Bangor City Council · Conflict of Interest Transparency Report · May 2026
City Councilor · Term: November 2024 – November 2027
Conflict Level
At the time of his November 2024 election, Beck was listed as Advocacy Team Lead for Dignity First — an unpaid volunteer role. Beck filed a conflict of interest disclosure with the City Clerk upon taking office and has recused himself from all Dignity First-related council matters since November 2024. The March 2026 WGME/BDN article about the $2M federal earmark quotes Anna Phillips as Dignity First's board president, confirming Jamie Beck is no longer in a leadership role at the organization. The Bangor City Council voted 6-3 to grant Dignity First a right-of-first-refusal lease on city-owned land at 55 Cleveland Street on approximately October 28, 2024 — before Beck was sworn in on November 13, 2024. Dignity First subsequently lost that right of first refusal when federal funding did not materialize.
Last verified: May 18, 2026 · bangortransparency.com
Documented Organizational Ties
Nonprofit focused on housing for unhoused people; advocates before City Council. Beck has disclosed this tie and recuses himself from all Dignity First matters (City Clerk disclosure on file).
Food AND Medicine received $336,342 in ARPA funds from the City of Bangor in 2023. Beck was not on the council when those grants were approved and did not vote on them.
Beck appears in a June 2018 Peace & Justice Center Facebook post at Bangor Pride as a tagged member. His BangorMike.com blog used a Peace & Justice Center photo as a featured image (June 2023). No primary source confirms he was ever a director or staff member. Beck has denied any affiliation. The 'former director' claim is UNVERIFIED and has been removed pending further documentation.
Received $34,000 in opioid settlement funds; Finance Committee (includes Carson) allocated the funds
Household connection (historical, resolved): The Bangor City Council voted 6-3 in October 2024 to grant Dignity First a right-of-first-refusal lease on 7 acres of city-owned land at 55 Cleveland Street — before Beck was sworn in. Dignity First subsequently lost that right of first refusal when federal funding did not materialize (WGME/BDN, March 2026). Dignity First later received $2M in congressionally directed federal spending (March 2026). Beck filed a conflict of interest disclosure with the City Clerk upon taking office and recuses himself from all Dignity First matters (City Clerk disclosure on file).
2026 Roll-Call Vote Tally
7
Yes
3
No
0
Absent
0
Recused
10 recorded roll-call votes, Jan–May 2026. Only votes where a roll call was formally requested are shown.
Direct Conflicts Identified
Confirmed Recusals / Disclosures on File
Full Vote Record — Key 2026 Roll-Call Votes
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.
Authorizing City Manager to Negotiate with Sheridan Construction — Bangor Central Kitchen, 50 Cleveland St.
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.
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.
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.
Amending Code of City of Bangor to Create a Standing Committee on Homelessness
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.
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.
Moratorium Ordinance on Data Centers in the City of Bangor
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.
bangortransparency.com · Bangor City Council Conflict of Interest Transparency Report · May 2026
Sources: Official City of Bangor meeting minutes, ProPublica, WGME, BDN, WABI-TV
Required Action Under Bangor Code of Ethics
Beck has filed a conflict of interest disclosure with the City Clerk (November 2024) and recuses himself from all Dignity First matters — the required procedural step under the ethics code. An open question remains whether he has disclosed and recused from votes involving organizations connected to the Peace and Justice Center network, given Needlepoint Sanctuary's documented use of that address and his vote on their zoning change.
This card summarizes publicly documented information. All claims are sourced from primary records. To submit a correction with supporting documentation, visit bangortransparency.com/corrections. Last verified: May 18, 2026.