Jim Hodgkin, former superintendent of the Winthrop Public Schools, speaks Wednesday night during the School Board’s public comment period. Hodgkin called on community members to recall some of the board members for failing to fulfill their elected duties. Screenshot from Winthrop Public Schools video

WINTHROP — The former superintendent of the Winthrop Public Schools has called on the public to recall some members of the School Board.

During the public comment period of the Winthrop School Board’s business meeting Wednesday night, Jim Hodgkin called on the community to “remove members of the board who are problematic” and, in his view, not fulfilling their elected duties.

Hodgkin submitted his resignation Aug. 1, calling out two members of the School Board for making his job difficult.

Hodgkin listed other reasons Wednesday as to why he resigned, such as posts on social media about him and people being critical of his comments during School Board meetings. But as he ended his comments Wednesday night, he called on the pubic to restore the Winthrop community by recalling the board members, whom he did not name.

“Someone in the Winthrop community needs to take action to get this situation under control by removing members of the School Board who have been problematic,” Hodgkin said, before Alicia Lawson, chair of the School Board, told him to wrap up his comments.

“This is at least two, but probably three,” Hodgkin continued. “This would involve the petition to recall for the board members. Many people have spoken to me about how to do this. I have provided a number of people with the law in the process. I know people have expressed a great deal of anger, but no one has been moved to action.

“The timeframe to do this is quite short. A petition has to be developed, signatures sought and returned to town officials 45 days prior the Nov. 5 election. That means it has to be returned by Sept. 18. It’s sad it may come to this when what should happen is these people should just step down.”

Hodgkin explained that the School Board has clear duties: Hire the superintendent, the board’s only employee; make policy and develop a school budget; and to serve their role apolitically and without a vendetta or personal agenda.

He said that as elected officials, School Board members should be held accountable for their actions in and out of meetings.

“They should not berate administration and tell them to leave their job, or use profanity when they are angry, or tell them how to do their job, or during meetings, glare and shake their head and roll their eyes in disgust,” Hodgkin said.

Several elected officials in central Maine have faced the possibility of a recall in recent months, including a member of the Pittston Board of Selectmen and the road commissioner in Madison, and the timely process is outlined in Maine law.

Hodgkin has not said publicly who he believes should resign, but has made it clear — during arguments at past public meetings — that he has issues with how Monika McLaughlin and Ivy Corliss fulfill their elected positions.

Hodgkin voiced his support for Lawson in his resignation letter. But in a letter to her Aug. 24, obtained through a Freedom of Access Act request by the Kennebec Journal, he said he does not think she was honest with him after he arrived at a meeting Aug. 20 and was told his contract would be terminated immediately, rather than after 90 days, as he had originally anticipated.

No members of the School Board commented on Hodgkin’s statement during the meeting.

Neither McLaughlin nor Corliss responded to an emailed request for comment.

Lawson said during Wednesday night’s meeting that the School Board will undergo a training session put on by Maine School Management Association. In a statement Thursday, she said the board wishes Hodgkin well in his new job.

“We made a decision as a board to remain forward facing as we work collaboratively to build a stronger team,” Lawson said. “This will result in a positive working environment for all staff, and create schools where all students thrive. As we work together towards a common goal of increased communication and transparency, we will emerge stronger.”

Jerry Lauzon, a tutor from Winthrop who has lived in the town since 1987, spoke during the public comment period, before Hodgkin took to the podium. He referenced the divided School Board and said the people of Winthrop did not want Hodgkin to resign.

Lauzon said he is upset the town will pay $30,000 to close out Hodgkin’s salary, in addition to interim Superintendent Becky Foley’s salary of $138,793.

“I’m telling you, in advance, this is not what the teachers or people in Winthrop want,” Lauzon said. “We don’t want to see him go away. He was somebody good in the community and, overall, the people you represent, the teachers and the coaches, they feel the same way. So now you are sending someone out, paying the salary twice and I’m here to tell you I’m very disappointed.”

Throughout his speech, Hodgkin maintained it was his decision to resign, and he was not pushed out by the School Board. Still, he said he would have preferred to serve until Nov. 1, which he expected to do after tendering his resignation.

“It was my choice to leave,” Hodgkin said, “but for the School Board to think I was willing to leave immediately, without any closure from community, staff, administrative team or students, is hard to fathom.”