Central Bucks Approves $700K Separation Agreement With Superintendent

DOYLESTOWN, PA — As residents shouted their displeasure from the audience, the school board majority ended its tumultuous tenure by approving a separation and release agreement with Superintendent Dr. Abram Lucabaugh that will give the outgoing administrator more than $700,000 in severance pay and benefits.

Under the agreement, the now former superintendent will receive compensation totaling more than $710,000, a figure many in the audience called “outrageous” and “insane” during 90 minutes worth of public comment inside the auditorium at Central Bucks West High School Tuesday evening.

Board President Dana Hunter defended the separation agreement arguing that she had learned that the new Democrat majority planned to immediately fire the superintendent when it takes control of the board in December and install a new hand-picked administrator. The firing, she said, would have cost the district “a whole lot more money” then the separation agreement hammered out by the district’s labor counsel.

“Knowing what I know, this is the best thing financially we can do for the district and the best thing we can do for him,” said Hunter. “(Dr. Lucabaugh) has done great by us. He has served with integrity. He has served with respect. I deeply respect the job he has done during a difficult time. And I fully support this agreement.”

The board’s vice president Leigh Vlasblom also defended the severance and joined Hunter, Sharon Collopy, James Pepper, Debra Cannon and Lisa Sciscio in approving the agreement.

“We are still a district that has to operate and when you have an employee who asks for something that’s in their contract, business has to continue,” said Vlasblom, responding to criticism that the board is taking the action during a lame duck session.

Under the terms of the separation agreement, Lucabaugh was released from his contract as superintendent effective at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

“This will allow the new school board, which will be seated on Dec. 4, to select a new superintendent for the school district,” reads a mutually agreed upon statement by the board majority and Lucabaugh included in the separation agreement. “It will also allow Dr. Lucabaugh
to pursue other opportunities in the educational arena"

Lucabaugh, who attended Tuesday night’s meeting remotely but did not speak, will be replaced temporarily by assistant superintendent of secondary education Dr. Charles Malone. Malone will be paid a $6,500 a month stipend to take on the extra duties.

Lucabaugh has worked for the district for the past 15 years, rising up through the ranks to superintendent, a job that he has held since 2021. This past July he was given a five year contract and a 40 percent raise, making him one of the highest paid superintendents in the state.

Prior to the vote, board minority members - Democrats Karen Smith, Dr. Tabitha Dell’Angelo and Mariam Mahmud - blasted the separation and release agreement.

Mahmud didn't mince words, calling it “outrageous” and “an insult to the taxpayers of the district.

"This was not drafted with any engagement from minority board members. We just saw it last night," said Mahmud. "It's a complete violation of our fiduciary responsibility ... We can see very clearly that this has never been about education. It's never been about the kids. This is absolutely an outrage. It's unfair to all the taxpayers."

Noting that most contracts have a 14 day revocation period, Dell’Angelo called on the board to immediately direct the administration not to cut any checks for the outgoing superintendent for 14 days.

“This is a very insulting contract to the taxpayers,” said Dell’Angelo, questioning whether the agreement is even allowed under the Pennsylvania School code. “I don’t think this contract and this separation agreement is standard protocol. Standard protocol is out the window right now,” she said to loud cheers from the audience.

Smith also took issue with language in the agreement that would prevent current and former board members from investigating any purported wrong doing. “How do we as board members do our due diligence if we are hamstrung by such a severance agreement,” she asked pointing to a comment made earlier in the meeting accusing the departing superintendent of wrongdoing.

Board members were also provided with a letter from the Democrat-aligned Curtin and Heefner law firm advising them of potential illegalities with the agreement, including that it’s “unlawful to do this during a lame duck session.”

The board's six Republican majority presided over its final meeting on Tuesday night. The new board majority made up of six Democrats will take office on Dec. 4 during the board's reorganization meeting.

In other business at Tuesday night’s meeting, longtime attorney Jeffrey Garton announced his resignation as the board’s legal counselor.

Garton said he would continue to represent the incoming board during the transition period until new counsel is hired.

“I attended Central Bucks School District. My two children attended Central Bucks schools. I now have a grandchild in the elementary schools. I will miss the people who I have worked with and have come to know over my 25 years,” he said.

The board also voted to appeal a decision by a Montgomery County judge earlier this month who ordered the implementation of a three district region voting alignment in the district. The plan was put forward by Democratic Party supporters as an alternative to the board's nine region plan.

The board also voted to implement Distinctions in Sex-Based Athletics (policy 123.3) that would separate athletic teams on the basis of sex to preserve fairness, provide increased opportunity for girls, and are safer.

Both decisions may be short lived. The incoming board has indicated its plans to overturn the new policy when they take office in early December. They are also expected to withdraw the appeal of the three region voting district order.