D-303 grants superintendent financial swap
Extended health insurance exchanged for vacation pay
Published: Tuesday, April 11, 2017 10:49 a.m. CDT • Updated: Tuesday, April 11, 2017 3:42 p.m. C
Caption
(Shaw Media file photo)
By MARTHA QUETSCH - editorial@kcchronicle.com
ST. CHARLES – St. Charles School District 303 will cover the cost of health and dental insurance for three-and-a-half years for retiring Superintendent Don Schlomann in exchange for vacation pay it owes him.
The school board voted 4-2 on April 10 to amend the superintendent's contract to reflect the exchange. Schlomann desired the exchange so that he would save in income tax he would owe for vacation pay, he said.
Schlomann will retire June 30 after 10 years as superintendent. His contract had stated that – upon his retirement – the district would pay out all his unused vacation time, which district officials expect will total 30 days.
The superintendent's vacation pay would be $25,961. District officials calculated that health and dental insurance for Schlomann through Dec. 31, 2020, would cost $26,352, based on current insurance rates for employees.
The contract amendment grants Schlomann the right to remain on the district’s health and dental insurance plan through the end of 2020, even if employee insurance rates increase.
Board President Kathy Hewell said Schlomann deserved to have his request granted because he accepted the same annual salary of $225,000 for 10 years and never sought a raise.
Hewell also said she is grateful that Schlomann will continue in his position through June 30 to help with contracts up for bid in mid-June related to Thompson and Wredling middle schools' renovation and expansion projects.
“He will be taking us through June during a critical time for our district,” Hewell said. “I'm very happy he is willing to forgo vacation to stay with us during this time.”
Two board members, Edward McNally and Lori Linkimer, opposed the contract amendment because it allowed for a financial exchange that was not guaranteed to be equal.
“If we knew for certain it would be a dollar for dollar exchange, I would have voted for it,” McNally said after the meeting.
Linkimer said she agreed and added, “There is no way we can know what insurance costs will be in the future.”
Above is from: http://www.kcchronicle.com/2017/04/11/d-303-grants-superintendent-financial-swap/abnu5d7/
