ThisWeek CW 01/29/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/01/26/firm-hired-to-manage-search-for-new-treasurer.html

The Groveport Madison Board of Education agreed Jan. 21 to pay K-12 Business Consulting $9,000 to manage the district’s search for a new treasurer.

The company is partnered with the Ohio Association of School Business Officials.

Current Treasurer Tony Swartz resigned in December. His resignation will be effective July 31, but he plans to use up accrued vacation time starting at the end of this month.

Mary Guiher, the district’s public relations officer, said in a Jan. 20 email a separation agreement had not yet been reached with Swartz.

Swartz has said he’s willing to make himself available if the district wants him to help with the search for his replacement and with the transition period, but board members have said nothing about accepting that offer.

K-12 Business Consulting will supply the district with an interim treasurer, Cindy Ritter, who started that job Jan. 26. She will be paid $65 an hour.

Board President Nathan Slonaker said he anticipates Ritter will work three days a week.

Swartz has indicated that his resignation was directly connected to the board’s Dec. 10 decision to give Superintendent Bruce Hoover a three-year contract extension. The 3-2 decision occurred two weeks after most members of the Groveport Madison Local Education Association — the union representing district teachers — voiced support for a “no-confidence” vote against Hoover as superintendent.

In a Dec. 15 email to the school board, which ThisWeek obtained through a public records request, Swartz cited the superintendent’s contract extension and “moral” conflicts with the administration as primary reasons for his departure.

When asked Jan. 21 to elaborate on those conflicts, he replied, “No comment.”

He told the board in the email he intended to resign “unless there is an anticipated change in the superintendent’s position in the foreseeable future.”

“It is very clear to me that at least three members of this board of education place a higher value on the services of this superintendent, with two years of experience and the many controversies surrounding his new contract, than the services I have delivered in my seven years as treasurer here at Groveport Madison and 28 years total experience as a school treasurer,” Swartz wrote.

Slonaker disputed Swartz’s claim that Hoover’s new contract gives him “an increase in salary/compensation of over $5,000 per year.”

“The superintendent did not receive an increase in his base salary,” Slonaker said. “Adjustments were made to other parts of his contract which affected the total compensation. That contract is public record and available for anyone to inspect.”

ThisWeek reported Dec. 18 that the new contract does not increase Hoover’s base salary of $120,000 per year. It also does not specifically lay out measures listed in the previous contract allowing for $30,000 in performance compensation.

It does say if Hoover achieves a “satisfactory” performance rating from a majority of board members, he will be entitled to a salary increase of “not less than 1 percent annually.”

The new contract increases a monthly stipend for Hoover from $500 to $700, which according to the contract, is provided as salary instead of as reimbursement. The board also approved an increase in the annual annuity contribution paid by the district, from $7,000 a year to $9,000 a year.

Hoover declined to comment on the contents of Swartz’ Dec. 15 email and said he had not seen it because it was “a communication between the treasurer’s office and the board of education.”