. Is the Equity only for those that subscribe to a certain belief? If you allow these advisory committees to proceed with meetings despite not having a quorum, you are ignoring the fundamental rules of a committee (advisory or not). This makes the committees turn into something they are not intended to be. One committee member could show up for an advisory committee meeting and several city employees and they could hold a meeting despite not having a quorum. What would the point be of havinf the meeting? Bangor needs to be run as a city that follows rules and laws. This city has been negligent in following rules and enforc�ng basic laws such as littering. Just because the city has allowed th�se committees to proceed with meetings despite not having a quorum does not make this acceptable; it means that people have misinterpreted �h� rulesa and not enough people have been paying attention. I would acivise you to N(�T pass this ordinance and begin to follow the basic ru.les o�order for ALL cornmittees, advisory or not. `Thank you! C0 rp,�y�� Ord� �.�,�� �s-�l9 April 14, 2025 Dear Bangor City Council Members, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to respectfully advocate forthe continued enforcement—and,where necessary,the strengthening—of quorum requirements and adherence to Robert's Rules of Order for all city committee and council meetings. The Importance of a Quorum A quorum ensures that any decisions made by a body reflect the collective will of a representative portion of its members.Without a quorum, a small number of individuals could move forward with discussions orvotes that do not represent the broader committee orthe constituents it serves.This not only jeopardizes the integrity and transparency of the process but may also invalidate actions taken, resulting in detays and tegalcomplications. Enforcing quorum requirements: • Ensures legitimacy in decision-making • Encourages accountability and participation from all members • Protects the credibility of our city's governing bodies • Aligns with state and municipal governance best practices The Value of Robert's Rules of Order Robert's Rules of Order provides a structured,democratic framework for conducting meetings. Its guidelines help prevent confusion, ensurethat every member has a voice, and keep meetings on task. Followingthese procedures builds publictrust and helps safeguard against disorder or bias. Key benefits include: • Promoting fairness and equal opportunity to speak and be heard • Ensuring that motions, amendments, and votes are handled clearly and consistently • Helping maintain civitityandfocus in discussion • Enhancing the efficiency and professionatism of our city government In a timewhen public confidence in government is more importantthan ever, strong procedural foundations—like quorum rules and Robert's Rules—help reassure residents thattheir city is governed with integrity,transparency,and respect for democratic principles. I appreciate your attention to this matter and encourageyou to consider reinforcing these important practices across all city committees and council proceedings. Please feel free to contact me if you woutd like to discuss this further. Sincerely, Hilari K. Simmons-Resident of Bangor �rc�t.r �S',13D �d��e ���re��,�,�,�f �U�'I�ert�5 67 Lincoln St 67 Lincoln St. was placarded by the Code Enforcement Department on March 30, 2017, due to building deficiencies, safety conditions, and lack of utilities. On December 3, 2024,the building sustained a significant fire that extended throughout the entire building, on all 3 floors. The following day, on December 4, 2024, a second placard was issued by Code Enforcement due to the extensive structural damage from the fire. As you can see from the pictures,the fire caused significant damage, resulting in a building that is not structurally sound or protected from the elements. The fire also resulted in property damage to the abutting home. The property remains standing with a significant amount of debris resulting from the fire spread around the building. I spoke to the owner, James Butler, on January 10 regarding his intentions with the building. He indicated that he planned to demolish the building,potentially in April. I sent him a letter on January 21 indicating oux intent to pursue action under the Dangerous Building Statute. He obtained a demo permit on March 10. On March 13, Mr. Butler was served by the Sheriff with notice of this Dangerous Buildings hearing, and this notice was also recorded in the Registry of Deeds. The building meets the standards to be deemed a dangerous building as it is structurally unsafe, is unsuitable for the use or occupancy to which it is put, constitutes a hazard to the public's health or safety, and is otherwise dangerous to life or property. �i'c��¢r �S' )31 C.�c�� G�n-��C'�mcx� �%r�tr�.ud's 271 Elm St On August 31, 2023, 271 Elm St sustained a significant fire. Per the fire report,the fire fully involved the front of the building then extended into multiple units and areas of the building and completely burned the interior stairwell. As you can see from the pictures,the fire caused significant damage resulting in a building that is not structurally sound or protected from the elements. Code Enforcement staff have had multiple conversations in the office and on site with the owners beginning in December. The owners indicated that they wanted to demolish the portion of the building most damaged by fire and rebuild. Due to the extent of the fire damage and structural compromise, I indicated they needed an engineer to assess the damage and draft construction plans for the work. On March 7, the owners were served with notice of today's dangerous buildings proceeding, and that notice was also recorded in the Registry of Deeds. On March 10, I issued a building permit to complete a removal of the sheetrock inside so that an engineer could fully evaluate the underlying structure. The permit also allowed them to patch the roof to keep water out. On April 1, I received the engineer's report of the structural assessment, which said that the structure has failed and that the building should be demolished. The owners stated that the engineer did not understand that they wanted to keep a portion of the building and had a further conversation with him. The engineer called me and indicated that l�e would further assess and provide a second report but I have not yet received one. The building meets the standards to be deemed a dangerous building as it is structuxally unsafe, is unsuitable for the use or occupancy to which it is put, constitutes a hazard to the public's health or safety and is otherwise dangerous to life or property. (J i�'��c r' o°�`J `1.�o� lJ"�� C�6l�U 1�'�,C vr�e�� �01��h�ec.�5 354 Ohio St On Apri127, 2024, 354 Ohio St sustained a fire. Per the fire report, the fire was primarily in the garage but extended into the house. The fire department had difficulty gaining entry and moving through the home due to hoarding conditions. An email from AC Perry to fire staff further details structural failure on the right side wall and foundation failure on right rear corner. A second fire occurred on September 16, 2024. This fire was more extensive and went throughout the whole building, as stated in the second fire report. As you can see from the pictures, the fire caused significant damage resulting in a building that is not structurally sound or protected from the elements. The fire caused damage to the abutting property as well. A large section of the roof has collapsed. I worked with the owners in January to gain access to the building so that they could assess and possibly retrieve items. I notified them on January 15 of the City's intention of moving forward with the dangerous building process. I emailed the owners on February 20 about negotiating a consent agreement in order to demolish the building without having to go through the Dangerous Buildings Process, and I did not receive a response. The owners were served with notice of today's dangerous buildings proceeding on March 31, and this notice was also recorded in the Registry of Deeds. The building meets the standards to be deemed a dangerous building as it is structurally unsafe, unsanitary, it is unsuitable for the use or occupancy to which it is put, constitutes a hazard to health or safety and is otherwise dangerous to life or property.