Evaluation of Maine county websites

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Action steps

This page captures a snapshot of the information contributed by Sunshine Review users after they've studied the information made available on Maine counties websites.

See also: County websites, state-by-state comparison, to compare what you can find on Maine's county websites to what can be found on county websites in other states.

Reading the chart

In the chart below:

	means that information is included on the government website
	means that the information was not provided on the government website
P	means that information was partially provided

Check the Sunshine Review page about each county for more detailed information about what information is available on the county website, along with recommendations SR users have made for positive changes.

• See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard

Conclusions chart

2012

In 2012, Sunshine Review evaluated the five largest counties in Maine: Cumberland County, York County, Penobscot County, Kennebec County, and Androscoggin County., These counties averaged an "D-" website transparency grade.

	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Permits/ Zoning?	Audits?	Contracts?	Lobbying?	Public records?	Taxes?
Y	2	2	3	3	na	1	0	0	0	2
P	1	3	1	1	na	2	2	0	0	0
N	2	0	1	1	na	2	3	5	5	3

Comparison chart

County	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Androscoggin County, Maine	D	N	Y	Y	Y		N	P	N	N	N
Cumberland County, Maine	D	Y	P	Y	Y		P	N	N	N	Y
Kennebec County, Maine	F	P	P	P	P		N	N	N	N	N
Penobscot County, Maine	F	N	Y	N	N		N	N	N	N	N
York County, Maine	C	Y	P	Y	Y		Y	P	N	N	Y

2009

All other evaluations were conducted in 2009, where the counties still average an "F" website transparency grade.

	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Permits/ Zoning?	Audits?	Contracts?	Lobbying?	Public records?	Taxes?
Y	4	4	8	9	0	0	0	0	0	2
P	2	4	4	3	0	1	1	0	4	2
N	6	4	0	0	12	11	11	12	8	8
No Website	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

Comparison chart

Please check each district to see when it was last rated, if there is no time stamp then check the "History" tab to see when it was last edited.

County	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Androscoggin County, Maine	D	N	Y	Y	Y		N	P	N	N	N
Aroostook County, Maine	A+	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Cumberland County, Maine	D	Y	P	Y	Y		P	N	N	N	Y
Franklin County, Maine	F	N	N	N	N		N	N	N	N	N
Hancock County, Maine	D	P	Y	Y	Y		N	N	N	N	P
Kennebec County, Maine	F	P	P	P	P		N	N	N	N	N
Knox County, Maine	C	Y	Y	Y	Y		N	P	N	N	Y
Lincoln County, Maine	F	N	N	P	P		N	N	N	N	N
Oxford County, Maine	D	Y	P	Y	Y		N	N	N	N	N
Penobscot County, Maine	F	N	Y	N	N		N	N	N	N	N
Piscataquis County, Maine	D-	N	P	Y	Y		N	N	N	N	N
Sagadahoc County, Maine	D	Y	N	Y	Y		N	N	N	P	N
Somerset County, Maine	D	N	Y	Y	Y		N	N	N	P	N
Waldo County, Maine	A-	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	N	Y	Y	Y
Washington County, Maine	D	N	N	Y	Y		N	N	N	N	N
York County, Maine	C	Y	P	Y	Y		Y	P	N	N	Y

Correcting errors

If you discover an error in this chart or on one of the articles about a Maine county, you can correct it immediately or report the error.

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