Based upon my full-time employment as Brewer’s fire chief, I’ve been asked if I see any automatic or debilitating conflict of interest if I were to be elected to the Bangor City Council. I do not.

Both Bangor and Brewer are small cities, in proximity to each other, that need each other. While there has always been and will likely always be some partisan conflict between the two, they need to and often do work well together. For Bangor to have a councilor who knows both cities well and who understand municipal government from having worked in it should only be a benefit.

I care about both cities; in that I see no conflict. I am a 40-year resident of Bangor and not an employee of Bangor so I am quite eligible to hold office in Bangor.

From time to time almost any person serving on a local council or board finds that they have some potential conflict of interest if they vote on some issue. Normally that office holder simply informs the council or board of their potential conflict and withholds their vote on that one topic.

Assuming I am fortunate enough to be elected in Bangor, if a conflict appeared regarding my vote I would seek the council’s understanding and not vote on the potentially conflicting issue. I don’t believe that would happen often and thus I believe I can be an effective councilor for Bangor.

Rick Bronson

Bangor