Berwick Officials Face Complaints About Their Own Conduct. They Decline to Investigate. Then Their Lawyer Reveals a Sunday Meeting Nobody Knew About.
A Berwick police employee throws a resident’s complaint paperwork onto the floor. More than a year later, the Town’s surveillance footage arrives with 14 seconds of dialogue unaccounted for. After additional complaints involving the police chief, town manager, and Select Board, the Town declines to investigate. But its attorney’s dismissal email reveals something unexpected: a previously undisclosed Sunday meeting on November 1, 2026. Where is the public record?
Locked Out Before the Meeting Began: Berwick Resident Files Formal FOAA Complaint After Select Board Denies Access
A Berwick resident arrived early for an October 27 Select Board meeting advertised for 5:30 p.m., only to find the entrance locked and be denied access. When questioned, the Board Chair declined to identify the statutory authority for the closed proceedings. The encounter prompted a new, independent Maine Freedom of Access Act complaint amid ongoing concerns about transparency and public accountability.
From Two Roles to Three: Berwick Police Chief Timothy Towne Named Interim Town Manager as Questions Remain Unanswered
After months of unanswered questions about Police Chief Timothy Towne’s proposed dual role in Augusta, Berwick has appointed him interim Town Manager. The Maine Mirror examines the decision, Arthur Capello’s written handoff, and new questions about municipal oversight and accountability.
September 30 Has Come and Gone. How Much Has Maine DHHS Actually Refunded?
Federal auditors recommended Maine refund $28.8 million in improper Medicaid payments. With a September 30 corrective-action deadline behind us, The Maine Mirror has filed a public records request to determine how much, if any, has been returned.
Maine FOAA Ombudsman Brenda Kielty: A Right to Know Without T.E.E.T.H.?
Maine promises the public a right to know. But what happens when the official tasked with helping resolve public records disputes cannot compel compliance?
The Maine Mirror examines Public Access Ombudsman Brenda Kielty’s handling of a FOAA dispute, the documented correspondence, and the limits of Maine’s transparency enforcement system.
A right to know needs T.E.E.T.H.
Berwick Denied a $50 Fee Waiver. An Outside Attorney Delivered the Answer. Residents Are Asking Why.
The Town of Berwick asked an outside attorney to communicate its denial of a $50 public records fee waiver. Early public comments raised a question the town has yet to answer: What did it cost to say no?
Berwick Police Video: The Complaint, the Long Wait, and the Dialogue Missing From the Town’s Copy
A complaint, an “unfounded” finding and a year-long wait led to a comparison of two Berwick Police lobby recordings. Follow the documented timeline, examine what remains unanswered and watch Deep Dive Episode 0022.
A Year to See the Record: Berwick Police Footage, an “Unfounded” Finding, and New Questions About What the Town Produced
A Town-provided Berwick Police surveillance recording does not contain dialogue captured by a contemporaneous recording of the same lobby encounter. The Maine Mirror examines the recordings, Chief Timothy Towne’s 2025 “unfounded” finding, and the public-record trail that followed.
Under One Roof: What Months of Recordings at Biddeford DHHS Reveal About Access, Credibility, and Accountability
Months of recordings, written requests, emails and public-records correspondence document repeated attempts to obtain answers from Maine DHHS in Biddeford. The record includes statements made to law enforcement, later disputes over recorded words, hand-delivered requests for clarification, and unanswered questions about communication and recordkeeping.
From Candidate Inquiry to Town Attorney: The Documented Timeline of Timothy Towne’s Response
The Maine Mirror contacted Timothy Towne through his campaign account with a documented government-accountability issue. Towne responded. After subsequent scheduling requests received no response, Berwick’s Town Attorney entered the exchange, raising unanswered questions about where candidate correspondence ends and municipal representation begins.