Posted on 08/09/2005 6:11:09 AM PDT by Born Conservative
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Auditor General Jack Wagner said Monday that the school board in Mt. Lebanon owes residents an explanation of its half million dollar buyout of the contract of its former superintendent.
The school board has never discussed why Margery Sable left sixteen months after signing a five-year contract with the district. Sable resigned Nov. 8, angering residents who questioned why she will still collect $420,000 salary over the next three years, another $5,000 in legal fees, and receive health insurance coverage until she turns 65.
"This contract buyout is especially troubling because the reasons for it have largely been kept secret from the taxpayers of the district," Wagner said in a statement about an audit his office conducted of the deal. "Because their tax dollars are paying for the buyout, the taxpayers deserve to know why Dr. Sable was removed from her position."
Wagner's staff asked the school district why Sable left, but the district said it could not release details because of a confidentiality clause in a separation agreement. The district did say that there were differences with Sable on how to operate the district and on her management style.
Officials with the school district did not immediately return a call for comment Monday.
Sable had signed a five-year contract, the maximum length allowed by state law. Wagner said the contract didn't include performance expectations, compensation and benefits payable upon termination, and notification procedures, all provisions that he said would have protected the district.
In November 2004, the district signed a separation agreement with Sable that stipulated that the district pay her the salary and benefits previously agreed to for the second year of her contract, $140,000 each of the following three years, health care benefits, a payout of unused vacation time and legal fees.
Wagner said the district shouldn't offer first-time superintendents contracts of more than three years, and that all future contracts include termination provisions.
On July 18, the school board named George Wilson its new superintendent. Wilson has been with the district for 23 years.
Our tax $$$'s at work...
Good work if you can get it.
What do you people want? The Auditor General finds it "troubling," which is just a heartbeat away from "disturbing," and that should be good enough for anybody.
Where do I send my resume?
Mighty fine work if you can get it. Yep, mighty fine . . .
I find this most interesting... If there was a confidentiality issue, then why pay in full? I would expect that to get full confidentiality, Sable would have to give up $$, but she didn't have to. There must have been something VERY embarassing to both parties.
ping
Seems these, so called, good Superintendents can wash out like a Chris Benson. My opinion, the school boards are to blame and should be replaced. Yea, try that once.
What do you want to bet that this same school district is hitting up its parents for school supplies, toilet paper, and pencils? Because of the evil Bush education cuts, of course...
My zip code is a Mt. Lebo zip code although I don't live there. There are lots of rumors about the "WHY."
Wagner just now decides the people are owed an explanation? Where has he be for the past 9 months.
This school district doesn't have to hit anyone up for papers, pencils, etc. It is a very affluent school district. In many ways it reminds me of Havertown or Lower Merion.
I spent 20 years in public school education. The scams I've seen you wouldn't believe.
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