Bangor council weighs public comment rules, railroad encampment response

The Bangor City Council discussed revising its public comment rules and how to handle a homeless encampment along railroad tracks near two businesses. Councilors leaned toward moving all public comment to the start of meetings and supported a city plan to clear the encampment by December 19, while also calling for a longer-term strategy on homelessness. The council then voted to enter executive session on labor matters.

Key points

• Councilors largely favored returning to a single public comment block at the start of meetings, with the chair retaining discretion to adjust time limits; staff will draft revised language.
• Councilor Carson pushed to bring back remote Zoom public comment, saying he voted to suspend it only to fix bad-faith disruptions; staff said registration-based access and other safeguards could be presented in January.
• Staff described an encampment of roughly 40 to 50 people along the railroad behind Gennett's furniture and Hero Sports Bar, citing 24 police calls since October 1 plus fire and EMS calls.
• City Manager Lear recommended messaging that camping there is unsafe and setting a December 19 exit date tied to the opening of a daytime warming shelter; the council voiced support.
• Councilors raised concerns about where displaced residents would go, transportation, storage of belongings, and pets, and several called for a long-term strategic plan on homelessness.
• A resident who owns a Washington Street business described safety problems with unhoused individuals, including weapons and people entering the office, and supported the city manager's plan.
• The council voted to enter executive session under two cited statutes covering labor matters.

Next steps

• Staff to draft revised public comment rules moving the full comment period to the start of meetings.
• Staff to present options for restoring remote public comment, possibly at the first meeting in January.
• City to begin messaging that the railroad encampment is unsafe and work toward a December 19 exit date.
• Staff to explore solutions for belongings storage, daytime space, transportation, and pet boarding, and to develop a longer-term homelessness strategy.

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