School Board Approves Salary Adjustment for Superintendent

by Steve Yablonski | February 26, 2013 8:14 pm

OSWEGO, NY – At its meeting Tuesday night, the Oswego Board of Education approved a salary adjustment (increase) for Bill Crist, the retiring Superintendent of Schools, for the 2012-13 school year. The rate is now $147,737.

The board also approved an amendment of the superintendent’s contract by adjusting his health insurance contribution from 20% to 15%.

Both votes were 4-2 with Kathleen Allen and Sam Tripp casting the nay votes.

Crist announced earlier this year that he is stepping down at the end of this school year.

BOCES District Superintendent Chris Todd is leading the search for the new superintendent.

He is asking the community to become involved by completing a survey that  is available on line at www.oswego.org or by linking to
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/OswegoSuptSurvey2013

The search process is under way as the deadline for submitting applications for the position is March 15. Four people have already reportedly sought the position.

Following the deadline, Todd will provide the Board of Education with the list of candidates.

Committees consisting of various school and community groups will have the opportunity to be involved in the process.

All bargaining units, as well as representation from Central Office, parents and community members will be involved in assisting in the search to find a new educational leader for the district.

The desire of the Board of Education is to place a suitable candidate in the superintendent of school position by July 1.

“Their timeline is such that they will very likely have a new superintendent in place by July 1,” Crist said.

If not, he would be willing to stay on in an as needed role, he added.

Of his salary adjustment, he noted, “It’s something we’ve talked about for a while. (Tonight’s vote) finally put it in place. It’s really just a piece of old business.”

“We had gone the school year without adjusting his salary. He was making the same as he was last year,” Board President John Dunsmoor said of the salary adjustment. “He had taken the same freeze that everyone else had taken in prior years.”

“I’m just thinking of the timeframe. We’re putting together a budget. When you’re putting together a budget and you know you’ve got a $4 million or $5 million gap, I don’t think it’s the time to give raises, even if it’s a couple thousand dollars,” Tripp said. “It all adds up. I just don’t think the time is right.”

As for his future, Crist said he “has a few irons in the fire” but nothing firm as yet.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/school-board-approves-salary-adjustment-for-superintendent/

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