BANGOR, Maine — Bangor City Councilor Charlie Longo has been watching the goings-on in Portland with much more interest lately, since Maine’s largest city went back to having an elected mayor this year for the first time in 88 years.
Now he’s calling on the City Council’s government operations committee to look into re-instituting an official, elected mayor for Bangor.
“Basically, it had been a topic that I talked about during my 2010 campaign and I felt now would be a good time to take it up,” said Longo, who sent government operations committee Chairwoman Susan Hawes an email request over the weekend to add the topic to a future committee meeting agenda.
“The successes of the Portland mayoral election made me think about it again,” he added. “I also think our current system, where the council elects the mayor, is a little outdated. I think the process should be more public and I think it would be very beneficial if the community had a voice in it.”
Hawes said the request was too late to include the matter at Tuesday’s regularly scheduled committee meeting.
“This will probably be on the next one or the one after that,” said Hawes. “It would change the structure of the city government and potentially some salary structures as well, so it will take some time to get it on there for an agenda item. We have to figure some things out, legalitywise, on what we can do.”
Until this year, Portland’s mayor — like Bangor’s — was appointed by the council. The title of “mayor” in Bangor is mostly ceremonial, although it does entitle its holder to some special privileges, powers and duties. A charter review commission recommended Portland return to a mayoral system and voters ratified it in 2010.
“I’ve heard some smatterings of conversation about it over the years, but some people seem to want to visit it again,” said Hawes.
Also in 2010, a committee of Bangor residents charged with updating the city charter looked at an elected-mayor form of government but decided it wasn’t the best thing for the Queen City.
“Ultimately, it would have to go to a public referendum vote anyway, as it involves a charter change,” said Hawes.
Longo sent copies of his email request to news media outlets and constituents and posted it on his Facebook page.
“The reason I copied that email and sent it to a lot of people outside council and the committee is because I think this kind of process needs community involvement,” he said. “People seem to like what Portland did, but I think they’re also concerned about the potential cost of doing that.”
Bangor has not had an elected mayor since Norman E. Whitney held the office in 1930-31. The city switched to a council and chairman system in 1932.
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I like it Charlie. The people of Bangor deserve to elect someone we want to represent us as a Mayor, not someone that gets a majority of votes by a nine member political council. There have been many times I can think of that the sitting council chair would not have received the publics majority vote had it gone in that direction. Even if the city chooses to stay with its current system, it is nice to see someone at city hall that isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions. You keep it up Charlie and you will make a great name for yourself and be blessed with much success in your lifetime. Your initiative and morals are quite refreshing to see in politics.
thank you for checking in mama longo.
this longo character is no different then any self serving politician. anything he does or says is a political move to promote himself and his personal agenda.
I think the good that might come of this is that the thought of Mayor Longo
just might get the BDN staff to use the term proper term
… is it Chairman of the Bangor City Council ?
If they know and answer, I hope they expect a jolly chorus of loyal readers saying,
“Why don’t you use it, then ? “
Yes, someone who actually ran on on something follows through on it. That is what we WANT our elected officials to do I thought.
Bangor City Council must have to have BS truck come up and dump the council chambers after every session. Biggest waste o tax money in the city. If you kiss council backside you are all sat. You can get anything you want.
“If you kiss council backside …”
Oh, that explains why Longo wants to be the REAL mayor, too, doesn’t it ?
Have we not learned anything about the dangers of a cult of personality from the unfortunate
2010 LePage incident ?
Apparently Mr. Longo isn’t happy unless his name is all over the news. I don’t want Bangor politics to mirror Portland’s in any way whatsoever.
AW
Yes he is…
The City Council refers to Weston as the Mayor, as does this newspaper. If we’re going to have a mayor, then that Mayor should be voted by the population. All it seems to require right now is 5 friends on the council. Clearly (obviously even), they don’t always make the best decisions.
Longo wants to be Mayor and get a rise. Wanna bet his first item of business would be a living wage for the new position of Mayor ?
I like it the way it is now.
Anyone who wants to be “the mayor” of Bangor is too dumb to do the job.
