Legal Framework
Two Layers of Conflict-of-Interest Law Apply to Bangor Councilors
Bangor City Councilors are bound by two overlapping legal frameworks when it comes to conflicts of interest: Maine state law (30-A M.R.S.A. §2605) and Bangor's own Code of Ethics (City Code Chapter 33, Article II). Both impose affirmative duties to disclose potential conflicts and abstain from voting in certain circumstances. This page sets out what those laws require and documents the publicly available facts for each scenario identified in this report. Whether any specific councilor's circumstances triggered those requirements is a matter for the relevant ethics authorities — no conclusions regarding violations are drawn by this report.
Maine law provides that votes cast in violation of §2605 are voidable — meaning they can be challenged and potentially nullified. Under §2605(3), as few as 10 Bangor residents can petition the Superior Court to restrain proceedings that may violate the conflict-of-interest statute.
Key Legal Threshold
"Every municipal and county official shall attempt to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest by disclosure or by abstention."
— Maine Revised Statutes, 30-A §2605(6)
This standard is broader than just financial interest. The mere appearance of a conflict — such as voting on matters involving an organization that endorsed your election — may require disclosure or abstention under Maine law. Whether any specific situation meets this threshold is a matter for the relevant authorities.
Maine State Law
30-A M.R.S.A. §2605 — Conflicts of Interest
§2605(1) — Voting
"The vote of a body is voidable when any official in an official position votes on any question in which that official has a direct or an indirect pecuniary interest."
A vote may be voidable when a councilor has a financial interest in the outcome. Employment by or board membership in a recipient organization may constitute such an interest. Whether it does in any specific case is a matter for the relevant authorities.
§2605(4) — Disclosure & Abstention
"When an official is deemed to have a direct or indirect pecuniary interest, the vote is not voidable if the official makes full disclosure of interest before any action is taken and abstains from voting... The official's disclosure and notice of abstention shall be recorded with the clerk."
The safe harbor: disclose the potential conflict publicly AND abstain from voting AND have it recorded with the City Clerk. All three steps are required. No such record was found in the council minutes for any of the 8 scenarios documented in this report.
§2605(3) — Citizen Remedy
"The Superior Court may restrain proceedings in violation of this section on the application of at least 10 residents of the municipality."
Only 10 Bangor residents need to sign a petition to ask the Superior Court to void a conflicted vote or restrain future proceedings. This is a direct legal remedy available to the public.
Bangor Municipal Code
City of Bangor Code of Ethics — Chapter 33, Article II
§33-4 — Purpose
"The purpose of this code is to establish ethical standards of conduct for all City employees, City Councilors and board and commission members by setting forth those acts or actions deemed to be in conflict or incompatible, or to create the appearance of conflict or incompatibility, with the best interests of the City of Bangor."
The code applies to all councilors and explicitly covers the appearance of conflict — not just actual financial conflicts.
§33-6(A)(2) — Contracts & Employment
"No City Councilor shall participate directly, by means of deliberation, approval or disapproval or recommendation, in the purchase of goods and services for the City and the award of any contracts with the City... where there is a financial interest, or special interest other than that possessed by the public generally... held by a business in which that individual serves as an officer, director, trustee, partner or employee in a supervisory or management position."
This provision covers situations where a councilor participates in the award of contracts to an organization in which they serve as a director or employee. Carson is a self-disclosed Board Director of Food AND Medicine; Walker is listed as an employee of BARN. Whether their specific circumstances trigger this provision is a matter for the relevant ethics authorities.
§33-11 — Conflicts of Interest
"Upon determination that a conflict of interest in fact exists, the City Councilor, committee member, board member or commission member concerned shall be disqualified from participating in the deliberations and the vote on the matter."
Once a conflict of interest is determined to exist, the councilor is disqualified from participating in deliberations and the vote. The language is mandatory once a conflict has been formally determined — the threshold question of whether a conflict exists is itself a matter for the relevant authorities.
§33-11.1 — Abstention
"A City Councilor exercising the right to abstain from voting on any matter shall state for the record the reason for the abstention. The abstention shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting."
Even voluntary abstentions must be stated on the record with a reason and recorded in the minutes. A review of publicly available council minutes found no abstention records for any of the 8 scenarios documented in this report.
Correct Procedure
What a Proper Recusal Looks Like
What Actually Happened
- ✗No councilor filed a public disclosure of organizational or employment ties before any of the 8 documented votes
- ✗No councilor filed a recusal in any of the 8 identified scenarios
- ✗No notice of abstention was recorded with the City Clerk in any of these cases
- ✗A review of publicly available council minutes found no conflict-of-interest disclosures for any of these votes
- ✗No public record was found indicating the Opioid Fund Advisory Committee's conflict-of-interest policy was applied to Councilor Hawes before the council vote
What Should Have Happened
- ✓Before any vote on a funded organization, the councilor should state: 'I am disclosing a potential conflict of interest. I serve as [role] of [organization]. I am recusing myself from deliberation and voting on this matter.'
