City Council Approves Tobacco Treatment Partnership With Bangor and Brewer Schools

The Government Operations Committee of the Bangor City Council convened on September 3, 2025, to discuss key items related to public health initiatives and partnerships. The meeting began with a proposal to authorize the city manager to amend the fiscal year 2025 contract with the Maine Prevention Network. Jamie Comstock, the health promotions manager, clarified that the Maine CDC had extended the original one-year contract into a two-year agreement, necessitating an extension of the subcontract with Northern Light Mayo Hospital for prevention services in Piscataquis County. The committee unanimously approved the motion to extend the subcontract, confirming that no additional funding was required as the appropriation had already been made.

The second agenda item involved authorizing the city manager to execute partnership agreements with Bangor and Brewer school departments to provide school-based tobacco treatment as part of the prevention network grant. A potential conflict of interest was raised by a committee member who occasionally substitutes at Brewer High School. After discussion, the committee determined that this did not constitute a conflict.

The partnership aims to embed tobacco treatment specialists in both Bangor High School and Brewer High School, continuing efforts from the previous year. The Maine CDC requires a formal partnership agreement to outline the responsibilities of both the public health department and the schools. The program is fully grant-funded, with the public health department providing specialists while the schools manage student access to these services.

After a brief discussion, the committee moved to approve the partnership agreements, with no objections raised. The meeting concluded with a clear path forward for both initiatives, emphasizing the city's commitment to enhancing public health resources in local schools.