An equal Chairing the City Council as a civic duty, has worked fine
for longer than we can remember.
What is point of fixing what isn’t broken ?
I think it is broken, because the paper continues to make reference to the ‘mayor’. Look at the number of past articles posted above that include the word Mayor in the headline.
That is the BDN being broken.
Can you tell the difference ?
And both the council and the paper are incorrect in referring to the chair as mayor. It’s a mystery to me why they continue to do so.
“The successes of the Portland mayoral election made me think about it again,” he said excitedly, barely hiding his personal ambitions.
I have to ask: What is wrong with personal ambitions? Are you against people trying to improve themselves, or seek a higher place?
Whether or not Longo wants the position is irrelevant at this point. I think it’s a neat idea to let the population decide. It’s been the norm in the majority of American cities for decades, if not centuries. I think it’s in pretty poor character to attack someone for suggesting Bangor follow that trend and allow democracy to run its course. Give the guy a break.
“Give the guy a break.” by making him Bangor’s first mayor ?
“I have to ask: What is wrong with personal ambitions?”
What part of “Anyone who wants to be “the mayor” of Bangor is too dumb to do the job.” , is beyond your comprehension ?
More ego in the civil business because “it’s a neat idea”, is the whole point then ?
Got it.
But, really, why fix what is not broken ?
So, is there any other new business, then ?
My point was: He is bringing forth the idea. Don’t attack him for that. If it comes to a vote, vote it down if you don’t believe in it. If you don’t want him to be your mayor, then vote against him.
You just seem to have an attitude that is completely focused on Longo himself, rather than the idea. It doesn’t matter if he wants to run for it if it goes through. If he does, he does. It doesn’t mean he’ll be elected. It’s his right as a citizen and as a council member to put forth this idea, and if it goes through, run for the office. Its not on you to pass judgement on someone just for suggesting a change in policy.
“You just seem to have an attitude that is completely focused on Longo himself ”
So does Longo.
But some people are easily flattered and fooled.
Let the people decide. I have no problem with that.
In my opinion Longo is putz. A councilor with a need for the front page. Someone give this child a time out.
“In my opinion Longo is putz. A councilor with a need for the front page”
That is exactly why we don’t want a mayor, too, isn’t it ?
The current system frustrates the putz who manage to get elected to the City Council,
but an egoistical one as mayor would be as bad for Bangor as the former Mayor LePage
has turned out to be for Maine.
He is doing what people elected him to do. Work for the people NOT just to get re-elected.
Longo is a child better off staying behind the retail counter at The Christmas Shoppe and Borders. This person has no experience with home ownership and the relationship between the various branches of city government and the people that live in Bangor. Watch him perform on the access channel. He makes me face palm every time he speaks.
Your comments are about him being a child. Age discrimination is pretty shallow and it really discounts your comments and shows your ignorance. Even if you are jealous that he has accomplished more than you that is no reason to throw stones at the MAN.
Also, he has a JOB, who cares where it is. How many “non children” have served, some as council chair, that not only didn’t have a job but were convicted thieves!. No reason for name calling just because you don’t like the councilman.
Who sounds like the child now Cheese?
No jealousy over him, believe me. I encourage you to spend some time watching him at committee meetings on the public access channel.
He is ignorant of the most basic services to the city and needs to have everything explained to him in detail even things like the sewer water bill and how that works. Pretty basic things that every homeowner knows. His ignorance is astounding.
Great Idea!!! yet people are so superficial they would vote for the shiny one, which of course would be Cary Weston…(-:
Absurd. Adding costs to the ability to serve the public? I think not.
That’s right, Susan. Push back, back, back any topic you don’t want to pursue.
Looks like someone is not playing well in the sandbox. Longo, time to represent the City not your own interest because you have an issue with fellow council members. It’s good to have fresh blood on board but you’re rocking the boat. We have other more important issues to address for this City rather than thinking we need to be more like Portland.
Mr. Longo is doing a GREAt job in speaking for the people of Bangor. Keep up the good work.