The Bangor City Council on Monday selected Rick Fournier to serve as its chair for another year in a 4-3 vote with one abstention while the city’s School Committee unanimously reelected Marwa Hassanien as its chair.
Both groups elected the veteran members to continue serving as their leaders after swearing in their reelected members and newcomers following last week’s election. Bangor voters reelected councilors Fournier and Dan Tremble and elected Cara Pelletier. Hassanien and newcomer Imke Schessler-Jandreau also claimed two School Committee seats in an uncontested race.
Tremble nominated Fournier, and School Committee member Ben Sprague nominated Hassanien. There were no other nominations in either selection.
Fournier and Hassanien took over from Tremble and school board member Carin Sychterz, respectively, last year.
Councilors Susan Hawes, Tremble, Fournier and Jonathan Sprague voted in favor of giving Fournier another year as chair, but councilors Clare Davitt, Pelletier and Gretchen Schaefer voted against the nomination. Councilor Dina Yacoubagha abstained from voting, saying she doesn’t like the process of electing a chair and doesn’t believe it’s transparent.
Councilor Joe Leonard was absent from Monday’s swearing-in.
Fournier said he hates “seeing split decisions,” but said there’s more work to be done, including finishing the city’s comprehensive and airport plans and doling out the city’s $20.4 million in federal COVID relief funds it received last year, which the city has not yet begun to spend.
“We still have a lot of work to do, and I think Bangor is at a bit of a tipping point here,” Fournier said. “To a large degree, this community has come together on a number of fronts, but we do need to work together as a team.”
While she said she believes Fournier did well as chair last year, Davitt said she believes there’s someone better suited for the job.
“To be honest, Councilor Fournier, while he did a good job this year, when he asked for support, he said it was because he hadn’t felt like he accomplished anything in his prior year, which to me isn’t a reason to support someone,” Davitt said.
The chairs serve yearlong terms in their positions.