- ✓The chair should acknowledge the disclosure and recusal on the record
- ✓The councilor should physically leave the deliberation or remain silent
- ✓The City Clerk must record the disclosure and abstention in the official minutes
- ✓The councilor should not attempt to influence other councilors' votes outside the meeting
Scenario Analysis
Documented Facts and Applicable Law by Councilor
Daniel Carson
Potentially relevant: 30-A §2605(1) + Bangor Code §33-6(A)(2)Relevant Votes / Actions
- ▸Finance Committee: Needlepoint Sanctuary Opioid Fund ($34,000, March 2026)
- ▸Council deliberations on matters involving Food AND Medicine (November 2025–present)
Documented Facts & Potential Concern
Carson is a self-disclosed Board Director of Food AND Medicine (official city bio). He was seated in November 2025 and has participated in council deliberations on matters where Food AND Medicine may be a recipient of future funding. He has not filed a recusal. Food AND Medicine received $336,342 in ARPA funds in 2023, before Carson was seated. Carson also participated in the Finance Committee allocation of $34,000 in opioid funds to Needlepoint Sanctuary (March 2026) without filing a recusal. Whether these circumstances trigger the statutory requirements is a matter for the relevant ethics authorities.
Correct Action Required
Maine 30-A §2605(4) and Bangor Code §33-11.1 set out the procedure: publicly disclose the organizational relationship before any vote, abstain from deliberation and voting, and have the disclosure and abstention recorded with the City Clerk. No such record exists for any of these votes.
Angela Walker
Potentially relevant: 30-A §2605(1) + Bangor Code §33-6(A)(2)Relevant Votes / Actions
- ▸Opioid Settlement Fund allocations (March 2026)
- ▸Advisory Committee recommendations involving BARN network organizations
Documented Facts & Potential Concern
Walker is listed as Peer Services Coordinator at BARN on BARN's own website (as of May 2026; no documented start date). BARN received $415,600 in ARPA funds in 2023, before Walker was seated. Walker was seated in November 2025 and voted on opioid settlement fund allocations in March 2026. She also served on the Penobscot County Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Committee, which recommended allocations to organizations in her professional network. She has not filed a recusal. Whether these circumstances trigger the statutory requirements is a matter for the relevant ethics authorities.
Correct Action Required
Maine 30-A §2605(4) and Bangor Code §33-11.1 set out the procedure: publicly disclose the employment relationship before any vote on matters involving BARN or related organizations, abstain from deliberation and voting, and have the disclosure and abstention recorded with the City Clerk. No such record exists.
Michael Beck
Potentially relevant: Bangor Code §33-5.1 (appearance of conflict)Relevant Votes / Actions
- ▸Housing and homelessness matters (November 2024–present)
- ▸Needlepoint Sanctuary zoning change
- ▸ICE Cooperation Ordinance (Feb.–Mar. 2026)
Documented Facts & Potential Concern
Beck was listed as Advocacy Team Lead for Dignity First at the time of his 2024 election; his current status is unknown. His wife Jamie Beck was the founding Executive Director of Dignity First; her current role is also unknown. Beck has voted on housing and homelessness matters since being seated in November 2024 without disclosing these ties. Beck also has documented proximity to the Peace and Justice Center (2018 member/attendee; a director role has not been confirmed and Beck has denied it). He voted on the Needlepoint Sanctuary zoning change. Additionally, Beck introduced the ICE cooperation ordinance and obtained legal drafting assistance from the AFL-CIO rather than the city's own legal counsel, without disclosing that relationship during the legislative process.
Correct Action Required
Bangor Code §33-5.1 requires officials to avoid even the appearance of a conflict by disclosure or abstention. Publicly disclosing the Dignity First household tie and the AFL-CIO legal assistance relationship would have addressed the appearance concern. Whether a formal recusal was legally required is a matter for the relevant authorities.
Susan Hawes
Potentially relevant: 30-A §2605(6) + Bangor Code §33-5.1Relevant Votes / Actions
- ▸Opioid Settlement Fund Distribution ($641,000+, March 2026)
Documented Facts & Potential Concern
Hawes chaired the Bangor Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Committee (appointed April 2025), which recommended how to allocate $641,000+ in opioid settlement funds to 16 organizations. She subsequently voted as a City Councilor to approve those same recommendations. She did not file a recusal or disclose her advisory role before the council vote. Whether voting to approve your own committee's recommendations constitutes a conflict requiring recusal is a matter for the relevant ethics authorities.
Correct Action Required
Maine 30-A §2605(6) requires officials to avoid the appearance of a conflict by disclosure or abstention. At minimum, publicly disclosing her role as committee chair before the council vote would have addressed the appearance concern. A formal recusal from the council vote would have eliminated the structural overlap entirely.
