[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6458830,"mediaKeyId","5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7","parentId",5809476,"title","City solicitor reports drop in current vacant-property registrations, updates on Bangor Mall litigation and public records workload","audioSeconds",272,"startMs",39000,"endMs",311000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7&start=39&end=311","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7/thumbnail_39000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6458830/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/City-solicitor-reports-drop-in-current-vacant-property-registrations-updates-on-Bangor-Mall-litigation-and-public-records-workload","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458830-788f5cf235323479193167eb629a64cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204843&Signature=Ae1V40SbFN9CKibxQZ8AuKuzCV6ZnlHFStvLdtsxGZxv5Q8MzFUY2BzO13CDtc1Nwiv1XdRCwP61PNeTaNTtiiW263lK~-Oz4Zq56H1JGu3kkIO6wIlw~zhnh0zT9YD0gJBvFTPDS2AGYgvwW8xQYAFpCIwpIXIGJQtsZteXWTrRukgQMmoogw51m7AlHdt9IUfML2atwCe1zkm00LJkbTOS0GzUsk2WWp8~cSJfNn9g8GySxup1UkhuYXI~GV8FxnZhwTcpUoClCXpcowo8~U-aCOcs~xORbzWUYQRoGY~qZ16lX1aZwu9cfMpaRwKYEj4tw7dDSKswM53mw~PR0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Bangor Maine","date","2025-09-22T22:36:50Z","article","Dave, the city solicitor, updated the Bangor City Council at its Feb. 20 workshop on the legal department’s work on vacant building registration, litigation at the Bangor Mall and increasing Freedom of Access Act requests.

The most immediate update concerned the city’s vacant building registry. “There are now 65 properties,” Dave said, adding that the number represented a net change since his last report: “the number of properties that are registered and current … has dropped. There are now 30.” He said the count of properties not registered rose from 15 to 35 because a group of six-month registrations recently lapsed and code renewal work is underway but penalties have not yet been issued.

Why it matters: the registration status affects the city’s ability to track and enforce maintenance and safety obligations for vacant structures. Dave said enforcement actions under Rule 88 (land-use enforcement in court) are forthcoming for properties with trash and junkyard problems.

On the Bangor Mall enforcement hearing, Dave said he spent the day in court. He reported “significant progress in abating violations, particularly … the stormwater structures,” but said the violations have not been fully abated and the proceeding was continued. He declined to discuss litigation details in open session and said the judge was considering whether to finish witness testimony by deposition.

Dave also flagged a rising volume and complexity of Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) requests handled by the legal department. “We are continuing in the legal department and the city to get more Freedom of Access Act requests and more complex Freedom of Access Act requests,” he said, and added that staff were working to keep up.

He briefly demonstrated a new frequently asked questions page the legal department published on the city website on Aug. 12. The FAQ, he said, covers topics including Freedom of Access requests, accessibility and accommodations, appeals and variances, and rights and responsibilities of residents.

Councilors did not take additional formal action on these updates during the workshop.

Ending: Dave invited questions and said more enforcement actions and court activity would be reported as appropriate in future meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Workshop 9.22.25","oneSentenceSummary","Dave, the city solicitor, updated the Bangor City Council at its Feb. 20 workshop on the legal department’s work on vacant building registration, litigation at the Bangor Mall and increasing Freedom of Access Act requests.","taxTitle","Bangor City, Penobscot County, Maine","taxId",2586,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6458815,"Council votes to enter executive session citing MRSA statutes for real property and personnel",33,752000,785000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7&start=752&end=785","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7/thumbnail_752000.jpg","/articles/6458815/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/Council-votes-to-enter-executive-session-citing-MRSA-statutes-for-real-property-and-personnel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458815-3d964e3db5271de7ebe1b13a495d86a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204843&Signature=YTrDDOHkY6Vtbi-DBAHp~brnH5U-gv2aEikJ5RZtlq8DEz9lH5T-4Cb-1eTQF~qumMWAmv0yAf8WRVPT59qfQATxLBfkm8azdi0C2x9fGTKXp6x3-XNAmOnktaaSwczeVKM3KhioYID2G~w9wee38p~a03pfXN2fR~QGiNN9oCQqQL1l5JWOZKFaQoiGpYusKrW7Td6Mq5oDrv5JNrBXQG5o03ZxcmXKJSjAjgcwyhwlndKzWyX5FJFAdttuoJ8rnQdJ1npkn~xbcqE9pANL6m58rLUHmKzYrPXPaZDe-DT-t1MG6bv7eFdkhW2m65uvTKaVfqTcnmKGmaYLcCI1Fg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Feb. 20 workshop the council moved and seconded a motion to enter executive session citing Maine statutory exemptions.

The motion, read aloud by an unnamed speaker, invoked “MRSA 4056(c), disposition of real property or economic development, and MRSA 4056(a), personnel, public official.” After a second, councilors conducted a roll-call vote. The transcript records affirmative votes: an unnamed speaker said “I’m for that,” and councilors recorded as voting “Yes” included Councilor Trimble, Councilor Mallard, Councilor Dean and Councilor Fish. The motion passed on the recorded roll call.

Why it matters: entering executive session removes the discussion from public view under the cited statutory exemptions; no further details about items to be discussed in executive session were provided in open session.

