September 20, 2024
VOTE 2004

Police station issue divides candidates

BANGOR – While the eight City Council candidates agree in their opposition to Question No. 1 on the state ballot – the so-called Palesky tax cap initiative – they are slightly more divided on Question No. 1 of the city ballot, which concerns the location of Bangor’s police station.

The question reads: “Shall the council of the city of Bangor adopt the following order, authorizing construction of a police headquarters building at 240 Main Street, Bangor, Maine?”

If the question were voted down, the police station would move to Maine Avenue, a spot that Bangor Police Chief Don Winslow has endorsed.

Three candidates support the Main Street location:

. Anne E. Allen, 53, of 818 Ohio St.: “I’m one of two councilors that wanted to keep it downtown. I support 100 percent for keeping the station downtown. It’s the most responsive location.”

. George A. Burgoyne, 57, of 228 Center St.: “It needs to be downtown … city services need to be downtown. That area can’t be allowed to die.”

. Susan M. Hawes, 48, of 213 Buck St.: “I feel it should stay downtown to reduce sprawl.”

Three other candidates supported a downtown location, but said the question is written too definitively to vote in favor:

. Sheila J. Pechinski, 60, of 24 Kira Drive: “I believe that that is something the citizens will decide, and it’s out of the hands of the City Council at this point. What are the other options? I’d rather see a long-term plan than a quick decision.”

. Thomas E. Mooney, 40, of 39 Parkview Ave.: “I was very concerned that the City Council chose to spend half a million dollars on a site plan, and approximately another half million dollars to buy the property, and then decided to locate the police department some place other than where that money had been spent. Symbolically, I do feel the downtown area is the best place for the Police Department.”

. Richard Stone, 56, of 18 Milton Place: “The way the question is written, it’s so limited in its scope, it doesn’t allow for any flexibility. It’s like saying to your spouse if you move to Bangor, you can only live in one specific house.”

. Miles Theeman, 54, of 45 Grove St.: “I’m going to vote against the referendum because it’s too narrow. I think the way it’s written, I think it’s too specific a location, and I think that really eliminates the flexibility the city needs.”

Only one candidate, however, agreed with Chief Winslow.

. Kenneth Buckley, 72, of 207 Forest Ave.: “I don’t have a problem with it going out to Maine Avenue [near the airport]. If the chief of police wants it out there, then that’s fine.”


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