Privacy Policy: Town of Hampden, Maine
Effective Date: January 29, 2026
The Town of Hampden is committed to protecting your privacy while providing a transparent digital gateway to municipal services. This policy explains how we handle information collected during your visit to hampdenmaine.gov.
1. Public Disclosure & FOAA Notice
As a governmental entity, the Town of Hampden must comply with the Maine Freedom of Access Act (1 M.R.S.A. §§ 401-521).
Public Records: Any information you provide to the Town—including emails, form submissions, and survey responses—is treated as a public record.
Inspection: Unless a specific legal exception applies, this information may be subject to public inspection, legal disclosure, or production in response to a FOAA request.
Retention: Data is maintained and destroyed in accordance with state-mandated record retention schedules.
2. Information We Collect Automatically
To improve our website's performance and usability, we collect non-personally identifiable information via server logs. This includes:
Technical Data: Date and time of visit, your IP address (typically your service provider's), the URL of the page you requested, and HTTP error codes (e.g., "404 Page Not Found").
Software Data: Your browser type (User Agent) and the version of the protocol used (HTTP).
Referral Data: The URL of the website that linked you to our site.
Note: We do not link this technical data to individuals, nor do we attempt to identify specific visitors through these logs.
3. Voluntarily Provided Information
"Personally Identifiable Information" (PII) is information that can identify you specifically, such as your name, address, or email. We only collect PII if you provide it voluntarily.
Email: Emails sent to the Town are treated as written correspondence and may be forwarded to the relevant department for action. We do not sell or rent email addresses for marketing purposes.
Online Forms: Information submitted via electronic forms is treated with the same weight as a form submitted in person at Town Hall.
Surveys: Data from surveys is used only for the purpose stated at the time of collection.
4. Cookies and Tracking
We use "cookies"—small text files stored on your browser—to enhance your experience.
Session Cookies: Used for complex, multi-page transactions (like a shopping cart) to remember your progress. These are destroyed when you close your browser.
Persistent Cookies: Used only to provide customized services (like remembering language preferences). We do not store sensitive data in these cookies.
User Control: You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though it may limit your ability to use certain online services.
5. Third-Party Links & Content
Our website contains links to external sites (e.g., state agencies or local organizations).
Privacy Disclaimer: The Town of Hampden is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of non-town websites.
Embedded Content: Some pages may feature embedded content (like maps or videos) that may track your interaction if you are logged into those third-party services.
6. Contact Information
If you have questions about this policy or wish to request access to your data, please contact the Town Manager:
Email: