Bangor council refers two ethics questions to Board of Ethics, approves custodial contract and several consent items

The Bangor City Council on Sept. 22 referred two separate questions about councilors' conduct to the city's Board of Ethics, approved a three‑year custodial contract for city facilities including Bangor International Airport, and passed multiple consent agenda items including grant applications and a special-amusement license renewal.

The council voted 6–0 to refer Order 25-282 — a request to the Board of Ethics to examine whether actions by Councilor Wayne Mala at an Aug. 14 Historic Preservation Commission meeting violated sections of the city's code of ethics — and later referred Order 25-283, which asks the Board of Ethics whether a councilor taking and circulating nomination papers for another may have violated the code. Both referrals were made for an advisory opinion; the Board of Ethics may conduct fact-finding and issue a written advisory opinion.

Council members debated and approved Council Order 25-264, a contract awarding custodial services to SJ Services, doing business as Star Janitorial and Integrated Services, for Bangor International Airport, City Hall and Public Health and Community Services facilities. Councilor Dan Trimble expressed concern that the successful bidder's lower cost would reduce pay or hours for existing local workers and questioned the adequacy of the contractor's allotted hours…