Joseph Leonard
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 21
- Total speaking time
- 2:10:02
- Avg per meeting
- 6:12
- Segments
- 1355
Want every word Leonard has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Leonard said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (20)
Homelessness, addiction, and recovery
Speakers cited $10,000-plus vandalism repair costs and growing taxpayer burden from services, though the city took no financial action tonight.
Winter warming shelter funding
Up to $105,000 in federal CDBG funds, not local tax dollars.
Councilor Mallar ethics training
No direct cost beyond staff time for the required training.
Downtown floor area ratio removal
No direct cost to the city; the change could unlock private investment and more downtown housing.
Winter warming shelter capacity gap
Roughly $115,000-$116,000 from CDBG, foundation, and other non-tax sources.
Airport car rental facility and transit director funding
Up to $65,000 from the city's undesignated fund balance.
Remote council meeting participation
Sewer infrastructure bonding (KMart and Perry Road pump stations)
About $650,000 a year in combined debt service, covered by sewer fees rather than property taxes.
103 Maine Avenue bond purchase for public health
Up to $1.4 million in bonds, with a tax levy to cover principal and interest.
Kenduskeag Stream retaining wall failure
$3.87 million, within the anticipated budget.
Airport Security Checkpoint Expansion
Funded by passenger fees and airport funds — no hit to property taxes and no ticket price increase.
New Planning Fees for Developers
Small offsets to the city budget; developers pay roughly $1.22 per notice letter and state-rate stormwater review fees.
Special amusement permit public hearing requirement
Applicants would save the $126-$150 yearly public hearing advertising fee unless a department flags problems.
Tax workout agreement policy review
The agreement yields about $2,400 a year in back-tax payments; policy changes could affect future tax collections.
Historic preservation and park designations
Could affect renovation costs for owners of historic properties, depending on how flexibly materials are interpreted.
Project HOPE homeless housing funding
$426,000 total for the pilot year, with $126,000 coming from the city's limited opioid settlement funds.
Yellen Pines supportive housing credit enhancement agreement
Staff recommends giving back 75% of the new tax value for 30 years; Councilor Fish estimates that could cost the city $20-40 million over the district's life.
Direct city applications for MaineHousing warming grants
A tank fill of about 250 gallons now runs roughly $1,500.
Surveillance and civil liberties concerns
Immigration ordinance and conflict-of-interest dispute
Supporters and opponents both cited federal funding at Bangor International Airport ($27M FAA runway funding) and potential liability exposure.
Decisions during term (241)
Recorded while Leonard was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Consent Agenda (Minutes, Orders 26-297 through 26-300)
First Readings: Orders 26-301 and 26-302
Ordinance 26-293: Remove Floor Area Ratio from Downtown Development District
Resolve 26-294: $823,851 for Nourish ME Nutrition Education Program
Resolve 26-295: $6,000 Johns Hopkins NIH ARISE Grant for PrEP Access
Special Amusement Permit: Scoreboard Social LLC d/b/a Benjamin's Restaurant & Pub
Special Amusement Permit: Penobscot Theatre Company
Order 26-303: End Remote Public Comment
Order 26-304: New Planning Fees
Order 26-305 (Amended): $105,000 CDBG Funds for Warming Shelter and The Well
Order 26-306: Ethics Finding Against Councilor Mallar and Training Requirement
MINUTES OF: Bangor City Council Regular Meeting of October 14, 2026
Approval of July 15, 2026 meeting minutes
07/15/2026
Approval of Meeting Minutes – October 6, 2026
Adoption of Findings & Decisions for 511 Maine Ave and 6 Bangor Mall Blvd
FAR removal from Downtown Development District — recommended to council
RH Foster — completeness determination for 1187 Union Street
RH Foster — land development permit granted with conditions
Meeting Minutes – October 6, 2026
Voting record (138)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.
Ordinance 26-293: Remove Floor Area Ratio from Downtown Development District
Order 26-303: End Remote Public Comment
Does not want to take a valuable communication tool away from average citizens because of a few bad actors.
Order 26-305 (Amended): $105,000 CDBG Funds for Warming Shelter and The Well
Order 26-306: Ethics Finding Against Councilor Mallar and Training Requirement
Motion to enter executive session (1 M.R.S.A. § 405(6)(A)) on two personnel matters
Motion made and seconded to Postpone Indefinitely
Motion made and seconded for Passage
Motion made and seconded for Passage
Motion made and seconded for Passage
Motion made and seconded to postpone to the October 5, 2026, Council Workshop.
Motion made and seconded for Passage as Amended
Motion made and seconded for Passage
Motion made and seconded for Passage as Amended
Motion made and seconded for Passage
Motion made and seconded for Passage
Motion made and seconded to postpone to the October 5, 2026, Council Workshop.
Motion made and seconded to Postpone Indefinitely
Resolve 26-253 — Project HOPE funding ($300,000 MaineHousing / $126,000 opioid settlement match)
Ordinance 26-270 — Data center moratorium extension
Resolve 26-272 — $7,000 opioid settlement funds to the Together Place
Order 26-274 — $1.4 million bond for 103 Maine Avenue
Fears the purchase would cause disruption and instability in residents' medical care arrangements.
Order 26-282 — Yellen Pines Affordable Housing TIF, development program, and credit enhancement agreement
Sees it as an $11 million community investment; fewer police, fire, and ER costs.
Resolve 26-253: Project HOPE funding postponed
Order 26-251 — $4,455,000 general obligation bonds for KMart Pump Station
Order 26-252 — $6,575,000 Maine Municipal Bond Bank loan for Perry Road Pump Station
Resolve 26-253 — Project HOPE funding ($300,000 MaineHousing + $126,000 match)
Motion to suspend rules to add Together Place to the workshop agenda
Brought the item forward to preserve the option of assisting Together Place through its financial crisis.