The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations (PCRITP), Maine’s taxpayer-funded racial equity board, is getting kicked out of their office space by the building’s new owner.
The Permanent Commission was established by the Legislature in 2019 as a result of a bill sponsored by former House Speaker and now State Senator Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) — although according to meeting minutes published by the commission, Talbot Ross was absent from nearly all of the commission’s 2024 meetings.
[RELATED: Rachel Talbot Ross Has Not Been to a Meeting of Her Own DEI Commission for Six Months…]
The commission voted in June of last year to approve a $538,168 budget for fiscal year 2025, which earmarked about $102,000 for operational costs, including roughly $48,000 office space, down from $133,722 in fiscal year 2024, which PCRITP described as “one-time costs related to acquiring office space.”
PCRITP currently operates out of an office building at 45 Church St. in Gardiner, just south of Augusta.
[RELATED: Gov Mills “Jobs and Recovery Plan” Diverted $1,000,000 to Maine DEI Commission…]
At the commission’s April 8 Finance and Operations Committee Meeting, PCRITP Executive Director Ariel Ricci and Operations Director Aaron Hooks Wayman discussed a “leasing update” that indicated the 45 Church St. building had been sold, and that due to an insurance issue they would have to find a new office space.
“Our building has been sold, and the new owner is refusing to obtain the insurance required under our lease,” a description of the situation in the meeting agenda reads. “Based on guidance from the Attorney General’s Office and Risk Management, we must vacate 45 Church St.”
“The Division of Leased Space has connected us with a commercial real estate broker. The Executive Director is in contact with the broker, who will share office options in the Augusta area early next week. Site visits will follow,” it reads.
[RELATED: Maine DEI Board Says No Conflict of Interest with $12,000 Grant to Co-Chair’s Sister…]
The agenda states that while the commission has not confirmed a move-out date, they have been advised that the lease termination process allows for a 60-80 day transition.
“Staff have been informed, and we’ll share updates as we learn more,” it states.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="37758 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=37758">11 Comments
An other no bid job coming up>
This state office sounds like a complete Rachel Ross scam, over half a million first year cost! Just another tax payer rip off! Investigate! C’mon man!
Maine racial equity should be booted right out of the state for good.
Let Rachel buy them a tent that they can set up in the park across from the Blaine House . Put a few folding chairs and a table in there . Nobody is ever going to be there in the office anyway . It’s all just another democrat scam to generate paychecks for the party faithful .
Well, again, anything R.T.Ross is involved in has to do with DEI and race baiting. She needs to go away!
When Rachel Ross named it the “ Permanent Commission “ was she implying that if and when (we can always hope ) republicans regain control of Augusta , that they couldn’t defund it ?
This is just another money pit the democrats have created that we can no longer afford to fund without Joe Biden funny money . Sorry , but I don’t want anymore of MY tax dollars going to the crowd from Sub Sahara Africa . I’d rather spend it on popcorn for elephants .
“refusing to obtain the insurance required under our lease” Probably required to be from the R Ross and associates insurance company and pig farm.
Just another evil scam artist destroying our already democratic decimated pisshole state. Laughing stock of the nation.
$538,168 budget for fiscal year 2025, which earmarked about $102,000 for operational costs, including roughly $48,000 office space, down from $133,722 in fiscal year 2024, which PCRITP described as “one-time costs related to acquiring office space.”
So did Dunlap provide an audit on this to see where all the money went?
I bet Maine Concrete has a used septic tank that Maine Racial Equity could rent pretty inexpensively. There might be a pumping charge, or the Equity member could just wear galoshes and nose clips.
Obvious more BLM grift…even in Maine…