Bangor wants to spend $2.4M on a new public safety training building

Bangor voters will be asked to approve more than $2 million in general obligation bonds for the construction of a new multi-use public safety training facility this November.

The building, if approved, will have an open concept design large enough to store safety apparatus and equipment and provide indoor space for training and equipment maintenance, according to Debbie Laurie, Bangor’s city manager.

The building would be built near the city’s existing fire training center on Odlin Road, where firefighters can practice extinguishing structure fires, among other necessary skills.

Bangor city councilors on Monday agreed to add the funding request to the local ballot in November.

City councilors previously approved putting $2 million toward the training facility while finalizing the fiscal year 2025 budget. However, a city rule requires voters to give the green light to a single capital improvement project estimated to cost more than $1.79 million.

The $2.4 million requested is the highest estimated cost to complete the project, Laurie said.

Fire department and city hall staff did not return requests for comment on Wednesday regarding what the building would be used for.