SCHENECTADY Board, attorney discuss Ely’s status Buying out superintendent’s contract now would cost district about $400K BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
The city school district Board of Education met in private with its new attorney for the fi rst time Wednesday to discuss whether it could fire Superintendent Eric Ely. The board decided at the last minute to meet for half an hour with the new counsel before its public meeting. The district has not yet released the attorney’s name or pay scale. After the meeting, board members said it’s not yet clear whether they can fire Ely. To terminate him for cause, they must fi nd grounds that he did not complete a requirement in his contract or failed the board in any other reasonable way. Under the contract, the board members get to defi ne “cause.” But Ely can be fired for cause only by a vote of five board members. The superintendent must have a hearing — run by the board, not by a judge — within 14 days of written notice of any charge. He can hire an attorney to represent him. The school board and Ely could jointly agree to terminate the contract instead, but he would receive all of his pay through June 30, 2012, when his contract expires. He was paid $193,899 last year, so it would cost roughly $400,000 to buy him out now. The contract was to expire in 12 months, but the board voted 5-2 to extend it last year when allegations against Ely surfaced. Maxine Brisport and Gary Farkas voted against the extension. Most of the board continued to staunchly defend Ely until an e-mail from him was released during the trial of former school employee Steven Raucci. .................>>>>...................>>>>.............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01602&AppName=1
They campaigned on a platform of firing him. Do it! Forget about the buyout-offer him nothing.
They took months to come up with a measly $300,000 in cuts in a $161 MILLION annual budget. Now they want to give him $400,000? For what? He should have been fired already. Do it "for the kids".
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They campaigned on a platform of firing him. Do it! Forget about the buyout-offer him nothing.