Joe Leonard
Potentially relevant: 30-A §2605(6) + Bangor Code §33-11Relevant Votes / Actions
- ▸Food AND Medicine ARPA Application #1 ($75,000, Aug. 14, 2023)
- ▸Food AND Medicine ARPA Application #2 ($261,342, Sep. 25, 2023)
Documented Facts & Potential Concern
Leonard received an endorsement and active campaign support from Food AND Medicine and subsequently voted on both Food AND Medicine ARPA applications (Aug. 14 and Sep. 25, 2023) while seated on the council. He did not disclose the endorsement relationship or file a recusal before either vote. Whether a campaign endorsement relationship constitutes a conflict requiring disclosure or recusal under §2605(6) is a matter for the relevant ethics authorities.
Correct Action Required
Maine 30-A §2605(6) requires officials to avoid the appearance of a conflict by disclosure or abstention. Publicly disclosing the endorsement relationship before the votes would have addressed the appearance concern. Whether abstention was legally required is a matter for the relevant authorities.
Susan Faloon
Potentially relevant: 30-A §2605(6) + Bangor Code §33-11Relevant Votes / Actions
- ▸Wabanaki Public Health Contract Extension (2026)
- ▸Council deliberations on matters involving Food AND Medicine network organizations (November 2025–present)
Documented Facts & Potential Concern
Food AND Medicine endorsed Faloon and conducted documented campaign activities supporting her 2025 election. Faloon was seated in November 2025 and has voted on matters involving organizations within the Food AND Medicine / Eastern Maine Labor Council network, including a Wabanaki Public Health contract extension. She has not disclosed the endorsement relationship or filed a recusal. Whether a campaign endorsement relationship constitutes a conflict requiring disclosure or recusal is a matter for the relevant ethics authorities.
Correct Action Required
Maine 30-A §2605(6) requires officials to avoid the appearance of a conflict by disclosure or abstention. Publicly disclosing the endorsement relationship before votes on matters involving the endorsing organization's network would address the appearance concern.
What You Can Do
Citizen Remedies Under Maine Law
Superior Court Petition
30-A §2605(3)
Ten or more Bangor residents can petition the Superior Court to restrain proceedings that violate the conflict-of-interest statute or to void votes already cast in violation of it. This is a direct legal remedy requiring no government intermediary.
Recommended Action
Gather 10+ signatures and consult a Maine attorney about filing in Penobscot County Superior Court.
Board of Ethics Complaint
Bangor Code Ch. 33, Art. III
Any person may file a complaint with Bangor's Board of Ethics regarding a potential violation of the Code of Ethics. The Board may render advisory opinions and refer matters to the City Council for action. The council itself can refer members to the Board.
Recommended Action
File a written complaint with the City Clerk addressed to the Board of Ethics, citing the specific code sections violated.
Public Records Request
1 M.R.S.A. §400 et seq.
Maine's Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) gives any person the right to inspect and copy public records, including council meeting minutes, ARPA application files, opioid fund committee records, and any conflict-of-interest disclosures on file with the City Clerk.
Recommended Action
Submit a FOAA request to the City Clerk's office requesting all conflict-of-interest disclosures filed for the 2023–2026 period.
Templates for Civic Action
FOAA Request Templates
Maine's Freedom of Access Act (1 M.R.S. §408-A) gives every citizen the right to inspect and copy public records. Use these pre-written templates to request the records most relevant to the conflicts documented in this report. Copy the text, fill in your name, and submit by email or mail to the City Clerk.
Template 1
Beck Disclosure Statements & Recusal Records
Submit to: City Clerk, 73 Harlow Street, Bangor ME 04401 | [email protected]
Template 2
Janet Jonas Planning Board Recusal Records
Submit to: City Clerk, 73 Harlow Street, Bangor ME 04401 | [email protected]
Template 3
Carson Finance Committee & Food AND Medicine Records
Submit to: City Clerk, 73 Harlow Street, Bangor ME 04401 | [email protected]
Response Timeline
Under Maine FOAA (1 M.R.S. §408-A(8)), the City must respond within 5 business days acknowledging receipt and providing an estimated completion date. If records are not provided within a reasonable time, you may file a complaint with the Maine Attorney General's Office or seek enforcement in Superior Court under 1 M.R.S. §409.
Legal Disclaimer
This page is provided for informational and civic transparency purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. The statutory text quoted above is taken directly from the Maine Legislature's official publication of 30-A M.R.S.A. §2605 (current through October 1, 2025) and the City of Bangor's Code of Ethics as published on eCode360. Readers seeking legal advice regarding specific situations should consult a licensed Maine attorney. The analysis of specific councilor conduct represents the opinion of the report's authors based on publicly available records and the plain text of the applicable statutes.