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Ethics Board Begins Review Of Incident Involving Bangor City Councilor

A.J. Higgins
/
Maine Public/file
Bangor City Councilor Cary Weston listens to colleagues discuss a possible investigation at a council meeting Jan. 9, 2018..

In its first-ever meeting Tuesday night, the city of Bangor's Board of Ethics began a review of a nondisclosure incident involving City Councilor Cary Weston.

Panelists assigned a work schedule to guide their review of the incident involving Weston, who is the co-owner of a Bangor public relations firm that does business with the city-funded Greater Bangor Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Weston has admitted he failed to disclose an ongoing financial relationship with the bureau when first asked last year. Weston initially told fellow council members that he did not recall that business relationship, and later came forward to disclose the information when he learned he had misspoken.

Board Chair Michael Alpert suggested that the board's review may not require Weston's attendance.

"If on reviewing the code and looking at the information that's available, if there's clarity and we're ready to resolve it -- let's do it," Alpert said.

But ethics panel member Sherry Anderson said having Weston available during future meetings would be helpful to the board's work.

"I would like to request that Mr. Weston, that he come, because I would like to hear specifically from him, himself," Anderson said.

Board members agreed to reconvene next week to receive recordings, documents and other materials as they continue their review of the incident.

And when the board reconvenes, they may be confronted by some local residents who want to address the panel.

Bangor resident Miles Theeman said nothing in the board’s bylaws precludes public comment.

“There’s nothing in the ordinance as I read it that prohibits input from the public, nothing,” he said. “You’re being asked in my personal opinion to become complicit in something that the council ought to be ashamed of — and that is bringing this order forward.”

Alpert rejected that suggestion.

“I’m very uncomfortable with this conversation right now,” he said. “By the code of ethics, we are to concentrate on the order and nothing else.”