Superintendent Dr. Rod Rock’s contract is set to come up for the third time with Clarkston Board of Education.
Contract provisions at issue at the last meeting, Feb. 9, included a provision for moving expenses ? “the superintendent shall be paid $5,000 upon relocation within the boundaries of the district.”
The superintendent, who when hired four years ago lived in Saginaw, has already moved to the Clarkston area, board members said.
Board Vice President Susan Boatman called for the provision to be deleted.
“Shouldn’t there be a time limit on moving expenses,” Boatman asked.
“This would generally be in a contract as an incentive, but that’s happened,” said board Secretary Craig Hamilton.
Board President Steve Hyer said the superintendent has a right to claim moving expenses.
“He chose not to take them during the hard years (the district faced),” Hyer said.
Trustee Cheryl McGinnis also opposed pulling the provision out of the contract.
Asked when he moved to Clarkston, Rock said he had no comment.
Also at issue was $2,800 in travel expenses for eight professional meetings around the country.
“I think eight seems excessive,” Boatman said.
Hyer said the superintendent won’t go to all of them.
“It gives flexibility to Dr. Rock,” Hyer said. “There’s no way he could afford to go to all of these.”
Conferences listed in the contract include the National Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development National Conference and National Legislative Conference, Learning Forward National Conference, two annual Project Zero conferences, an additional advocacy event in Washington D.C., a National Student Championship event, and the Future of Learning Conference.
“My understanding is Dr. Rock is looking at conferences where he feels he has the opportunity to provide leadership,” McGinnis said.
Hyer also said the superintendent travels to several events to support students “on his own dime” in the past four years.
“The superintendent does not abuse his travel budget,” the president said.
Hamilton opposed the travel provision, and said Rock should go to free professional development courses instead.
Board Treasurer Joan Patterson said the superintendent should attend some conference with the school board.
“That way, he’ll be hearing what we’re hearing,” Patterson said.
Boatman also recomended changing a provision for superintendent evaluation from “annually” to “at least annually.”
McGinnis said it should say “in compliance with the law.”
Hyer said he was OK with the change to “at least annually.”
“‘At least annually’ matches policy,'” he said.
The proposed contract includes a two-percent raise, with an annual salary of $140,000, $600 per month for vehicle expenses and mileage, insurance and other benefits.
The school board will meet in closed session before its Feb. 23 meeting, but that’s for negotiating Collective Bargaining units’ contracts only, Hyer said.