The Daleville Board of Education approved an employment contract and a supplemental agreement for incoming Superintendent Dr. Lisa Stamps during a special-called meeting on Wednesday, June 19.
The two-year employment contract will begin on Monday, July 1, and end on June 30, 2021, and states that Stamps will receive an annual salary of $106,600.
The contract also states that the superintendent shall be evaluated by the school board, “or such others as the board may direct,” at least once during her tenure as superintendent. This evaluation is required to occur, per the employment contract, by or before Dec. 30, 2020. The evaluation will not occur before July 1, 2020.
Board member Debra Latremore motioned for the board to approve the superintendent contract; Vice Chairman Barbara Davis seconded the motion. Latremore, Davis, board member Angelia Filmore and Chairman Steve Kirkland approved the contract. Board member Ricky McLin was not present.
The supplemental agreement would allow Stamps to come to the system a week early “under the term consultant,” according to board attorney James Tarbox.
“She could not legally act as superintendent because we have a superintendent under contract until June 30,” he said. “This would allow her to get on the ground and start getting her feet wet and figuring out what’s what, sort of a transition period.”
Filmore motioned for the board to approve the supplemental agreement; Davis seconded the motion. The motion was approved by all present board members.
In other business, the board voted to accept the retirement request of current Chief School Finance Officer Lynne McWilliams.
The board received a letter from McWilliams requesting to retire beginning July 31.
“As you may recall, Ms. McWilliams is under an employment contract because of her position,” Tarbox said “That contract would need to be mutually concluded in order to effectuate her retirement.”
McWilliams’ contract was set to end on June 30, 2021. The board had approved a three-year extension to her contract in May 2018.
Davis motioned for the board to mutually conclude McWilliams’ contract, with the exception of the contract’s indemnity clause. The motion was seconded “with a heavy heart” by Latremore. All present board members approved the motion.
The board also approved announcing the impending CSFO vacancy with a pay range of $55,000-$75,000 annually.
Tarbox told the board the position should be posted for at least 14 days “because it’s managerial or supervisory in nature.”
“There are several milestones that the board’s going to have to meet in order to get somebody in place,” he said. “First, after the 14-day posting, there would have to be interviews.”
He said the board could conduct these interviews as a whole entity, like the recent superintendent interviews, or designated board members could conduct the interviews, along with the superintendent, and report back to the whole board.
“The board makes the decision,” Tarbox said. “The CSFO has a fiduciary duty directly to the board regarding financial affairs of the board. The superintendent, by statute, is allowed to be a consultant. It’s recommended, generally, the superintendent be involved in the interviews and be allowed to voice an opinion as to who she would believe to be best in the position.”
Board members also discussed pay ranges, and Tarbox provided a suggested vacancy posting with requirements for the position based on general CSFO job listings from around the state.
The board also agreed that July 22 as the start date for the position to allow for “at least a week of overlap” as suggested by Tarbox.
The next board meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 17, at 4:30 p.m. at the central office.