Terry Dinkins Will Seek Bangor City Council Seat

The local pastor and jail chaplain will run in the city election this fall, emphasizing changes to social services.

Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Substance Abuse

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a historic brick building, symbolizing municipal government and policy reform. — Local pastor and jail chaplain Terry Dinkins announced he will run for the Bangor City Council, focusing his campaign on reforming local social service and needle exchange policies. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should the city restrict needle distribution programs to improve community safety?

Terry Dinkins, the 65-year-old pastor of the Mansion Church, is running for a seat on the Bangor City Council in the upcoming fall 2026 election. He proposes addressing homelessness and addiction through stricter needle distribution and expanded mental health capacity.

Why it matters

Dinkins argues that current local strategies enable issues like drug use and mental illness rather than providing effective assistance. His platform seeks to shift city policy by limiting needle exchange programs and increasing resources at state psychiatric facilities.

Dinkins aims to increase patient capacity at the Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center, which currently houses between 60 and 70 patients. His Mansion Church ministry has served approximately 350 people at its overnight warming center during winter months.

The players

Terry Dinkins

He is a candidate for the Bangor City Council, the pastor of the Mansion Church, and a chaplain at the Penobscot County Jail.

Mansion Church

This local religious institution has operated an overnight warming center in Bangor since 2020.

Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center

This is a state psychiatric facility that is slated for a future rebuild by the state.

Penobscot County Jail

This is the correctional facility where Terry Dinkins serves as a chaplain.

The details

Dinkins, a former armored car company employee of 30 years, advocates for restricting needle distribution to a one-for-one exchange model. He is currently leveraging his background as a chaplain at the Penobscot County Jail to promote his vision for local reform.

Dinkins became a pastor in 2013.
The Mansion Church opened an overnight warming center in 2020.
Dinkins moved to Bangor from Carmel in July 2026.
The Bangor city election is scheduled for the fall of 2026.

Health Landscape

Dinkins proposing a one-for-one needle exchange policy model marks a departure from broader harm-reduction strategies currently seen in many urban centers. This debate highlights the ongoing tension between public health access and local community concerns regarding substance abuse.

Residents seeking mental health services may see a change in access if the council approves the expansion of bed capacity at the state psychiatric center. Those utilizing local warming shelters or needle exchange programs could face altered access requirements under the proposed policy shifts.

The takeaway

The upcoming election will determine if voters favor an approach focused on restricting existing harm-reduction services in favor of expanded institutional care. Residents should evaluate how these proposed changes to local health infrastructure align with their own views on community safety and support.