School Board: Severance Payments to be Discussed at Next Meeting

The West Bloomfield School Board voted unanimously to create an action item regarding the controversial voluntary severance incentive (VSI) package accepted by several administrators as part of the 2008-10 administrative contract during its meeting Monday at .

Trustees Matt Chase and Melanie Torbert suggested the board vote on a motion that the district should terminate all future payments to former assistant superintendent Tony Marasco, whose VSI package has become a matter of debate since being approved in 2010. Torbert added that the board may consider renegotiating the amount of Marasco's severance package and/or asking him to repay some of the amount already paid out.

The VSI amount approved was $70,000. The case of Marasco has come under particular fire due to allegations that it was not the board's intent for someone of his experience to receive the payment.

In total, all the VSI packages approved for the eight administrators who took advantage of it has cost the district $560,000, Chase said.

Chase further likened the situation to the scandal involving Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano, who in October said that a severance incentive given to former employee, Turkia Awada Mullin, should be returned.

"The difference in our response has been dramatic," Chase said.

Several board members have publicly expressed contrition regarding the VSI packages, including Treasurer Nick Hersh, who also that savings amount to $2.9 million every year since the contract was approved.

"During the last school board election, it was a point of discussion and many people wanted answers again," Torbert said. "The legal remedy is probably not possible, but I would like for the board to entertain the idea of approaching … the eight individuals."

Hersh had the most votes of any candidate in the November election and retained his position on the board. Torbert's term expired and she chose not to ran.

Chase had originally moved to resolve the situation Monday, but a motion was made to table the discussion and it was unanimously agreed upon. It was not clear was spurred Chase's motion. It was also not clear what exactly the action item will entail in December.

Other highlights:

• The board unanimously agreed to approve a motion to receive a "best practices incentive" provided by the Michigan State School Aid Act, which provides $100 per pupil in one-time grants to districts whose employees contribute at least 10 percent of health care costs, among other criterion.
• The board honored 17 winners in the snowman pin contest administered by the , including contest winner and senior Claire Forhan.