A Bangor-area school district is facing an unprecedented governance crisis after half of its school board members abruptly resigned this week. The four resignations from the eight-member Regional School Unit 63 (RSU 63) board have left the body without a quorum, rendering it unable to conduct official business and plunging the district's future into uncertainty.
The mass departure follows months of escalating tensions within the community, fueled by a divisive proposal to consolidate local elementary schools. The departing members cited a lack of leadership and an untenable public environment as key reasons for their decision.
Key Takeaways
- Four of the eight members of the RSU 63 School Board resigned simultaneously on Thursday.
- The district, which serves the towns of Clifton, Eddington, and Holden, now lacks a quorum and cannot hold meetings or make official decisions.
- Resigning members cited a lack of leadership, fiscal responsibility, and ongoing conflicts with the public and other board members.
- The resignations follow a deadlocked 4–4 vote on a controversial school consolidation plan that divided the community.
A Board in Limbo
The resignations were submitted on Thursday by Linda Graban of Clifton, Heather Grass of Eddington, and Holden representatives Heather Lander and Cherie Faulkner. By Friday, their contact information had been removed from the school district's official website, signaling the finality of their departure.
With only four members remaining, the board falls short of the required number to legally convene or vote on any matter. This effectively paralyzes the district's governance, preventing it from approving budgets, hiring staff, or setting educational policy.
What is a Quorum?
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group. Without a quorum, any actions taken are not legally binding. For RSU 63, the loss of four members means the board cannot function until the vacant seats are filled.
District leadership has not yet issued a public statement on the resignations or outlined a plan for moving forward. The process for filling the vacant seats remains unclear, leaving parents, teachers, and students in a state of uncertainty as the district faces significant challenges.
The Breaking Point
In their resignation letters, the former board members painted a picture of a dysfunctional environment. They pointed to a perceived lack of leadership, poor fiscal management, and a missing sense of direction within the district administration and the board itself.
Several members noted that the ongoing conflicts had become detrimental to their personal well-being. They described an atmosphere of intense public criticism and internal strife that had taken a significant toll on their mental and physical health.
Cherie Faulkner, one of the Holden representatives who resigned, was explicit in her reasoning. In her letter, she accused the board and administration of failing in their primary duty.
"[I] will not compromise my integrity by remaining in my position," Faulkner wrote, asserting that the board was not putting the needs of students first.
The sentiment was echoed by others who felt the situation had become untenable. One departing member indicated that a return to the board was not possible without significant changes in leadership at both the board and district levels.
A Community Divided by Consolidation
The mass resignation did not occur in a vacuum. It is the culmination of months of heated debate and community division, primarily centered on a proposal to consolidate the district's two elementary schools.
Earlier this year, the board was presented with a plan that would merge its elementary school populations. The proposal was met with strong opinions on both sides, with supporters pointing to potential cost savings and detractors raising concerns about larger class sizes and the loss of community schools.
The Deadlocked Vote
The school consolidation proposal resulted in a 4–4 deadlocked vote, a clear indicator of the deep divisions on the board and within the communities it represents. This failure to reach a consensus intensified local frustrations.
The vote's outcome only served to deepen the rift. In the weeks that followed, the political climate grew more contentious. Residents in Holden, dissatisfied with the vote cast by their representatives, took action by filing recall petitions earlier this month targeting both Heather Lander and Cherie Faulkner, the two board members who have now resigned.
This public pressure appears to have been a significant factor in their decision to step down, alongside the broader issues of district leadership and board functionality they cited.
What Happens Next for RSU 63?
The immediate future for RSU 63 is uncertain. Without a functioning school board, the district is essentially rudderless. Key responsibilities that are now on hold include:
- Budget Approval: The board cannot approve spending or financial plans.
- Personnel Decisions: Hiring of teachers and staff, as well as contract negotiations, are stalled.
- Policy Making: Any new educational policies or responses to state mandates cannot be enacted.
- Oversight: The fundamental role of overseeing the superintendent and district administration is vacant.
The process to fill the four empty seats will likely involve the respective towns of Clifton, Eddington, and Holden. However, the timeline and procedures for these appointments or special elections have not been announced. Until new members are in place and a quorum is restored, the district's ability to address ongoing educational and operational challenges is severely compromised.
The events at RSU 63 serve as a stark reminder of the pressures facing local school boards across the country, where contentious policy debates can escalate into full-blown governance crises, leaving the education of children hanging in the balance.
