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Health & Fitness

Is The Superintendent Getting a Raise?

To those of us in the Commack Community that are paying attention, it seems mighty strange that the school board has suddenly called for a special meeting today (6/24) at 5pm.  While there is no Agenda posted (surprise surprise!!), the meeting is supposedly being called for the purpose of Dr. James' annual review.  While this may be true, it may also be the platform by which the board will consider giving Dr. James a raise, as his contract says he is supposed to get a minimum of 3% each year. Dr James's contract cab be seen at http://www.commack.k12.ny.us/contracts/suptcontract2010.pdf

Last year, Dr. James publicly proclaimed that he would not be taking a raise..however this year he and the board have been curiously silent about the issue.  Dr. James and the board recently renewed, among others, his $106,500 Secretary's contract, before the 2 new trustees, Mr. Hartman and Mr. Tampellini, coming into office could have anything to say about it.  http://commack.patch.com/groups/mike-spinellis-blog/p/dr-james-and-the-board-reup-his-106500-secreta...  So I fully suspect that the board will also now try to sneak Dr. James' raise in at the last minute for the same reason. 

Dr. James contract says he is to get at least 3% a year, which would boost his salary from approx. $274,000 to approx. $282,000.  Let's all hope that the board gives him no more than that.  Actually, if he had any integrity he would take another ZERO this year. 

Dr. James has done nothing to warrant a pay increase.  Dr. James pranced around like a pompous peacock last year when the US News & World Report High School Rankings came out, but this year he has totally ignored the District's huge drop in those rankings.  If Dr. James wants to take credit for the good he must also take responsibility for the bad.  He must also be held responsible for the poor relationship the District has with the Community and the District's own employees - including their low morale. 

We will all know whether my suspicions will be proven correct soon enough.  I hope that the board proves me wrong.  If I am correct, then I would just say in my opinion Dr. James does not deserve a penny more than he is already receiving.  The board already needlessly extended his contract until 2017, an extension that was completely unjustified.  We are now stuck with him and his ineffective leadership until then.  If it was up to me Dr. James would be on the unemployment line with the poor school nurses, custodians and secretaries he just laid off.  Perhaps the newly constituted board will find a way to make that happen.     



  






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