Ending: The council proceeded to executive session; no public actions from that executive session were recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.","Councilors approved a motion to enter executive session under MRSA exemptions for disposition of real property/economic development and for personnel matters; a roll-call vote recorded only affirmative responses in the transcript excerpts.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6458820,"Police chief says officers did not intend electoral endorsement after photo at candidate event",78,573000,651000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7&start=573&end=651","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7/thumbnail_573000.jpg","/articles/6458820/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/Police-chief-says-officers-did-not-intend-electoral-endorsement-after-photo-at-candidate-event","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458820-30f2883a0df4f2fcc7dd4b6626464ff8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204843&Signature=JxQelMeKkoiQ9KLrKk1FVb7RXmddyZjvK5A~SFE4OMrr-1tqoIecIi60OLP1xDYSKlRfC0hSeP~9par1YmlSJwoeHyCliqPj49sR7TsomEYm8O5PG2wbiVkhtGDvkxUHbCx6xbZib-D6LD6v1P61DVI702s3LloERZSv4vlzVQEd5C-Gj5P4rTp8LuWEbq54uWcAO4IgPdNdYMg68fvtR4jV-PAndzZ02uI04ZVCdRiAo92dSczMMKUCbxtHoE6ng22woPV3Zuvi2HaQ~wAS1RTzsriaCLqUd9FShA9ELbGrQP5WFPBnKY1of-0tkXW0IRbTXaEnsv-ol~gpD841qw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Police Chief Hathaway addressed councilors at the Feb. 20 workshop after council members raised a photo showing officers standing near a person who is a council candidate.

“While we regret taking a photograph with a council candidate, there’s no intent these officers to influence an election,” Chief Hathaway said. He told the council the officers were standing apart from the group and that supervisors on duty did not know the identity of the individual in the photograph.

Chief Hathaway described the officers’ purpose as traffic control and general safety at a flag-waving event on the bridge. He said the department coordinated with the Brewer police and the county sheriff’s office, and that supervisors assigned a trainee and an additional officer to hold over during the event.

He said the department does not view the photograph as an endorsement and that officers who attend community events may do so in a personal or community engagement capacity. “These officers were doing what we have for them, participating in community,” he said, adding the department did not intend electoral influence.

Councilors asked procedural questions about staffing levels and whether three officers were necessary; Chief Hathaway said he did not know the exact size or scope of the event when supervisors made staffing decisions.

Ending: Chief Hathaway invited further questions; no formal policy changes or disciplinary actions were announced at the workshop.","Chief Hathaway told councilors that officers photographed near a candidate at a recent bridge event were not endorsing any candidate and were present for safety and traffic control; the department regrets the optics but said there was no intent to influence an election.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6458825,"City manager: airport runway project complete; ARPA spending accelerating; historical timeline planned for council chambers",68,427000,495000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7&start=427&end=495","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809476-1d0a037245519973e88fe6d9753927d7/thumbnail_427000.jpg","/articles/6458825/Bangor-City/Penobscot-County/Maine/City-manager-airport-runway-project-complete-ARPA-spending-accelerating-historical-timeline-planned-for-council-chambers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458825-b3b3e0816e1f39e91af4a5063a46af06/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204843&Signature=YtWuDH8udZbNChmmt4Vj~5q0EMr~7waeyO6semhCqpwdF0AGxpSckYxahTQ9sOCDz6ZPBJbQhy8Yh0NdaSUe6YQn3hQYLIqqu0f6jab4tvwLz6xJabJ-SRtDvw636~~J5ubN1H6gxEQNFiziyGhopou7cNbEePViaffCS5s19DTC5BsLxLgcBNZWEo6PPvRBMVjI3WYNP5b25KfR7XQpEXj0r8MLLlXNZj-P58m~DmxexSRr5tjovzlQenVTdxWh2kZxgJg2aISg6sPZUwz05TLQv8X9LOkuAK1m68Rm~w9ghKklGsh2F-2E0yUBfTyiA7-0j-olVC5m6F1Vf~Xxhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Manager told the Bangor City Council workshop on Feb. 20 that the airport runway refurbishment is complete and the city plans a ribbon-cutting ceremony when schedules align.

“Very excited to officially cut the ribbon on that project,” the City Manager said, and asked councilors to indicate any timing conflicts for an event planned later this year.

The City Manager also described a mock-up of a historical timeline installation on the white wall at the back of council chambers being developed with the historical society. “It had artifacts and information about the history of Bangor, and sometime next year, that will be hopefully installed on the wall,” the City Manager said.

On federal grant spending, the City Manager said recipients of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) awards have accelerated spending over the last three months but that a handful of recipients remain slow to draw down funds. “We’re gonna start meeting with those folks to start getting sort of a firm plan from them about how they’re gonna spend that money because we certainly don’t want to send that money back to the federal government,” the City Manager said. He reminded councilors that ARPA funds must be spent by 2026.

No formal council action was taken on these informational items during the workshop.

Ending: The City Manager invited councilors to raise scheduling conflicts for the ribbon-cutting and offered follow-up meetings on ARPA grantee spending plans.","City manager reported completion of the airport runway refurbishment and plans for a ribbon-cutting; said ARPA grantees are spending more of awarded funds but a few recipients still need spending plans; and noted a historical timeline installation planned for the chamber’s back wall.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City solicitor reports drop in current vacant-property registrations, updates on Bangor Mall litigation and public records workload

Council votes to enter executive session citing MRSA statutes for real property and personnel

Police chief says officers did not intend electoral endorsement after photo at candidate event

City manager: airport runway project complete; ARPA spending accelerating; historical timeline planned for council chambers