REVISED: Vote to postpone immigration ordinance and order to take place Dec. 8

Request came during Agenda-setting meeting; official vote comes during Regular meeting

Wed, 12/03/2025 - 11:25am

Sarah Thompson

Reporter's note: The initial article erroneously implied that City Councilors had voted to postpone for one month Ordinance Amendment #53, and Order #90 Immigration Enforcement, during the Dec. 1, 2025 Agenda-Setting meeting of Rockland City Council. However, votes can only be held during Regular meetings, which, for this December, means Monday, Dec. 8.

City Manager Tom Luttrell confirmed in a phone call Wednesday morning, Dec. 3, that discussion by councilors during the Agenda-setting meeting leaned toward postponing by one month, based on a request by Police Chief Tim Carroll, which he presented verbally during the Agenda-setting meeting, as well as via email to each councilor beforehand. The councilors, however, need to make the official vote to postpone during that Dec. 8 meeting.

Councilor Kaitlin Callahan had attended the Agenda-setting meeting via Zoom, and weighed in that she would still be meeting with Carroll on Dec. 4.

In an email to the Pen Bay Pilot, Dec. 3, Callahan stated: This postponement is "a step I do not intend to initiate or support, nor is it a foregone conclusion a majority of council would support a postponement."

Ordinance in Final Reading & Public Hearing

#53 Chapter 2, Article XIII Immigration Enforcement Councilor Callahan An amendment to the City’s Administration Ordinance to prohibit any City employee, acting in their capacity as such, to assist or cooperate with, or allow any municipal monies or resources to be used to assist, cooperate with, or facilitate any federal agency in any immigration enforcement operation, except where legally required to do so by state or federal law or court order.

Orders

#90 Immigration Enforcement (An Order directing the City Manager to implement policies limiting local involvement in federal immigration enforcement

"I feel that it's absolutely necessary that I'm here and a part of the discussion"

Rockland Council agenda items for immigration ordinance, order postponed to January

ROCKLAND, Dec. 2, 2025 — The immigration ordinance and order items scheduled for the December agenda of Rockland City Council have been postponed to January.

Rockland Police Chief Tim Carroll made the request during the Dec. 1, 2025 Agenda Setting meeting. Carroll feels strongly about being part of the ordinance/order discussion, but will be out of town at the time of the Dec. 8 regular Council meeting.

"I know there is a lot of anxiety around this topic," said Carroll. "I feel that it's absolutely necessary that I'm here and a part of the discussion when it happens."

Carroll will be representing Maine at the FBI National Academy, in Maryland, which he also attended in 2017. Carroll has been chosen by the state to be the vice president for the New England Chapter, which is a five-year commitment and an opportunity to work his way up to president of the chapter.

All five councilors congratulated Carroll on this professional achievement.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com

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