School board member has charges dismissed

PORTLAND – A misdemeanor charge against a Portland School Committee member who was arrested six months ago for driving with a suspended license has been dismissed.

Benjamin Meiklejohn never received notification that his license had been suspended, said Assistant District Attorney Tracy Bardwell, who dismissed the complaint Thursday in Cumberland County Superior Court.

Meiklejohn was the second Green Independent on the school board to be arrested within a four-month period. Jason Toothaker resigned his seat and pleaded no contest after his arrest for theft of services for skipping out on a $4.65 cab fare.

Meiklejohn said the dismissal of the driving with a suspended license charge shows that critics were wrong when they said he was setting a bad example for young people.