Bangor council accepts board of ethics advisory opinion, declines further action at workshop

City Solicitor Dave briefed the council on an advisory opinion from the board of ethics that resulted from council order 25-2-70, a referral concerning council communications after a May budget workshop. Dave said the board adopted written findings on Dec. 17, concluded it lacked jurisdiction to opine on the open‑deliberations question in section 9-22 of the city code, and found no violation of section 33-7 of the city's code of ethics regarding disclosure of confidential information.

"The board of ethics found that it lacked jurisdiction to provide an advisory opinion regarding whether there was a violation of the open deliberations provisions of section 9-22," Dave said. He told council staff had prepared three suggested courses of action: accept the advisory opinion and take no further action; ask staff to prepare council orders aligned with the board's findings for a future agenda; or direct the council to conduct its own investigation into underlying facts before preparing orders.

Councilman Henry thanked the board for its work but said the matter highlighted governance gaps and urged a forward‑looking focus on reforms including council districts and an elected executive officer; he said he would prepare a memo proposing reforms. Henry moved to accept the ethics board's advisory opinion and take no further action. The motion was seconded and, with no objections during the workshop discussion, the chair announced it would pass. The workshop record does not show a roll-call vote; the action at the workshop was acceptance of the advisory opinion and no immediate further council action.