ROCKLAND - The Knox County Commissioners are creating a Knox County Charter Review Subcommittee to review and discuss proposed changes to the 2005 Knox County Charter.

The current Knox County Charter was approved on November 2, 2004 and has not been reviewed since its inception. The Commission and Budget Committee members agreed that the charter needs to be updated and changes considered.

In order to do so, a full review of the charter is needed and the Charter Review Subcommittee would conduct that review.

The charge of the Subcommittee would be to listen to and investigate potential County Charter changes raised by, brought to, and discussed by the Subcommittee and recommend changes in a final written report to the Commission.

Knox County residents interested in serving on the subcommittee need to provide their name and contact information, background information, and an explanation of why they want to serve o the committee. 

Information can be sent to the Knox County Administrative Office, 62 Union Street, Rockland, ME. 04841. Information can also be e-mailed to Andrew L. Hart, County Administrator at ahart@knoxcountymaine.gov by no later than Wednesday June 7, 2023.

Appointment to the subcommittee will require, at minimum, a six month commitment to attend subcommittee meetings.

This will be an independent advisory committee as follows:

A total of seven members and subcommittee membership will consist of:

1. One commissioner
2. Three budget committee members (one each from Commissioner Districts 1, 2 and 3)
3. One Knox County Staff Person
4. One former charter commission member
5. A seventh member TBD

The subcommittee members will be appointed by the commission and any vacancies of a subcommittee member will be filled by appointment by the commission, as well.

The subcommittee will listen to and investigate potential changes to the current Knox County Charter, raised by, brought to, and discussed by the subcommittee and recommend changes in a final written report to the commission.

The subcommittee will plan to meet for approximately six months and then submit a written report to the commission with any suggested changes to the Knox County Charter.

The commission will then provide the written report to legal counsel, who will review the report and advise the commission of the changes require a Charter Amendment Process or a Charter Commission Process.

Subcommittee meetings are “public proceedings” under Maine’s Freedom of Access Act, requiring public notice and the public may attend any subcommittee meetings.

Information can also be obtained by going to, knoxcountymaine.gov