Planning board receives annual training; stormwater manager briefs board on permit, LID and watershed work; staff summarizes neighborhood feedback

At the Jan. 21 meeting the Bangor City Planning Board received its annual training on open‑meeting and ethics rules from Assistant Solicitor Grace Innes, heard a detailed briefing on the city's stormwater permit and related programs from Stormwater Manager Rich May, and received a summary of neighborhood outreach from Planning Officer Anya Collette.

Innes reviewed due‑process obligations and the Maine Freedom of Access Act, explaining that public records and proceedings are presumptively open to the public and advising board members to avoid using private email for board business. She discussed conflict‑of‑interest procedures (members should announce potential conflicts and, if a conflict is found, leave the room for that application), the prohibition on accepting gifts in exchange for official action, handling of confidential materials (rare and typically limited to marked trade secrets), and social‑media guidance (clarify personal views are not official board positions).

Rich May outlined the city's stormwater (MS4) permit framework administered under Maine Department of Environmental Protection authority and tied to federal EPA…