ROCKLAND — City Hall in Rockland is asking hosts of a Rockland, Maine Facebook page to cease using the city’s official seal. Rockland City Manager James Chaousis circulated a press release late Wednesday afternoon saying the Facebook page is illegally using the city seal.

The release, verbatim, is as follows:

“It has come to the attention of the city that a Facebook page titled “Rockland, Maine,” presenting the city seal, and representing (whether purposeful or not) the likeness of an official city Facebook page. This is not the official Facebook page of the City of Rockland, Maine, and is not authorized to use the city seal in anyway. The official Facebook page of the city is “City of Rockland, Maine.” Any unauthorized use of the city seal is prohibited by law.

“Recently, the Facebook page “Rockland, Maine” posted a defamatory and slanderous statement regarding Richard Rockwell. It is easily misunderstood that these statements are representative of the city but they are not. Richard Rockwell is a significant investor in downtown Rockland and has worked well with the city and other local businesses.

“More investors, whether residential or commercial, are needed to propel the city to more economic opportunity, reasonable taxes, and positive quality of life in the City or Rockland. It is difficult to represent the city in positive light to outside investors if current investors are not treated fairly and opponents use the city’s likeness for defamatory statements. It is too much to ask Rockland to create all economic growth from within our municipal borders.

“The city has reported the Facebook page “Rockland, Maine,” but also pleads with the site administrators to voluntarily remove the city’s likeness from the page. The city also reaffirms legal, just, and fair treatment of all residents, guests, and businesses in the city. Richard Rockwell deserves all the support the city can provide.”