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Bangor City Council: Conflict of Interest Analysis

City Councilor

Susan Faloon

CONFLICT — DISCLOSURE REQUIRED

Endorsed by Food AND Medicine and benefited from their campaign operation. Voted on matters involving Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, which received $648,000 in ARPA funds and $115,976 in opioid settlement funds.

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 2025

Term Expires

November 2028

1

Direct Conflicts

(voted while seated)

+

2

Indirect Conflicts

(org benefited before/after term)

Food AND Medicine

Endorsed by; campaign operation helped elect her

Organization received $336,342 in ARPA funds

Eastern Maine Labor Council

Endorsed by

Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness

Voted to approve contract extension

Organization received $648,000 in ARPA + $115,976 in opioid funds

1.

Food AND Medicine received $336,342 in ARPA funds from the City of Bangor (2023). The organization subsequently endorsed Faloon and conducted campaign activities supporting her 2025 election. No public accounting separates the organization's ARPA-funded activities from its political activities during this period. Because money is fungible, public funds received by an organization can free up other resources for other purposes, including political activity. Whether this occurred is not established by this report; it is noted as a transparency concern.

2.

She voted on matters involving Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, which received $648,000 in ARPA funds and $115,976 in opioid settlement funds.

3.

Faloon publicly stated: "I really think those efforts paid off, because everyone on that ticket was elected." (Bangor Daily News, Nov. 4, 2025)

These items are supported by primary-source documentation showing a direct conflict between a councilor's vote and a personal, financial, or organizational interest. They constitute the strongest basis for a recusal requirement under Maine 30-A §2605 and Bangor Code of Ethics §33-11.

Faloon voted on a Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness contract extension (2026). Wabanaki Public Health received $648,000 in ARPA funds and $115,976 in opioid settlement funds from the City of Bangor. No public disclosure of any relationship with this organization is on record.

These items raise transparency questions or involve network connections that are relevant context. They do not constitute confirmed direct conflicts but may warrant disclosure or further public scrutiny.

Food AND Medicine received $336,342 in ARPA funds (voted Aug. 14 and Sep. 25, 2023) — Faloon was NOT yet on the council (seated Nov. 10, 2025); those funds were awarded before her term began. Food AND Medicine subsequently endorsed Faloon and conducted documented campaign activities supporting her 2025 election.

Faloon publicly stated after the election: 'I really think those efforts paid off, because everyone on that ticket was elected.' (Bangor Daily News, Nov. 4, 2025). No public accounting separates Food AND Medicine's ARPA-funded activities from its political activities during this period.

Must disclose Food AND Medicine endorsement whenever voting on Food AND Medicine funding; must disclose any relationship with Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness.

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.

8

Yes

2

No

YES
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)

Describes communications background; no current employer named

[2]

WABI-TV, Nov. 10, 2025

Confirms Faloon sworn in November 10, 2025

[3]
The Maine Wire, May 2026

Reports Food AND Medicine campaign operation for Faloon

[4]

Bangor Daily News, Nov. 4, 2025

Election results confirming Faloon's win