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Bangor advisory committee’s ordinance changes move to full council after government operations recommendation
Summary
The Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights discussed the ordinance it submitted to City Council and confirmed the City’s Government Operations Committee recommended it to the full council at a May 19 meeting; the council is scheduled to vote May 28.
The Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights told members it expects Bangor City Council to consider a revised local ordinance that would formalize how advisory committees meet and how member attendance and replacements are handled.
The changes were sent to the council after a special Government Operations Committee meeting on May 19, where that committee voted to recommend the ordinance to the full council. Courtney O’Donnell, assistant city manager, told the advisory committee, “They did vote to recommend that, to full council,” and said the full council was expected to vote on the ordinance the following evening.
The change under discussion would alter the minimum meeting frequency and attendance rules for the committee. Committee members said the revised draft reduces the minimum number of required meetings from a quarterly schedule in the original language to six meetings per year and clarifies how many absences trigger follow-up. Committee members also said they expect clearer lines of communication between the council’s personnel committee and advisory committees about appointments and attendance.
Committee chair Katie Bridal urged members to attend the council meeting in case councilors ask questions; several members said they could try to be present but that scheduling conflicts made it difficult for all to attend. Volunteer committee member Deborah (Debbie) Lohrey and O’Donnell agreed to attend and respond to council questions in the committee’s place if necessary.
No formal committee vote on the ordinance was recorded in the committee meeting transcript; the committee’s discussion focused on logistics for presenting the ordinance to council and on member availability for the council meeting.
If the council approves the ordinance as recommended, it will change how this and other advisory committees are governed at the municipal level, affecting member expectations for attendance and committee reporting to council.
The committee’s chair said paperwork and minute approvals unrelated to the ordinance were tabled to a future meeting, and that members will receive updates on the council’s action by email.
