Superintendent Russ Jones will remain employed with the school district for another four years after the voted 4-1 to renew his contract May 29.
The contract begins Aug. 2, 2013 and ends July 31, 2017. Jones will be paid $125,804 annually for 206 working days.
(The entire contract is included in this post in the form of a .pdf.) His current salary of $122,200 annually will remain frozen until the new contract is effective next year.
"I'm still not happy with things on this particular contract," Board Member Rod Armstrong said prior to voting.
Armstrong cited some of the following items as to why he was voting against the contract:
1. The $5,000 merit stipend:
Item 10 f: "The superintendent will be awarded $5,000 merit pay stipend for each year the district scores 100.0 or above on the Ohio Department of Education's Performance Index."
Armstrong said his issue with the above is that the district has for the last several years, scored 102 or higher on the .
"I think we should have changed it to 104 or 105 ... so it's an incentive to do better," he said.
2. An increase in annuity:
Item 10 g: "The board agrees to pay to the superintendent supplemental compensation each year of this agreement, which, at the discretion of the superintendent may be contributed to a tax-deferred annuity or other tax-deferred compensation plan selected by the superintendent; or paid directly to the superintendent as an allowance. The amount of such annual supplemental compensation shall be $10,000 per contract year."
The amount in the previous contract was $5,000.
3. Approving the contract now:
"A year and four months between now and the next time frame ... I think that’s way too early," he said.
Board Member Karen Wright said it is common courtesy to "give an administrator vote of confidence or to give them enough time to find employment elsewhere."
Board Member Fred Bonacci said he fears waiting until later to approve the contract because Jones may want to look at other school districts.
Despite Armstrong’s objections listed above, and a few others, the other four members of the board were in favor of approving the contract.
"I think the contract that has been brought to us for renewal is fair, particularly given [the superintendent's] accomplishments," said Board President Karen Powers. "We know that you are determined to be at the top of student achievement."
When asked for comment about Armstrong's "no" vote, Jones said, "I respect his opinion."
He also said he "appreciates the board's support. I'm excited about our accomplishments and I look forward to our continued progress."
(2)Treasurer states if Renewal 2012 and next renewal not passed will face $15mil deficit (3) Certifiedand Non-Certified take pay freeze for 2 years during last levy Now the New levy passes and first thing to do is increase the Bus Garage Manager Salary and the Head Custodian salary (increase expense), return bussing to High School (increase expense) and Award Superintendent pay increase which doubles the annuity amount per contract year, as well as increase Merit Stipend without increasing the average the school system must achieve. So are we in a fiscal crisis like the Treasurer says? It seems that the Board is approving a lot of expediture without anyone offering ideas on how to reduce the deficit except through the levies...we need some thinkers here who are willing to bring forth "savings" ideas,
Thanks for your response, but if the District is in a financial crisis as we are being told by our Treasurer, should we not be looking to reduce our deficit rather than continuing to build our deficit? I do not doubt the individuals were workers who deserved increases, however the timing was bad and it did not look well with the levy just passing. I think the District needs to come to the realization that cuts are going to need to be made...no matter the bad taste it leaves in our mouths, sooner or later the BOE is going to have to make some tough decisions...do we do it now and start to cut our losses, or do we keep going with the hope the deficit does not continue to grow?
No the Bus Garage Manager and the Head custodian are two seperate individuals. Both may have been deserving of the pay increases, but the timing was bad to make their increase right after the levy passed. My concern is that sooner or later the BOE is going to have to make some tough decisions as to how to reduce the deficit and the question is do we start now, or do we continue to grow the deficit. In my opinion we need to start now in thinking of ways we can start to reduce the deficit without counting on the levies alone, but I am not sure those in charge to make those decisions are willing to make them.
I understand the fact that no new money had been received in 12 years, what I would like to see are some ideas on how we can cut the deficit. I have heard nothing from the BOE that states any initiatives that are in process that will have a long term effect on the deficit. We need other ideas that go along with the renewals, as Treasurer Bulgrin pointed out even if both renewals pass, there will still be a deficit. I think we have a great school system and I want my children to continue benefitting from it, but I think we need to look at some long term reduction ideas that will help to lessen the deficit.
that belong to the taxpayers on a programe that cost hundeds of thousands of dollars That the district will not tell you. But you better believe they will tell you when cuts are comming. Not that new contract extentions,up to 3 yrs. for some personnal at Central Office. But our teachers that had to take a freeze are missing out. And now the Super. gets a contract extension, a year early ? this crap does not happen in the real world. My boss would never give me a review and a 3% raise and a guaranteed 5% performance bonus a year early. Remember these Board Members they must be drinking same kool-aid. Find someone who can manage the budget and not her closet. Get rid of IB and stick to AP, keep all afairs out of the district. and always remember GOD IS ALWAY'S WATCHING YOU !!!
Who else wants in on that contest?
That IS a FACT!
Bus in children from out of town, meanwhile the crime that is not been reported keeps going up and residents keep moving out and all the foreclosed homes turn into rentals and Jones' IB Schools attract the poor children of these meth and crack heads that are moving closer. And since the Board , minus one, gave him the ruby slippers and more power than the Mayor, Police Chief and the bagger on isle 2 at Giant Eagle. He can what ever he wants to without any ramifications. Oh Echo Hills you might be next. Mr.Jones why don't you do the taxpayers a favor out of kindness, take an add out in the paper and explain to the people how, why,when, where you plan on running these schools in the future, what kind of programme, how much does it cost, why do we need a renewal passed. And why so much power for a depleteing district that is loosing attendance each year, staff is moving on. What is going on ? I heard this was a great place years ago. Glad my kids are grown and moved away, this School Administration is embarassing !!
YOU ARE WRONG! I am correct. God how I love making people like you look like bigger fools.
all the issues. Tom know any good IB jokes?.
http://myinclinevillage.com/2011/02/06/ib-cost.aspx Many schools drop IB after spending hundreds of thousand to millions of dollars on this ridiculous programme. In St. Helena the district spent $1,000,000+ in three years on IB then dropped the programme... http://myinclinevillage.com/2011/03/09/at-least-22-schools-announce-they-will-drop-ib.aspx