Council adopts Bangor Center Development District plan and $601,062 budget, funds Street Plus safety program

The Bangor City Council on May 28 adopted the municipal development program and financial plan for the Bangor Center Development District (council order 25-186) and established the related implementation assessments (25-185). The measures passed after a public hearing and follow-up questions about use of the funds.

Councilor Dean moved to open the public hearing on the financial plan; Downtown Bangor Partnership materials presented a proposed program budget of $601,062 for the 2025-26 year. Budget line items reported during the hearing include $91,962 for marketing; $46,282 for beautification; $48,085 for events; $10,218 for networking and outreach; $316,159 for safety and security (Street Plus/Downtown Ambassador services); and $88,356 for general administration. The proposed special assessment was estimated to raise approximately $265,566 for district properties.

Councilors asked for clarification about what the safety-and-security line covers and whether it is additional to other funding sources. A city staff speaker explained that safety-and-security funds support Street Plus downtown ambassador services that operate mainly evenings and weekends when other downtown staffing is not present. The staff speaker also confirmed the program budget combines special-assessment revenue and expected downtown TIF funds; the safety-and-security amount is inclusive of those funding sources.

Council members asked about staffing: the Downtown Partnership representative said staffing would grow from roughly 1.66 full-time equivalent positions to two positions for the upcoming year; general-and-administration figures include staff salaries and overhead. The council adopted both the assessment and the municipal development program after the public hearing; materials and the hearing complied with the statutory notice requirements under MRSA Title 30-A §5228.

Councilors noted the program was reviewed at an earlier budget workshop (May 7) and that Downtown Partnership expects additional revenue from sponsorships and events. The council referred implementation tasks to the Downtown Bangor Partnership and Finance Department; the partnership will provide program financial reporting and the city will collect the special assessment from properties in the district.

End note: The downtown program funds services intended to increase safety, programming and business support; the council recorded the adoption of the budget and the assessment at the May 28 meeting.