Changes to ESUSD Superintendent’s contract on the table this evening
Changes to ESUSD Superintendent Don Clark’s employee contract will come before the Board for approval this evening. (Photo: Kirkner)
The Eastern Sierra Unified School District (ESUSD) is holding a special meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at Coleville High School. One purpose of this meeting is to gather community input on the future of attendance boundaries and bus service in the District. Also on the agenda is the ratification of several amendments to the Superintendent’s employee contract.
Superintendent Don Clark received a lot of heat last spring when ESUSD’s budget did not balance and a large deficit was revealed to parents. The budget issues led to the closure of the Eastern Sierra Academy, among other things. The addendum to Clark’s contract will mark the sixth set of changes in approximately two years. The original contract with Clark was entered into on or about June 25, 2008, according to the addendum for tonight’s meeting.
In Addendum VI, Clark’s paid vacation days are being reduced from 35 per year to 31. His full and regular days of service to the District, now based at 225, will also be changing but have not yet been filled in on the Addendum. It simply reads “Effective for the 2010-2011 fiscal year and continuing after that, section 3.3 of the Original Agreement is modified to replace ‘225 days of full and regular service to the District’ with ‘_ days of full and regular service to the District’.”
According to the Addendum these first two items are expected to settle a dispute between Clark and the Board concerning section 3.4 of the Original Agreement under which Clark was “paid certain sums for unused accrued vacation.”
Clark’s base salary will be reduced by $5,202.90 and his work days would be reduced by 10 days for the 2010-2011 fiscal year if the Addendum is approved. This is comparable to concessions that other district employees have been asked to undertake, according to the Addendum. Clark will also take on additional responsibilities, which include acting as the Transportation Director, the Principal of Bridgeport Elementary School, and the 7th and 8th grade football coach.
Lastly, if approved this evening the Addendum will modify the terms to the Promissory Note given to Clark by the District in November 2008 when the District loaned him $80,000 to purchase a home. The changes on the agenda this evening would increase the repayment period for the housing loan from 12 months to 60 months after the cessation of Clark’s employment to the District before age 57.
According to the new Promissory Note, it has been determined that due to the real estate market at this time, Clark would be unable to sell his home within 12 months at a price high enough to repay the loan and all accrued interest. If Clark leaves the District before age 57, interest begins to accrue on the loan.
