Bangor council reviews engineering, stormwater and fire budgets

Bangor councilors held a budget workshop on May 6, 2026, hearing from the engineering and stormwater divisions and the fire department. Engineering asked for a new inspector position to replace retiring institutional knowledge, and the fire chief pressed for a fourth ambulance and eight new firefighter-paramedic positions. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting covered.

Key points

• Engineering Director Jeff Davis requested a new engineering assistant/inspector position, noting the department is down to one inspector with 35 years of experience who could retire at any time.
• Davis said the city paid about $200,000 for a third-party inspector on the City Hall project, and Councilor Michael Beck argued that declining the position means paying a premium on future projects.
• Davis said the stormwater utility fee has not increased since it was established around 2014, and the city plans to discuss an increase in FY28; Councilor Joseph Leonard said he would favor a broader review of city fees that have not kept pace with inflation.
• Beck flagged what Davis called a likely mistake in the capital plan, where a $20,000 GIS update appeared to be swapped for landscaping and amenities.
• Fire Chief (unidentified) said the department has 86 of 95 positions filled, its best staffing in years, and reported 11,000 calls, with the new EMS-only ambulance running about 24 calls in its first two weeks.
• The chief said facilities are not complying with the lift assist ordinance, with about $29,000 billed and only $7,100 collected on 53 claims as of the end of March, and said the city may consult legal counsel.
• The chief asked for eight firefighter-paramedic positions to staff a fourth ambulance around the clock, saying the department is above acceptable unit hour utilization thresholds.

Next steps

• Davis said the city will bring a stormwater utility fee increase proposal to the council in FY28 with supporting data.
• The fire chief said the department will pursue compliance on the lift assist ordinance and discuss options with city legal counsel if facilities do not comply.
• The fire chief said a consultant report on Central Station upgrades is pending, after which the department will bring back a plan.
• The fire chief said the community paramedic license application is under state review, with information expected within a couple of weeks.

Read the full transcript