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Bangor City Council: Conflict of Interest Analysis

City Councilor

Susan Deane

NO CONFLICTS IDENTIFIED

No significant conflicts identified with the organizations under review.

How to read this profile

Red items are supported by primary-source documentation — city records, official bios, meeting minutes, or news reporting — showing a direct conflict between this councilor's vote and a personal, financial, or organizational interest. These are the strongest basis for a recusal requirement under Maine law and the Bangor Code of Ethics.

Amber items document network connections, endorsement relationships, and transparency concerns that are relevant public-interest context. They do not constitute confirmed direct conflicts but may warrant disclosure or further public scrutiny.

No conclusions regarding intent or wrongdoing are drawn by this report. All claims are linked to primary sources. Readers are encouraged to review those sources directly.

Seated

November 2023

Term Expires

November 2026

0

Direct Conflicts

(voted while seated)

+

0

Indirect Conflicts

(org benefited before/after term)

Board of Appeals, City of Bangor

Past member

Northeast Oral Surgery

Practice manager (confirmed current per official City of Bangor bio, which states she 'is the practice manager at Northeast Oral Surgery in Bangor')

1.

No endorsement by or ties to Food AND Medicine, BARN, or labor organizations.

2.

A postcard endorsing Deane alongside Philip Henry and Carolyn Fish was investigated by the Maine Ethics Commission but found not to violate election law.

3.

No evidence of ties to any of the nonprofits under review.

No conflicts identified with the organizations under review in this report.

HIGHBoard seat, employment, or direct financial tie — recusal required
MEDIUMEndorsement or network connection — disclosure required
DISCLOSEDConflict disclosed and recusal on file
NONENo ties to organizations under review

The following are recorded roll-call votes from official Bangor City Council meeting minutes (January–May 2026). Only votes where the motion was formally doubted — triggering a recorded roll call — are shown. Routine items passed by unanimous consent without a roll call are not included.

7

Yes

3

No

NO
Jan 28, 2026·26-050 (Motion to Postpone)FAILED 2–6

Authorizing City Manager to Negotiate with Sheridan Construction — Bangor Central Kitchen, 50 Cleveland St.

Motion to postpone failed. The item then passed on final vote 6-2 (Mallar and Hawes voting no). Walker was not yet seated — she was sworn in November 10, 2025, but this meeting was January 28, 2026. Deane was absent from the postponement vote.

YES
Jan 28, 2026·26-050 (Final Passage)PASSED 6–2

Authorizing City Manager to Negotiate with Sheridan Construction — Bangor Central Kitchen, 50 Cleveland St.

NO
Jan 28, 2026·26-058FAILED 0–8

Amending Land Development Code §165-13 — Remove Ohio Street and State Street from Minor Arterial; Add Ohio Street to Major Arterial Definition

Unanimous rejection. Multiple residents spoke in opposition.

YES
Mar 9, 2026·26-109PASSED 8–1

Authorizing Award of $641,297 in Opioid Settlement Funds

Walker sponsored this item and voted YES while employed by BARN. BARN did not receive opioid settlement funds in this round; the 16 recipients are listed in Attachment CO 26-109. However, Walker's employer operates in the same recovery services sector as the recipient organizations. No recusal or disclosure of her BARN employment is on record for this vote. Mallar was the sole dissenting vote.

YES
Mar 9, 2026·26-110PASSED 6–3

Directing Compliance with State Law 5 M.R.S. Ch. 337-E (Immigration) Effective Immediately

Government Operations Committee recommended passage 3-2. Directed City Manager to comply with state immigration law immediately, before the 90-day effective date.

YES
Mar 23, 2026·26-107PASSED 9–0

Amending Code of City of Bangor to Create a Standing Committee on Homelessness

NO
Apr 13, 2026·26-108FAILED 0–9

Authorizing Issuance of $75,000,000 General Obligation Bonds for Consolidated Parks and Recreation Facility (Subject to Voter Approval)

Unanimous rejection. Multiple residents spoke both for and against. The bond would have required voter approval.

YES
Apr 27, 2026·26-137REFERRED 6–3

Amending Chapter 257 (Sidewalks) §257-4 — Referral to Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights

Motion was to refer the ordinance to the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights before final passage. The ordinance subsequently passed 9-0 on May 11, 2026.

YES
Apr 27, 2026·26-138PASSED 9–0

Moratorium Ordinance on Data Centers in the City of Bangor

YES
May 11, 2026·26-140PASSED 9–0

Amending Chapter 257 (Sidewalks) §257-4 — Final Passage of Sidewalk Storage/Obstruction Ordinance

Unanimous final passage after the ordinance was revised following referral to the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights.

Source: Official Bangor City Council meeting minutes, January–May 2026 (bangormaine.gov/AgendaCenter). Full vote details on the Voting Records page.

Last verified: May 16, 2026

All claims in this profile are drawn from the primary sources listed below. Where a source is marked as confirming current employment or role status, that status was verified as of the date shown above. Sources marked with a URL are publicly accessible. Sources without a URL are print or broadcast records on file.

[1]
City of Bangor official bio (bangormaine.gov)

Confirms Deane is practice manager at Northeast Oral Surgery (present tense, confirmed current)

[2]

Maine Ethics Commission

Investigated postcard endorsing Deane alongside Philip Henry and Carolyn Fish; found no violation of election law