No Raise for Superintendent Colleen Palmer

The Board of Education approved the terms of a one-year contract extension for Superintendent Colleen Palmer by a 5 -3 margin Monday.

Under the new contract Palmer will receive a $4,000 doctorial stipend, a $2,700 increase to her retirement fund and an additional five days of paid vacation.

However, Palmer's $177,600 annual salary will remain unchanged.

Prior to the new terms, Palmer received an annual $8,000 retirement contribution and 25 paid vacation days according to the contract. 

Board members voting in favor of the contract terms Monday were Republicans Darryl Trump, Mark Antinozzi and Tom Taylor, and Democrats Lee Crouch and Alan Vaglivelo.

Voting against the proposed terms were board members Donna Lane, George King and Mark Hughes, all Republicans.

Board member Kelly Plunkett, a Democrat did not attend the meeting.

While board members all agreed they were pleased with Palmer's job performance, some voted down the terms due to the struggling economy.

Lane said she voted against the terms based on the current financial position of the town.

"This is no reflection on Dr. Palmer's work performance," she said.

Trump, chairman of the school board, said Palmer is a strong leader who has successfully guided the district through "difficult times."

"I am glad to have such a leader guiding us," he said.

Mark Hughes, board secretary, voted down the terms noting upcoming contract negotiations with the Monroe Education Association.

Hughes added there were pay freezes and concessions made by other town employee unions during annual budget negotiations.

"She (Palmer) performed her duties as she should have," he said.

Vaglivelo praised Palmer for her work ethic, which he said includes working into the night if necessary to get the job done.

"She puts the children first and the public should be proud," he said. "We are very fortunate." 

Palmer said following the meeting that she was grateful for the board's confidence and is already focusing on the district-wide objectives for the upcoming school year.

"We have opportunities and goals before us," she said. "I will remain focused on student achievement in times of fiscal challenges."

The board previously voted to extend Palmer's contract to June 30, 2013 by a unanimous decision at its regular meeting on June 21.