Bangor has a choice.

Timeline

• 2022Wins a seat on the council in a special election. Reelected in 2023.
• 2023First censure, for comments about two fellow councilors.
• May 2025Publicly accuses the finance director of “lying and misallocating resources.” The director resigns five days later.
• Aug. 2025Second censure (6 to 2 vote), for what the council called “inappropriate” accusations against a city employee in a public meeting.
• Aug. 2025BDN reports the separation and investigation costs and the investigation’s findings. Leonard declined to be interviewed by the investigator.
• Nov. 2025Third censure, for throwing a pen and making an obscene gesture at a council meeting while responding to a speaker’s racist and antisemitic remarks.
• June 2026Votes yes on the $145.1 million city and school budget.

The payments

BDN: the city paid the former finance director “$80,916, equal to seven and a half months of salary,” under a separation agreement, and “also paid $9,641 for law firm Rudman Winchell to investigate Leonard’s claims.” Together: $90,557.

The investigation’s finding

The finance department “has been administering RFPs as uniformly and fairly as reasonably possible.” The finding concerned the finance department and the former director. It was not an investigation of Leonard.

Sources

The proposals, as reported

• RentRent control or a rent freeze, starting with a mandatory rental registry for landlords.
• TransitLonger hours and the return of weekend service on the city bus system.
• HousingSupports the housing-first model, described as “giving these people a roof over their head while giving them support systems.”
• EncampmentSupports a sanctioned encampment, “with regulations, as a first step.”
• SyringesSupports syringe-service programs, while saying the ultimate answer is getting people housed.
• Public healthWould expand the city’s public health department to coordinate local social service providers and nonprofits.

Questions voters may want answered

How would rent control be administered and enforced? How would longer bus hours and a larger public health department be paid for? Where would a sanctioned encampment be located, and who would manage it? These are open questions about the proposals, not findings about their results.

Source

The stated goals

• Rent freezeHe argues a freeze would pay off over time by keeping residents in Bangor and attracting new ones, while acknowledging property owners would take a short-term hit.
• Yellen PinesHe says the project will “get 30 people off the streets.” BDN notes the project has been controversial, its property currently generates no tax revenue for the city, and the council approved a partial tax reimbursement for it.
• SyringesHe cites the HIV outbreak in Penobscot County in supporting needle exchange, and wants more sharps containers to get needles off the ground.

Questions voters may want answered

How would a rent freeze be enforced, and for how long? How would a property-tax freeze be balanced against rising city and school costs? These are open questions about the positions, not findings about their results.

Source