In Houlton, Maine, we are watching a disturbing situation unfold—and the silence from our leaders is deafening. Town Manager Cameron Clark was recently arrested and charged with domestic violence assault and felony victim tampering, yet he continues to run the day-to-day affairs of our town, overseeing a $14.7 million budget and supervising our chief of police.

This is not about presuming guilt or innocence. It’s about leadership, accountability, and the message this sends to survivors of violence in our community.

The 24-page affidavit describing the alleged assault includes troubling details: a woman shoved so hard she was thrown into bushes, left bruised and struggling to walk. She told authorities she was too afraid to report the incident sooner because Clark threatened her job prospects in town. These aren’t just personal matters—they directly intersect with his public authority and raise serious questions about power, safety, and integrity.

Our town deserves better than to look the other way.

Town employees have been placed on leave for far less, and Clark is still within his six-month probationary period. His continued employment while under daily corrections supervision—including a nightly curfew and restrictions on contacting the victim—makes a mockery of due process in public service.

We, the undersigned, call on Town Council Chairperson Jane Torres and the full Houlton Town Council to immediately suspend Cameron Clark from his duties as Town Manager pending the outcome of the legal investigation.

Public trust in local government cannot survive when our top municipal official is under felony supervision while continuing to hold power over town staff—including law enforcement. Houlton residents deserve leaders who model accountability and who stand with survivors, not against them.

Suspending Mr. Clark is not only a necessary legal precaution—it’s a moral imperative.