Nearly half of a Bangor-area school board abruptly resigned this week, leaving the district without a quorum and unable to conduct official business.
Four of the eight members of the Regional School Unit 63 School Board submitted their resignations Thursday, effectively shutting down the board. Those who stepped down were Linda Graban of Clifton, Heather Grass of Eddington, and Holden representatives Heather Lander and Cherie Faulkner.
In their resignation letters, the departing members cited what they described as a lack of leadership, fiscal responsibility, and clear direction within the district. Several said ongoing conflicts with fellow board members and members of the public had become untenable.
The mass resignation follows months of controversy, including a deeply divisive 4–4 vote earlier this year on a proposal to consolidate the district’s two elementary schools. That deadlocked vote split the community and led Holden residents to file recall petitions earlier this month targeting Lander and Faulkner.
Faulkner, in her resignation letter, accused the board and administration of failing to put students first, writing that she would not compromise her integrity by remaining in her position.
By Friday, the four members’ contact information had been removed from the district’s website. With only four members remaining, the board no longer has enough members to meet or vote under quorum rules.
District leadership did not immediately comment on the resignations, and it remains unclear how or when the vacant seats will be filled.
Resigning board members said the ongoing disputes and public criticism had taken a toll on their mental and physical health. One member said the resignations would not be reconsidered absent significant changes in board and district leadership.
The sudden walkout leaves RSU 63 in limbo as the district faces ongoing governance and education policy challenges.
