Is $80,000 for Superintendent to Leave the Right Move?
Some believe the payments as agreed upon are necessary for the district and Conrad Farner to head in their respective directions. Others wish the money could be used on something else.
The Greenfield School Board agreeing to pay Greenfield Superintendent Conrad Farner $80,000 in a tax-sheltered annuity as agreed upon through a separation agreement Monday has received mixed reviews.
There are those who believe the money should have remained in the district.
Said Greenfield Patch user “Robert”:
"Isn't $80,000 about what a teacher makes with benefits? So we paid someone the value of a teaching position so they would go away and take a job that they were already going to take?"
Patch user “Jen” said:
“He should not have received the tax annuity. Greenfield is tight on money as it is.”
Even Greenfield School Board president Bruce Bailey, the only board member to vote against the agreement, told Patch Farner “shouldn’t get a dime.”
But others thought the payments were the right move in order for both parties to go in different directions.
Said School Board candidate Robert Hansen on Patch:
“I understand that the board did do the right thing in this case. I am glad Bailey said what he said because he is right, but having the opportunity to turn a page in the district was the right thing to do."
And Patch user “karen k” added:
"How attractive would we be if Greenfield hadn't settled with Conrad? Why would a new (superintendent) even take a chance at such a challenging position if it appears that the board and community might be hostile."
Greenfield School Board member Rick Moze told Greenfield NOW, “It was something we felt we should do.”
In addition to the TSA payout, here are more terms of the separation agreement:
- The TSA payment schedule is $40,000 in 2013, $25,000 in 2014 and $15,000 in 2015.
- If at any time Farner becomes employed as a superintendent at a salary of $140,000 or more, the TSA payments will end.
- Farner’s personnel file will contain only those documents already in it by Jan. 7, when the contract was signed.
- The agreement releases the district of any claims or damages made by Farner resulting from any action by the district which arose on or before Jan. 7.
- The agreement is not to be construed as an admission of any wrongdoing or liability by or on behalf of Farner or of the district.
- The agreement is a result of unique facts and circumstances and shall not serve as a precedent in future situations.
- Farner will continue to receive medical insurance benefits at the same level he had been receiving them through Feb. 28, 2013.
Greenfield Resident Too!
4:48 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
His choice to resign, why take our children's educational money that our district needs. You can see this is his own financial gain. Wake up people he has been a disappointment and still remains a disappointment by hitting us where it hurts most by the taxpayers wallets and hurting the children (what else will be cut to make up for this payout). Those who praise him maybe you should pay the $80,000. What a complete disappointment for Greenfield School District.
JustMe
10:29 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
I agree.
SBR
11:07 am on Saturday, January 12, 2013
The board wanted him gone and this was the costs to do that!
Concerned
5:00 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
If Farner had such "high morals" and truly "cared" for the learning of Greenfields' students he would reject the money and gracefully go away. What a joke this guy is. I hope Cedarburg gets ready for this guy's baggage. The board needs to fight to get this money back! Also the board needs to be warned that all the administrative positions Farner created need to be questioned if they are needed. What a waste of tax dollars.
Pamela Carlson
7:36 am on Saturday, January 12, 2013
I agree with Concerned. If Farner cared about students, he'd leave gracefully. I don't agree with paying off someone who has not fulfilled their job as designed by their employers. This does set a precedent. He should be terminated without a payoff. In that he has won and the Greenfield schools have lost. Cedarburg deserves to know the truth about the fellow they are employing to care for their most prized possessions--their children. Concerned Citizen
Asiseeit
11:18 am on Saturday, January 12, 2013
Have you not watched this board? They are so dysfunctional and wanted him gone. Caring has nothing to do with this. He had to take a position at a lower salary and the school board had to make him whole. Let me see you take a 15% pay cut when you didn't have to. He was entitled to his whole contract which would have costs the tax payers much more.
I agree he wasn't a good fit for this district right now, but I blame these fools who we have elected to run our schools. Some of them actually sleep at the meetings and this piece of work who runs the teachers union needs to go next. If you want to talk about not caring for kids and putting herself first....
We will never move forward as a district until we replace the union leadership and most of this current board!
Scott
6:52 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
Something just smells really wrong about the terms of the separation.
lolo peeg
9:51 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
I am assuming this arrangement was part of a contract agreed upon between Farner and the board. Boards do this to get (what they think are) highly qualified people. It may seem like a lousy deal for taxpayers, students, and teachers, but the board must have thought it was a good idea at the time. Seems to me that boards in general (in the public sphere and the corporate world as well) tend to write poor contracts. If you want a different outcome, get a different board.
lolo peeg
6:58 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
In this case they seem to have done it to get rid of someone they wanted out. You can tell by the wording that attorneys were involved.
GreenfieldParent
8:17 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
It looks more like a resign or get fired. As for as these kinds of things go, it was cheap. It is a good thing for the schools. We spend so much on the schools, we need someone who gets results like Greendale, Franklin, or Whitnall.
Craig Manske
8:58 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
See, it's not only the bankers that are greedy. We haven't learned a f'ing thing in the last four years.
A concerned parent
11:50 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
I think this is good first step for our district but there needs to be a serious look at our administration and our higher archy before there is real cuange. As for the money I agree that it's cheaper compared to a lawsuit(s) or to keeping him. Now we need to look forward and change the Greenfirld schools and there structure.
Fred
10:09 am on Saturday, January 12, 2013
Farner was there 10 years. He moved up from the ranks. The board and union changed during his tenure. He had a contract through 2014. Yes he sd get the annuity. We need to move quickly to hire a noninsider and pay them descent.
resident
8:02 am on Sunday, January 13, 2013
It is a good FIRST STEP
resident
8:15 am on Sunday, January 13, 2013
I agree with "A concerned parent" a serious look into the rest of the administrative hierarchy is needed. I am sure those offices are stuffed with more of the same.