Jail Board of Visitors
About
The York County Jail Board of Visitors is an oversight and advisory group of citizens from the community appointed by Sheriff William L King, Jr to inspect and provide recommendations for jail conditions such as security, staff safety, inmate health and safety, and rehabilitation efforts of inmates on an annual basis under 30-A M.R.S. § 1651.
Upcoming Board Meetings
July 9, 2024 at 9AM
October 8, 2024 @ 9AM
Location: York County Jail
Please note: The Jail Board of Visitors meetings may be changed to accommodate the schedules of the members of the committee, canceled at the request of the committee, or other logistical issues that would prevent a meeting.
Meet Our Board Of Visitors
Mathew Baron
Mr. Matthew Baron retired after 23 years as an emergency medicine provider. In retirement, he founded Precision Equipment Coatings that is located in Limerick Maine. He is also interested in “giving back” to his community.
Mr. Baron has a keen interest in the challenges of drug addiction and has actively tried to assist those with a substance use disorder. On his own, he took the training to become a Certified Recovery Coach and has assisted countless people suffering from alcohol and/or illegal drugs usage find sobriety.
Mr. Baron resides in Limerick with his wife, Michele, and two children, Molly and Maggie. He also lives with his adult brother, Patrick. When not working you may find him exploring remote campsites in Maine and New Hampshire with his family and during the winter, you will find him providing trailside food from his outdoor kitchen to snowmobilers that pass by established snowmobile trails.
Ken Blow
Mr. Ken Blow is a lifelong resident of Old Orchard Beach. He has started and owned several successful businesses with his brothers as well as solo ventures.
He is also interested in civic affairs and has held the following positions:
· Old Orchard Beach Town Councilor
· Libby Memorial Library President
· Chair of the BSOOB Transit Board
He continues to be very active in his community and wanted to expand his volunteerism. He has always been interested in corrections and jumped at the opportunity to serve on the Board of Visitors.
When not serving on his various committees, you will find Ken at his current business, Seacoast RV, in Saco that he runs with his daughter.
Nicole Butler
coming soon
Janet Drew
Ms. Janet Drew completed a career in the medical field as a nurse. She retired to Maine in 2013 and occupies her time volunteering for several causes she believes in, one of which is corrections. She is passionate about ensuring correctional facilities are funded adequately and that our incarcerated population is afforded opportunities to turn their lives around.
Ms. Drew follows county commissioner meetings in York and other counties, specifically regarding funding for county jails. She is an active member of the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition as well as with groups advocating to ensure all people are afforded their human and civil rights. She is a prior York County Board of Visitor and her appointment expired in 2025 - however, because of her experience and interest, Sheriff King asked her to remain in an advisory capacity.
Charlyce Goodwin
Ms. Charlyce Goodwin, has struggled with illegal drugs for many years before her incarceration. During her incarceration, she realized that she needed to change and worked hard taking any and all recovery programs that were offered.
Upon her release, she maintains her sobriety by working her program steadily. She found an accepting employer, Firehouse Subs, in Biddeford and has been elevated to Assistance Manager! In her off time, she started a cleaning company, Diamond Luxe, and that company is growing steadily!
Her passion for helping others is satisfied by being a volunteer Youth Counselor at the New Life Church in Biddeford where she shares her story about overcoming addiction and choosing recovery!
Deborah H. W. Hamilton, LCSW
Deborah Hamilton is a Maine Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience in behavioral health, trauma-informed care, and crisis intervention. She provides psychotherapy to adults in private practice and also works as a Behavioral Health Clinician at MaineHealth/MMC’s Inpatient Psychiatric Unit in Sanford, supporting adults experiencing acute mental health crises.
Ms. Hamilton earned both her Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, from the University of Southern Maine. She has worked across a range of settings including inpatient psychiatry, outpatient therapy, child welfare, child support enforcement, and community-based services, and brings deep knowledge of Maine’s DHHS system. She is passionate about giving a voice to vulnerable communities.
In her spare time, Ms. Hamilton volunteers for animal welfare groups, enjoys gardening, spending time with family, and traveling. She is enthusiastic about joining the Board to offer expertise from the mental health perspective.
Sarah Johnson
Educator with experience working in correctional settings. Ms. Johnson has volunteered for 17 years in Maine and New Hampshire Correctional Facilities and was employed for four years at a women’s prison in New Mexico.
Ms. Cheryl Dearman Mills
Retired educator who has served in three communities and three county jails. She is a member of the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition as well as Welcoming Immigrants as our New Neighbors.
Gary M. Prolman, Esq.
Gary M. Prolman is a practicing attorney who has been in Maine since 1991 when I was first admitted to the Bar. He is a sole practitioner whose main focus is Criminal Defense. Attorney Prolman has represented nearly 5,000 criminal Defendants.
Gary also owned GMP Sports Advisory for 15 years. He was the only Mainer ever certified to represent National Hockey League players by the NHLPA. Gary is the founder of GMP Charities, which is a registered 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Charity that has given out nearly $300,000.00 since 2022 to Mainers in need including, but not limited to Veteran Organizations, Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation, Portland Boxing Club, USM Men’s Hockey Team, K-9’s on the Front Lines, Thornton Academy, Mary’s Walk, just to name a few…
In his spare time he has been a Hockey Coach for several Maine schools, and was the founder of the Maine High School Hockey Invitational that gave out approximately $250,000.00 in scholarships to Maine Student Athletes and charities over 15 years.
Susan Wiswell
Retired Nurse who has lived in York County for the past 40 years. She is active in county operations and is a member of the:
Animal Response Team
York County Bicentennial Committee
York County Budget Committee
York County BOV since 2019