Resident George Melendez tells commissioners his complaints about Unorganized Territory staff remain unresolved

George Melendez used the public-comment period at the Feb. 27 Penobscot County commission meeting to recount repeated complaints about interactions with the Unorganized Territory director and staff and to request action.

Melendez said he met with the new administrator and recorded a 59-minute conversation about his complaint. "I recorded it... It's smoke and mirrors. It belongs in the shredder," he said of an apology letter he received. He told commissioners he had filed complaints four times and had been told the county would not hold staff accountable unless he made a formal complaint. He said he had submitted verbal complaints consistent with his understanding of Maine law and that a sheriff declined to accept a related complaint when Melendez left the meeting.

The chair responded that to ensure the county could share documentation and proceed administratively he would respectfully ask Melendez to provide the complaint in writing to the administrator so it could be distributed to named parties and placed on a future agenda. When Melendez asked whether a video recording would suffice, the chair said it would not and reiterated the request for an emailed or written submission to the administrator.

Melendez also asked for communication training for the Unorganized Territory director (named in the meeting as George Boswell in discussion) and asked for a formal remedy for what he described as actions that violated his rights. The chair encouraged written submission so the county could review and proceed through formal channels.

Next steps: Melendez was asked to submit his documentation in writing to the county administrator, who will share it with appropriate staff and place the matter on the agenda for follow-up; the meeting record shows no immediate administrative action was taken at the Feb. 27 session.