Bangor’s City Council will likely vote on a new chair at the next council meeting, according to two of the city’s longest-serving councilors.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 22, and the vote would likely happen then, councilors Dan Tremble and Rick Fournier said, although Fournier noted that the council may choose to hold a special meeting before then.
The uncertainty around the vacancy comes after former City Council Chair Cara Pelletier resigned from the position Tuesday night, about two months before her term was set to expire, citing “personal attacks.” The Bangor Daily News was the first to report Pelletier’s resignation.
Bangor City Manager Carollynn Lear and City Solicitor David Szewczyk did not respond to requests for comment about when the council would choose a new chair.
Councilor Michael Beck, who joined the council last year, said he was surprised to hear about Pelletier’s decision but understood why she made it.
“Life’s too short, and if she’s receiving personal attacks and it’s affecting her health, you know, she’s got to prioritize herself. I respect that. She’s got to do what’s best for her and her family,” he said.
In Pelletier’s resignation letter, which was obtained by the BDN, she said that holding public office “invites scrutiny” but that she has “experienced personal attacks beyond what I consider to be the reasonable and expected demands of public office.”
Pelletier said Thursday that while she didn’t want to share more details about the nature of the attacks she faced, she had been “overwhelmed in the last two days with the number of people in our community and the number of political officials in Maine who have reached out to express their support.”
Pelletier was elected to the council in 2022. She served two consecutive terms as chair and was chosen last year to serve a second time at the unanimous approval of the council. She and Fournier were the only councilors in 80 years to serve as chair two years in a row.
Beck said he’s grateful for Pelletier’s service to the city, saying, “It’s a lot to step up and not only become a councilor, but to take on the role of council chair two years in a row. That says a lot about her dedication to service.”
Pelletier’s colleagues on the council have condemned the behavior that Pelletier said drove her to resign, with some saying they’d also experienced personal attacks.
“There’s certain individuals who are very forceful,” Beck said, recalling instances when people sent him insulting messages after council votes. “It can be tough to deal with. Everyone’s got a different line and what they can tolerate, and I respect that.”
Fournier, who served as chair prior to Pelletier, also empathized with her experience.
“I certainly understand that sometimes you take a bit of a beating,” he said. “I feel sad for those people who initiate the beatings, because it seems like they have nothing else in life to live for than to create havoc for others.”
Tremble said that in his 15 years on the council, he’s never seen a councilor resign over attacks from the public.
Bangor’s council chair leads meetings and represents the council at public events. The chair serves a one-year term, according to the city’s charter, which allows the council to fill any vacancy for the rest of a term.
The chair selection process has long been criticized, including by councilors, as it happens behind closed doors.
