Eau Claire (WQOW) - The Eau Claire School Board has approved the contract for its new leader, but the vote was not unanimous.
Monday night, the board voted 5-2 on the contract for Dr. Mary Ann Hardebeck. Right now, she's the assistant superintendent for a district of 66,000 students in Virginia. She'll officially begin her job in Eau Claire in mid-September.
The contract will cover two years, which is the longest it can be under state law. Dr. Hardebeck will make $175,000 a year in salary. The Eau Claire Area School District says that's less than what Dr. Heilmann received because his base wage ($166,212) also included a ($12,000) tax sheltered annuity, which Hardebeck won't receive. There's no retirement stipend in her contract either. She'll receive a vehicle allowance of $300 a month, five weeks vacation and up to $15,000 for moving expenses. (To read the entire contract, click on the link under "More Information" on this page.)
It's been more than a month since board members said Hardebeck was the one they wanted. Since that time, the two sides have been negotiating. There wasn't a lot of discussion on Monday before the vote, but the two board members who voted "no" did express their reasons.
Board member, Wendy Sue Johnson, says, "I intend to vote no and, I just want to clarify that I think that Mary Ann Hardebeck is going to be an outstanding leader. I was pleased with the process. I trust that she's going to do a good job for us; I don't doubt that she is the right choice. I also understand that she will be taking a pay cut and that, believe it or not, there's a shortage of them (superintendents)... is such that I understand the salary that we are giving her. However, my value system is such that, I don't think there should be that sort of disparity. Over the past four decades in this country, I think the main problem is that people with a lot of money continue to have increases in salary while the wages in the vast majority in the lower and middle classes have really stayed stagnant."
Dr. Hardebeck's compensation package in Virginia was worth $189,000. That includes salary and benefits. If you add up the health benefits she'll receive under this new contract, her compensation package in Eau Claire will actually be greater. One district official told WQOW News 18 on Monday to keep in mind that "she's an assistant superintendent in Virginia." In Eau Claire, she'll be in charge of the entire district. On Monday, the Eau Claire Area School District singled out her extensive experience and expertise when making the announcement about the contract agreement. (The press release is provided below.)
The other "no" vote came from Bob Janke. The board member said he disagreed with the wording of a portion of section 6 in the new contract. That part is about the relationship between the board and superintendent.
Janke didn't elaborate, but in going through it, nothing seemed unusual about the language with the exception of this: The contract says, "The board recognizes that individual members of the board generally do not have the authority to direct the superintendent in the performance of her responsibilities, except when acting on behalf of the board, as part of the committee system or individual offices of the board, as provided by state statutes."
There have been reports the relationship between the board and former superintendent Dr. Ron Heilmann were not good at the end, that he felt the board had made changes to his job description in mid-stream.
Dr. Hardebeck will be in Eau Claire to address teachers on August 30th. She's expected to officially begin her new job no later than September 15th.
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Eau Claire (WQOW) - By a vote of 5-2, the Eau Claire School Board approved the contract for the new superintendent of schools, Dr. Mary Ann Hardebeck. WQOW News 18 will have more on that contract and why two board members voted against it tonight @ 10 p.m.
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE EAU CLAIRE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Eau Claire Area School District Board of Education is proud to welcome Dr. Mary Ann Hardebeck to the district's educational team as the new Superintendent of Schools! Dr. Hardebeck is scheduled to begin her duties no later than mid-September. The board has secured Dr. Hardebeck's extensive experience and expertise for a two-year contract, which is the maximum allowed by state statute. The contract has a beginning salary of $175,000. It does not include a tax sheltered annuity (TSA) nor a retirement stipend. The salary is less than the previous superintendent, Dr. Ron Heilmann, received. His contract included a base wage of $166,212 plus a $12,000 per year TSA.
Dr. Hardebeck will receive the same insurance coverage and the same percent of premium that is paid by the board for other members of the administrative team. She will receive a vehicle allowance of $300 per month and a district cell phone. The board will contribute $5,000 per year to a defined contribution plan, which Dr. Hardebeck will be eligible to receive if she completes five continuous years of employment with the district. This benefit is provided to all current administrators employed by the district after July 1, 2008. Dr. Hardebeck will be reimbursed for necessary and reasonable relocation expenses based on proper documentation up to a maximum of $15,000.
It has been the intent of the Board of Education to approach this negotiation with fiscal responsibility and transparency to the community and school employees as they worked to finalize the contract with Dr. Hardebeck. While the process has taken more time than originally planned, it has been both thorough and amiable.
