Maine’s casino inspectors say that they have no confidence in the executive director of the state’s Gambling Control Unit, Milton Champion.
In a letter issued on Wednesday, the nine inspectors cited what they call a lack of cooperation with their union contract and “a deeply dysfunctional and toxic workplace environment.”
The inspectors cover Maine’s two casinos, Oxford Casino and Hollywood Casino Bangor. The letter accused Champion of ignoring the Maine Gambling Control Board.
The board, the inspectors said, has voted against Champion’s initiatives in the past, and in response the director has made “unilateral” decisions on his own instead.
The letter does not go into further detail but stated: “Many of these decisions make very little sense, are based on false data, and have irreparably harmed the Maine Gambling Control Unit’s ability to regulate casino gambling (which we are required to do by state statute).”
The inspectors also belong to the Maine Service Employees Association union, and further accused Champion of not properly paying them, retaliating for complaining and violating the local union’s collective bargaining agreement with the state.
The inspectors accused Champion of creating “a deeply dysfunctional and toxic work environment.”
The Gambling Control Unit is part of the state Department of Public Safety. Department spokesperson Shannon Moss said Wednesday that the union had not yet issued the letter to Champion or the department.
“If they do, we’ll review it,” she said.