Belgrade Budget Committee Meeting Highlights Community’s Call for Greater Transparency
An emotional Belgrade Budget Committee meeting highlighted growing calls for greater transparency as residents, committee members, and town officials debated a citizen-led petition and the town’s budgeting process. Despite passionate disagreements, the evening concluded with an unexpected point of agreement: Belgrade residents deserve clearer, more accessible information about how their tax dollars are budgeted and spent.
The Record | An Insider Speaks: Former DHHS Caseworker Alleges Retaliation After Refusing to Change Child Welfare Findings
A former Maine DHHS Child Protective Services caseworker has filed a federal lawsuit alleging retaliation after refusing to change the findings of a child welfare investigation. In Part 5 of The Record, The Maine Mirror examines the allegations, DHHS’s response, and why the case matters to the broader conversation about transparency and accountability.
The Record | Bipartisan Support Wasn’t Enough. Why Maine’s Child Welfare Oversight Bill Never Became Law.
A bipartisan proposal to expand legislative oversight of Maine’s child welfare system ultimately failed to become law. In Part 4 of The Record, The Maine Mirror examines what the bill sought to accomplish, why it mattered, and the questions its failure leaves behind.
The Record | Should Maine’s Child Welfare Agency Stand on Its Own?
Should Maine’s Office of Child and Family Services remain within DHHS, or operate as an independent agency? In Part 3 of The Record, The Maine Mirror examines the legislative push for structural reform, the arguments on both sides, and the questions that matter most for children and families.
The Record | Maine’s Child Welfare Ombudsman Has Raised Similar Concerns for Years. What Should the Public Take Away?
For years, Maine’s Child Welfare Ombudsman has identified recurring concerns within the state’s child welfare system while also recognizing areas of measurable improvement. In this installment of The Record, The Maine Mirror examines what the reports say, what questions remain, and why preserving the public record matters.
Federal Audit Found Widespread Policy Failures in Maine’s Child Welfare Agency. What Can We Learn From It?
A federal audit found that Maine’s Office of Child and Family Services failed to fully comply with required child welfare policies in 94 of 100 reviewed cases. In the first installment of The Record, The Maine Mirror examines the findings, DHHS’s response, and why preserving the public record matters.
The Record: Story Update | Months Before the Public Saw the Emails, Questions Were Already Being Asked
Months before The Maine Mirror published internal emails raising child safety concerns over Maine DHHS’s CES restructuring, a reporter was already seeking answers from department leadership. This update adds another piece to the public timeline.
The Gorham Democrats Timeline Changed Again
The Maine Mirror’s ongoing investigation into the Gorham Democrats timeline uncovers new developments, including a third Facebook post with comments disabled, an apparent block of Editor-in-Chief Ryan Michaels’ account, and confirmation that the organization’s request-for-comment emails were opened. This installment of The Record documents the latest changes to the public record surrounding the Graham Platner controversy.
The Record: Story Update | Original Gorham Democrats Post Appears to Have Been Removed Following Timeline Review
The Maine Mirror documents a new development in its investigation into the Gorham Democrats’ communications surrounding Graham Platner. After reviewing the page, the original Facebook post announcing his postponed appearance and stating he was “not feeling well” appeared to have been removed from public view. This story update preserves the timeline, archived video, and public record.