City Government

City Council: Policy Objectives and Annual Priorities

LONG TERM POLICY OBJECTIVES

In order to accomplish our mission, the City has established a series of long-term policy goals. These goals constitute guiding priorities against which annual priorities and actions must be measured. All undertakings of the City of Bangor should be reviewed against and be consistent with the eventual accomplishment of these goals. They are to:

• Strengthen economic and cultural ties with our Canadian neighbors and encourage mutual economic investment.

• Strengthen Bangor’s status as a regional center by supporting efforts to improve the local and regional economy and by developing and enhancing partnerships with regional institutions.

• Foster economic growth that will result in new job opportunities and a vibrant community for all residents.

• Ensure collaboration and cooperation among all city departments to maintain Bangor’s high quality of life; encourage and support excellence in K-12 education; protect and enhance our neighborhoods; maintain our socioeconomic balance; and conserve our natural assets.

• Strive to achieve the maximum value for the dollars the city receives while seeking alternative funding sources.

• Maintain and expand our public infrastructure in order to provide the highest level of public services and to ensure that Bangor continues to be an attractive place to live and do business.
  

SUMMARY OR ANNUAL COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION

JANUARY 2008

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING

 

• Establish a new Comprehensive Planning Committee to Expand Involvement and make the Comprehensive Plan a living document
• Establish Qualifications and Recruit Intentionally for Committee Members
• Include Economic Development Interests to Insure Balance
• Review and Evaluate Current Rural Resource and Agricultural Zone
• Develop and Implement New Open Space Standards
• Require Usable Open Space
• Include Plan for Developed, Interior Areas
• Re-evaluate Comprehensive Plan in light of Concerns such as Energy Use, Sense of Community, Demographic Changes
• Council Chair/Manager Meet Periodically with Planning Board to Improve Communications

 

VOLUNTEER BOARD AND COMMITTEE RECRUITMENT

 

• Develop Clear Standards for Boards/Committees
• Develop Written Statement of Board/Committee Responsibilities
• Recruit Applicants Pro-Actively
• Consider Twice a Year Recruitment/Appointment Process
• Provide Mechanism for Staff to Provide Information on Applicants
• All Applicants Need Not Be Appointed
• City Clerk to Review/Revise Process with Assistance from Others 

 

TRAFFIC

• Traffic Calming Through Enhanced Enforcement
• Investigate Gaining Greater Share of Locally Generated Moving Violation Revenue from State as an Offset to Enforcement Costs
• Adopt Policy on Traffic Calming 

 

HOUSING 

• Encourage Development of More Affordable Housing
• Work toward Flexible Redevelopment Code for Older Buildings
• Coordinate Effort with Historic Preservation Commission
• Seek Delegation of Fire Code Enforcement to Local Authorities
• Long-Term Solution is to Raise Incomes in Community
• Maintain Socio-Economic Balance of Community
• Areas to Evaluate for Work Force Housing
• Density Bonuses
• Acreage Zoned for Multi-Family
• Reduced Subdivision Infrastructure Requirements such as Road Width
• In-fill Development
• Work with Developers
• Role of Mobile Home Parks – Treated Appropriately?
• Review City Policies to Find Ways to Lower Development Costs
• Establish Special Committee on Work Force/Affordable Housing
• Review and Update Housing Element of Comprehensive Plan
• Consider Impact of Aging Population
• Encourage Properly Done Residential Development 

 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

• Work Toward Removal of Storage Tanks on Waterfront
• Reaffirm Policy Calling for Development that will Attract the Public to Front Street
• Consider Providing Incentives due to High Development Costs
• Do not Rush; Wait for Proposals that Meet our Expectations
• Staff will Develop a Statement of Purpose for Council Review, Comment, Revision, and Approval
• The I-395/Main Street Entrance to Bangor Needs to be Improved
• Incentives?
• Address Railroad Right of Way (throughout Bangor)
• Finalize Arena Site
• Council will Act on Final Location Report
• Bass Park v. Downtown
• If Bass Park, Link to Golf Course
• Form Implementation Committee
• Air Service
• Improve Efforts to Explain Why Air Service is as it is
• Target Effort to Leaders in Business Community
• Downtown
• Given Current Occupancy Rates, Consider “Expanding” Current Geographical Boundaries
• Support the Location of Homegrown Small Businesses Downtown
• Provide Central Leadership to Downtown Organization
• Evaluate How to Address Snow on Downtown Sidewalks in Winter
• Continue to Evaluate Downtown Shuttle Service
• Track/Monitor/Work With Post Office on Relocation
• Establish Standards For Treatment of Vacant Storefront Windows
• Continue to Address Downtown Noise Issues
• Overcome False Perception of Downtown Safety Issues 

STAFFING ISSUES 

• Areas of the City’s Organization are Under Stress
• Labor Relations/Human Resources
• Police Department
• Need to Address Quality of Life Issues
• Public Works – Summer Workload
• Engineering – Urban Impacted Streams
• Waterfront Maintenance
• Planning – Comprehensive Planning
• Code Enforcement – Neighborhood Preservation
• Recycling Coordinator
• Information Technology – Expanded Use in All Departments, especially Public Safety
• Traffic Signal Maintenance – Growing Number and Complexity of Signals and Pending Retirements of Key Staff
• Housing Coordinator
• Staff to Create List of Staffing Needs for Council to Prioritize
• Staff to Also Evaluate Other Ways to Meet Needs
• Volunteers
• Contract with Private Sector
• Other Efficiencies
• Sharing Staff with Other Governments