Morgan Gunnell, a Milford School Committee member who was elected in June, resigned from the position on Tuesday effectively immediately, according to a social media post from the committee.
Gunnell, a firefighter in Milford, was elected to the Milford School Committee that oversees the Dr. Lewis S. Libby School, Milford’s K-8 school, on June 10 with seven write-in votes. He was intended to serve on the committee for three years.
The resignation comes days after the Bangor Daily News first reported that Gunnell was convicted of assault in 2015. Gunnell said he wrote in his name during the election “as a joke,” but vowed to take the position seriously once elected.
Gunnell pleaded guilty to an assault charge after a grand jury found that he knowingly or recklessly caused bodily injury or offensive physical contact to his son who was less than a year old at the time, according to court records. Gunnell entered an Alford plea, meaning he maintained that he was innocent but acknowledged that the prosecution had enough evidence to convict him.
When interviewed earlier this month, Gunnell said he was going to spend his three years on the committee working toward a more affordable budget.
Attempts to reach Gunnell were not immediately successful.
Milford Town Manager David Dionne did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Milford School Committee said information about the open seat will be forthcoming. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday.
