City manager urges a dedicated emergency manager to coordinate responses across Bangor

City officials presented a proposal to create a dedicated emergency manager who would report to the city manager and take responsibility for preparedness, exercises and continuity planning across the municipality.

The city manager said emergency management has historically been a collateral duty of the fire chief and argued that a dedicated leader is needed because Bangor includes complex infrastructure — an airport, a railroad, major medical facilities and event venues — that require coordinated planning. "I would feel better if we had someone within the city whose responsibility was to make sure that we were prepared for emergency situations," the city manager said.

Councilors asked whether the county provides comparable services and whether mutual-aid contracts or regional cost-sharing could cover part of the expense. The manager said the county likely handles smaller communities and that the state emergency management agency would provide support for large events; members suggested exploring federal and state grant funding to offset salaries and recommended follow-up conversations with Chief Lowe to assess technical needs.

Several councilors supported the principle of a dedicated position but urged work to identify grant sources and potential regional partnerships. One councilor recommended consulting mutual-aid contracts and county agreements to see what services the county can cover; another urged the administration to return with a clearer funding plan before final budget decisions.

No formal vote was taken; the council directed staff to continue analysis and to involve the fire chief in forthcoming budget discussions about the proposal.