WARREN
The warden of the Maine State Prison was fired Thursday, according to multiple sources.
But the reason behind her dismissal is not being released and top administrators with the Maine Department of Corrections declined comment Thursday.
Patricia Barnhart has been warden at the prison since the end of 2009.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss that with you, but you’re welcome to contact the central office,” Barnhart said when reached by telephone Thursday and asked whether she was still the warden.
Jim Mackie, the union representative for employees at the Maine State Prison and the Bolduc Correctional Center in Warren, said that he has heard from staff at the prison that Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte walked into her office Thursday morning and informed her she was fired.
He said Thursday evening that no one he had spoken with knows why she was fired.
Mackie said he had been in meetings with Barnhart on Wednesday to discuss two employee grievances and there was no indication of any problem. He said she was laughing and joking.
“She was the consummate professional,” Mackie said.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees staff representative said the two correctional facilities in Warren received accreditation from the American Correctional Association and both occurred under Barnhart’s leadership. The facilities received 100 percent scores.
“If that makes her a bad manager, we need to hire more bad managers,” he said.
He said she also cared about employees and they respected her.
Questions on the dismissal directed to Commissioner Ponte were referred by his office to Jody Breton, associate commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections for Legislative and Program Services.
When asked shortly after noon whether Barnhart was still the warden, Breton said, “I have no comment.”
FOR MORE, see the Bangor Daily News at www.bangordailynews.com
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