SKOWHEGAN — One of Cornville’s two representatives on the Skowhegan-area school board has resigned, citing differences of opinion with the superintendent of schools and frustration with board procedures as reasons for his departure.

Julian Payne at a 2018 Waterville City Council meeting. Payne, who was elected to a three-year term on the MSAD 54 board in March 2023, announced his resignation Dec. 19. Morning Sentinel file photo

Julian Payne, 56, said he verbally submitted his resignation at the end of the last Maine School Administrative District 54 board of directors meeting on Dec. 19.

“All I can say, honestly, is that Jon Moody has been a great superintendent. He was always very good to me, always very timely getting back to me. And you can print this, I think he’s great for the SAD 54,” Payne said Monday in a phone interview. “We just had a fundamental difference of opinion that I couldn’t get past. It was one of those make-or-break things for me, that I thought the best thing for me would be to resign.”

MSAD 54 Superintendent Jon Moody in November 2023 in his office, says he was not sure what exactly led to Payne’s departure, saying it was a personal decision for him. “I think he was a good and active board member.” Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel file

Payne, who was elected to a three-year term on the MSAD 54 board in March 2023, called his time on the board “an uphill battle” that, at times, caused him stress.

“It just really wasn’t a positive experience,” Payne said. “It was very hard work to have your voice heard when it should’ve been acceptable under Robert’s Rules,” referring to a manual for parliamentary procedure used widely by many boards and committees.

Payne declined to discuss the details of his concerns further. He said he did not submit a written resignation letter, which Moody, the superintendent, confirmed.

Moody said Monday he was not sure what exactly led to Payne’s departure, saying it was a personal decision for him. “I think he was a good and active board member.”

Lynda Quinn, the chair of the Skowhegan-area school board, said she was not surprised by Payne’s decision to resign. About a year ago, Payne expressed that he was thinking about resigning, and later changed his mind.

Lynda Quinn, chair of the MSAD 54 School Board, opens the public comment portion of a meeting in January 2020. Quinn said she tries to allow all 23 members of the board the opportunity to speak, with no time limit. Morning Sentinel file photo

Asked about Payne’s criticism of board procedures, Quinn stood by how she runs the board.

“Procedure is procedure. It’s been established for a long time,” said Quinn, a former Skowhegan Select Board member and Somerset County commissioner, in a phone call Monday. “And as board chair, I give everybody a chance to speak. And I try not to have people say the same thing too many times.”

Quinn said she tries to allow all 23 members of the board — who represent the towns of Canaan, Cornville, Mercer, Norridgewock, Skowhegan and Smithfield — the opportunity to speak with no time limit. She limits members of the public who wish to comment to two minutes.

“Julian was a unique person, just like everybody on that board has their unique way of thinking and doing,” Quinn said. “We just go with it. That’s what happens.”

Payne, who was born in England and said he is retired, served previously on the Waterville Board of Education and the Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District board of trustees before he moved to Cornville. In Waterville, he also vied for appointment to the city council among four candidates in 2018.

In Cornville, Payne had served on the Planning Board, he said.

In his time on the school board, Payne said he was proud of creating a second school resource officer position, working on updating the district’s mission statements and getting policies up to date.

“None of it really could’ve been done without the board,” Payne said. “Some positive things were done.”

Payne said he plans to stay involved in local affairs. Cornville town officials intend to appoint him to the Somerset County Budget Committee, he said.

As for the now-vacant school board seat, Moody said it is up to the town, not the school board, to choose how to proceed. In general, town officials can make an appointment or wait until a future election to fill the seat.

Cornville’s other representative on the MSAD 54 board is Theresa Howard.