Penobscot County officials spent more than $350,000 on county-issued credit cards in 2025, including thousands of dollars on travel, meals, Amazon purchases and other expenses, according to records obtained by the Bangor Daily News.
The spending occurred during a period when the county was unknowingly building toward a multimillion-dollar financial crisis caused in part by years of underbudgeting the Penobscot County Jail.
The records show county employees and elected officials charged more than $42,000 for airfare and hotels and about $18,000 for food and drinks. More than $53,000 was spent through Amazon, while other charges included car washes and dry cleaning.
The Bangor Daily News obtained the records through a Freedom of Access Act request. The newspaper reported that the county initially failed to fulfill the request, later sought more than $600 for the records and ultimately provided them at no cost. You can see a list of charges and who made them here. Payments include large amounts to hotels, restaurants, Amazon Market Place, Sonic Wall and many many more.
The sheriff’s office accounted for nearly $100,000 in credit card purchases, the largest amount among county departments. Sheriff Troy Morton said the spending was within his department’s budget and included jail supplies, law enforcement equipment and everyday necessities. Some expenses were reimbursed through grants or other funding sources.
County commissioners David Marshall and Andre Cushing spent more than $8,000 combined, including travel, conference registration and meals. The two attended a National Association of Counties conference in Washington, D.C., where registration and meals cost the county more than $1,800.
Other significant spending came from the Emergency Management Agency, which charged roughly $48,000. Director Christopher Fox said many of those expenses were covered by a Department of Homeland Security grant and that his department reduced discretionary spending after the county’s financial problems became known.
County Administrator Blair Tinkham said most department heads were unaware of the severity of the county’s financial situation until late 2025. A later audit showed the county had overspent by more than $5 million in 2024.
Since taking over as administrator, Tinkham has instituted stricter purchasing rules and limited the use of county credit cards. Monthly credit card spending has fallen from roughly $24,000 to about $10,000.
The county also reduced spending on food and other discretionary expenses and instituted a hiring freeze. Those changes are among the factors officials say have helped put Penobscot County on track for a projected surplus of more than $1 million by the end of 2026.
The county’s financial problems ultimately contributed to a major increase in its 2026 budget, resulting in an average property-tax increase of about 20% for communities across Penobscot County, with some towns facing increases approaching 40%.
Source: Bangor Daily News.
Latest Local Central, Eastern & Western Maine News
