AUGUSTA, Maine - The Democratic speaker of the Maine House of Representatives has been named president of Good Will-Hinkley school.
The school's board of directors announced Tuesday that it has selected Mark Eves as its next president after a nine month search. Good Will-Hinkley operates the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences, the state's first charter school.
Eves is a marriage and family therapist who's serving his fourth term in the Legislature and second term as House speaker, is expected to begin on July 1. He said in a statement that he's honored and excited about the opportunity.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who has clashed with Eves on a variety of issues, urged the board in a letter on Monday not to hire Eves. LePage called Eves a "longtime opponent'' of charter schools.