Superintendent / Business Manager Contracts – 12/5/2011

Posted by Bob on December 5, 2011 under Daily Blogs | 2 Comments to Read

Members of the Naugatuck Board of Education (“BoE”) have been assessing options associated with the expiration of the employment contracts of School Superintendent John Tindall-Gibson and Business Manager Wayne McAllister.

The employment contract of Superintendent Dr. John Tindall-Gibson is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2012.  As many will recall, I asked for the resignation of both the Superintendent and the Chair of the Board of Education in December of 2009.  While neither resignation was tendered at the time, meaningful changes were enacted to resolve a BoE budget crisis and to ensure that proper management of the BoE Business Office resulted. Despite the events of the past, I now support a proposal to be discussed at the December 8, 2011, BoE meeting to approve a one (1) year extension of Dr. Tindall-Gibson’s current employment agreement.

Although the relationship between Dr. Tindall-Gibson and myself was certainly strained by the events of 2009, we have both managed to work together productively over the past year. Furthermore, in May of 2011, five (5) new members were elected to the BoE, dramatically changing the dynamics of the Board. As a result, I personally believe that a one (1) year extension is prudent at this time for the following reasons.

The new BoE, under the leadership of Chair David Heller, has a dramatically different strategy and agenda than the previous Board.  While all members do not agree on every issue, there is a core commitment to improve communication and to work in cooperation with the municipal government.  It has been refreshing, enjoyable and productive to work with this new Board over the past six-plus (6+) months.  Dr. Tindall-Gibson has embraced this culture change and committed to improve communication with parents, staff and taxpayers. I appreciate his implementation of the Board’s goals and vision and his attempts to improve the distribution of information about school matters to the public.  I have strong faith that the district’s leadership team and the new BoE will ensure that the Superintendent remains committed to improved communication and collaboration regarding the many educational issues that our school district deals with on a daily basis.

The Superintendent has committed to the reorganization of the BoE business office under the direction of Mr. McAllister. Such a strategy will allow us to explore responsible and well-planned cooperation between the BoE and municipal government that can result in tangible benefits for all stakeholders in the Borough.  While such concepts are exciting and creative, they are not the norm in Connecticut.  Engaging a new superintendent before such cooperative initiatives are in place could be disruptive and counterproductive. I am confident at this time that the fiscal problems that existed in the BoE Business Office will not re-occur in the future under Dr Tindall-Gibson’s leadership.

Throughout the time that I have served as Mayor, I have never questioned the experience or knowledge of Dr. Tindall-Gibson regarding educational matters.  Dr. Tindall-Gibson has always impressed me during our conversations with his understanding of the changes rapidly occurring in the field of education, particularly with regard to technology.  There is no doubt he is a learned man committed to positioning the Naugatuck School System for future success. While we all need to do a better job of explaining our educational achievements, our District has made significant strides improving test scores and maintaining the gains achieved. While improvements in the testing results of various subgroups of students still needs to be achieved under the complex testing measures, Dr. Tindall-Gibson and his administrative staff have worked diligently to improve test scores and academic achievement throughout the district.  I believe that with the continued direction of Superintendent Tindall-Gibson that we can continue to improve how we communicate the successes achieved and the complex challenges that remain to the citizens of Naugatuck.

Over the next four (4) years, our community will renovate its flagship school, Naugatuck High School (“NHS”).  The next six (6) months will be critical as an architect is chosen, documents are designed, a construction firm is hired and the state determines the level of reimbursement available for this project. It is critical that all stakeholders involved are completely aware of the history of the project, the educational specifications of the renovation and the particulars of the preliminary design that was approved at referendum.  Dr. Tindall-Gibson has been a strong supporter of the NHS renovate-as-new project and he has worked tirelessly to advance the project to referendum.

As the President of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (“CAPSS”), Dr Tindall-Gibson will be a strong asset to the Borough as his term begins on July 1, 2012.  This role will provide the Superintendent with direct access to state educational leaders, particularly with regard to discussions involving eligible reimbursements for the NHS project.  The fact that Naugatuck’s superintendent will be the leader of a statewide organization such as CAPSS will provide our district with unique opportunities for educational improvement and fiscal reimbursement.

In addition, Dr. Tindall-Gibson has agreed to remain as superintendent for an additional year at his current salary if the BoE decides to extend his employment agreement.  While the Superintendent’s salary may seem extravagant to many in our community, it is actually very reasonable when compared to other superintendents.  Retaining Dr. Tindall-Gibson for the 2012-2013 school year will fix a cost that would likely rise for a new superintendent in 2012-2013, and avoid the costs associated with a search for a new Superintendent from this year’s budget.

With regard to the BoE Business Office, Borough Comptroller Wayne McAllister has been serving as the Business Manager of the BoE since the Fall of 2009.  At that time the BoE was facing a significant budget crisis. While it was not easy, the crisis was resolved through a combination of concessions from employees, a pledge to assume the operating deficit by the municipal government, an affirmation by the BoE to retain the services of Mr. McAllister for the short-term, and a change in the BoE’s health care broker.  Through Mr. McAllister’s efforts, the operating deficit was transformed into a small surplus by the end of the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

The 2010-2011 school year began with a significant reduction in the educational staff in our district followed by the worst Winter in a generation.  Changes to the structure of the BoE business office continued under the management of Mr. McAllister, whose appointment as the BoE’s business manager was extended through December 31, 2011. For the second (2nd) consecutive year, the BoE ended the 2010-2011 fiscal year with a small surplus. As a member of the Board of Education, I am pleased with the changes made to date in the Board of Education’s Business Office. However, there is still significant work that remains. One of my priorities remains to find creative and innovative ways to reduce the cost of common business functions that are currently performed separately by the BoE and the municipal government. During the past two (2) years, having the Borough’s Comptroller acting also as the BoE Business Manager has resulted in savings to taxpayers.  The change to common health care insurance and property and casualty insurance brokers has also been a positive step resulting in savings.  Furthermore, the BoE retained the same law firm that negotiates Borough collective bargaining agreements to negotiate their BoE union contracts.

Discussions continue to further explore combination of effort in the areas of human resources and information technology.  While more complex, there has also been conversations regarding the possibility of exploring better coordination between public works and maintenance functions.  Reducing BoE costs pertaining to business functions can ultimately free more dollars for educational funding without impacting taxpayers.  Comptroller/Business Manager Wayne McAllister has been a vital component of this integration.  While I realize that the demands of both positions can not be sustained by one person indefinitely, Mr. McAllister is the right person to lead us in this new and innovative direction.  At the request of myself and the Board of Education, Mr. McAllister has expressed a willingness to continue as the BoE Business Manager until December 31, 2012; and I am wholeheartedly in agreement with such an extension. Mr. McAllister possesses the experience and knowledge to transform the BoE business office for years to come and to create a sustainable and economical business office structure.

BoE Chair David Heller has issued a statement announcing that the Board plans to address the extension of the employment contracts for both Superintendent Dr. John Tindall-Gibson and BoE Business Manager Wayne McAllister at its monthly meeting at Hillside School on December 8, 2011.  Chairman Heller’s statement can be viewed here.

I would welcome questions and/or comments on the topic of these proposed contract extensions.  Please feel free to post or email me at bob@bobmezzo.com.  The comments stated herein this post are my own, and not intended to reflect the individual and/or collective opinions of my colleagues on the Naugatuck Board of Education.