Earlier today, the Biddeford Gazette learned that an email regarding the abrupt departure of former City Manager James Bennett was sent from one member of the Biddeford City Council to Mayor Marty Grohman and every other member of the council.

According to our sources, the email was sent at 7:05 a.m. today (Feb. 27, 2025).

The city has been tight lipped ever since we reported Bennett’s abrupt and surprise departure. That action by the mayor and council has led to speculation throughout the community. Thus, the Biddeford Gazette filed a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request with the city.

Bennett, who was hired by the city in 2015, found himself surrounded by a swirl of increasing controversy over the past year.

In October, Bennett announced his resignation. He said he would stay on the job until Apri with 14 months remaining in his current contract, leaving a $15,000 retention bonus on the table.

Last week, all city employees were sent an email announcing that Bennett was being immediately replaced by Brian Phinney, the city’s chief operations officer.

Today’s email from one member of the council to all other members of the council and the mayor is now a public document. The Biddeford Gazette believes the people of Biddeford deserve to know what is happening, especially given many irregularities in the city’s finance department over the past two years.

Per state and federal law, some issues such as current legal matters or personnel issues are exempt from FOIA requirements. However, once those documents are distributed (electronically or otherwise) to several elected officials from another elected official, they become public documents.

Our Feb. 27, 2025 FOIA request is copied below:

_____________________

February 27, 2025

To: Mayor Marty Grohman, City Council, Harry Center, esq; City of Biddeford, Maine; et al.

Re: FOIA request

Pursuant to and under the Maine Freedom of Access Act § 402 et seq., I am hereby — on behalf of myself and the Biddeford Gazette — requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of the following:

1. A copy of an email that was sent to you and every current member of the Biddeford City Council at approximately 7:05 a.m. today (February 27, 2025) from a city councilor regarding the appointment of Brian Phinney as acting city manager and regarding former City Manager James Bennett.

2..Any other written correspondence between members of the council and mayor between Wednesday, Feb. 19 and today regarding the leave of the former city manager.

If you believe that this request is invalid and not the purview of the general public, please advise and explain with your specific objections in writing.

Please also provide whatever other documents (as outlined above) even if you deem other parts of this request to be invalid as defined by the State of Maine.

I believe these requested records should be provided free of any monetary obligation, given the nature of this request. However, if you anticipate a cost associated with gathering these materials, please advise me of those costs in advance.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Randy Seaver

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