Bangor picks new council chairman Greene succeeds in 5-4 vote, promises to do his best for city

BANGOR – In a race Monday morning that might best be described as a squeaker, City Councilor Richard Greene was elected to serve as the city’s next council chairman.

Just one vote separated Greene from his opponent, Councilor Gerry Palmer, who also vied for the post.

Peter D’Errico, Frank Farrington, Susan Hawes, Richard Stone and Greene voted for Greene.

Voting for Palmer were Councilors Annie Allen, Patricia Blanchette, Geoffrey Gratwick and Palmer.

Now serving his second three-year term on the council, Greene succeeds former Chairman John Cashwell, who opted not to seek re-election upon completing his three-year term Monday.

“It is a responsibility that I do not take lightly and will strive to do the best job I know how,” said Greene, a lifelong Bangor resident, photographer and owner of Klyne Studio.

“I am committed to working with the council and staff on issues of importance, not only to Bangor but also to the region,” he said.

As Maine cities and towns face increasing pressure to do more with less, opportunities to share the delivery of such essential services as public safety is something that will need to be closely examined, he said.

“There has long been talk in this city and surrounding communities about regionalization. Regionalization can work, efficiencies can be created and, in many cases, response time for vital services decreased. The overall benefit to the city and surrounding communities will be lower taxes,” Greene said.

“It just takes forward, out-of-the box thinking,” he said.

Though Palmer didn’t win the chairmanship, he did have his supporters, Blanchette among the most vocal. She nominated him for the post.

She listed a number of Palmer’s contributions to the community – from cooking hot dogs to support for the Dakin Pool rescue effort to getting the city to place a flagpole at the Bangor Waterfront to being elected to the council four times.

“I do believe Gerry has paid his dues,” she said.

Before Cashwell moved on to begin the next chapter of his life, Farrington recapped some of the past year’s highlights, including:

. The successful effort to locate Penn National Gaming Inc.’s $90 million gambling complex across the street from Bass Park.

. The implementation of the recommendations of the Penjajawoc Marsh-Bangor Mall Task Force, which Cashwell played a key role in appointing as a way to address environmental concerns without halting development in the city’s busy mall-area shopping district.

. The launch of the Bangor Trails Project, which aims to create an integrated network of existing and future trails.

. The near completion of the city’s new police station at Cedar and Summer streets.

. Completion of agreements with the State Court System, which plans to build a new 100,000-square-foot court facility near the intersection of Washington and Exchange streets.

Monday night, Greene presided over his first meeting as chairman.

In addition to several routine items and housekeeping matters, the councilors approved a zone change requested by the nonprofit group Volunteers of America, which is gearing up to build a 58-unit housing complex for low-income elderly people at the corner of Harlow and Curve streets.

The parcel houses a dilapidated commercial building most recently used as garage space by Capital Ambulance.

In a related move, they also agreed to donate a piece of city-owned land on Curve Street to the VOA for use in the project.