SAD 1 renews superintendent contract

PRESQUE ISLE – The SAD 1 board of directors voted to extend the superintendent and assistant superintendent’s contracts by one year and voted in a new chairwoman and vice chairman during its last meeting of the year, according to Gehrig Johnson, district superintendent.

The board extended the contracts for Johnson and Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey Bearden to June 30, 2007, after an executive session Wednesday night during which the board conducted its annual evaluation of the two, Johnson said Thursday.

Johnson said the board voted last year on three-year contracts for the two district leaders and that it annually considers renewing the contracts by one year.

Effective July 1, Johnson’s salary will be $92,832 and Bearden’s salary will be $72,865, a 3 percent increase from the previous contract for both. Johnson said every nonunion employee would receive the same increase.

The board also congratulated Bearden on attaining his doctorate in educational leadership from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which he had been working toward for three years, Johnson said. Bearden achieved the distinction Nov. 15.

The board of directors unanimously re-elected board Chairwoman Lucy Richard and Vice Chairman Andy Yaeger. Johnson said both board members ran unopposed for the positions.

The three other positions on which the board voted were seats on the finance committee. Brandon Roope, Curtis Culberson and John Johnston were elected to the seats, the superintendent said.

Johnson said the board chairwoman would make appointments to the board’s subcommittees in January.

Outgoing board members Tim Lyford of District 13 and Paul Lynch of District 10 were honored for their service, and incoming board members Pam Palm of District 10 and Susan Cook of District 13 were welcomed.

Julie Freeman was appointed Wednesday night by the City Council to take the seat in District 16 left open in July by Bill Daniels. Johnson said Freeman would complete the term, which ends Dec. 31, 2004.

With the District 16 seat filled, Johnson said, the district now has a full school board. The 17-member board, he said, is one of the largest in the state.

The SAD 1 board will hold its next meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14.