TERMS OF USE

HOLD WATERVILLE ACCOUNTABLE

Effective Date: October 1, 2026

These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of HoldWatervilleAccountable.com (the "website"), which is operated by Maine for Keeps as part of its Hold Waterville Accountable project ("Maine for Keeps," "we," "us," or "our"). By accessing or using this website, you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not use the website.

1. Permitted Use

You may use this website for lawful, personal, and noncommercial purposes consistent with these Terms.

You may not:

• Violate any applicable law or regulation
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the website or its systems
• Interfere with the website's operation or security
• Introduce viruses, malicious code, or harmful material
• Use automated tools to scrape, copy, or overload the website without authorization
• Impersonate another person or misrepresent your affiliation
• Submit false or fraudulent information, including signing the pledge in another person's name
• Use website content in a misleading manner
• Violate the intellectual property or privacy rights of others

We may restrict or terminate access to the website when we reasonably believe these Terms have been violated.

2. Nature of This Project

Hold Waterville Accountable is a civic accountability and issue advocacy project focused on public records, budgets, taxes, and government decisions affecting Waterville, Maine. It is not affiliated with any candidate committee and does not endorse or urge a vote for or against any candidate for office. The website does not accept political contributions. Signing the pledge is free and voluntary.

3. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, the website and its contents, including text, graphics, photographs, illustrations, videos, logos, designs, documents, and other material, are owned by or licensed to Maine for Keeps and are protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may share links to publicly available website pages and use content for lawful news reporting, commentary, or other uses permitted by law. No other reproduction, distribution, modification, publication, or commercial use is authorized without prior written permission. Third party names, logos, news articles, photographs, and other materials remain the property of their respective owners.

4. Pledge and User Submissions

When you sign the pledge or send us comments, suggestions, or other material, you represent that the information is accurate, that you have the right to provide it, and that it does not violate any law or third party right. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, you grant Maine for Keeps a nonexclusive, worldwide license, free of royalties, to use, reproduce, edit, publish, distribute, and display voluntarily submitted comments and suggestions for project, civic engagement, and archival purposes. Pledge information is handled as described in our Privacy Policy. Do not submit confidential or sensitive information through the website forms.

5. Third Party Links

The website provides links to news organizations, public records, government websites, social networks, and other third party websites and services for convenience and so that you can verify our sources. A link does not necessarily constitute an endorsement. We are not responsible for third party content, availability, security, terms, or privacy practices.

6. Accuracy and Availability

Facts on this website are sourced and dated, and we try to keep information accurate and current. We do not guarantee that all content will always be complete, accurate, or up to date. Public records, official figures, and news coverage may change as records are updated. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any portion of the website without notice.

7. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the website and its contents are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied. We do not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted, free of errors, secure, or free of harmful components. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain warranty exclusions, so portions of this section may not apply to you.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Maine for Keeps and its officers, employees, agents, consultants, vendors, and volunteers will not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages arising from or relating to your use of, or inability to use, the website. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

9. Indemnification

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Maine for Keeps and its officers, employees, agents, consultants, vendors, and volunteers from claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses arising from your unlawful use of the website, your violation of these Terms, or your infringement of another person's rights.

10. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Maine and applicable federal law, without regard to conflict of laws principles. Any legal action concerning these Terms or the website must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction located in Maine, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

11. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permitted, and the remaining provisions will remain in effect.

12. No Waiver

A failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not waive our right to enforce that or any other provision later.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms periodically. Changes become effective when the revised Terms are posted with a new effective date. Your continued use of the website after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Contact Us

For questions concerning these Terms of Use, contact:

Maine for Keeps

Hold Waterville Accountable