No Golden Parachute for Dist. 197 Superintendent

The has a superintendent, following the signing of a three-year contract Tuesday night.

will receive a starting salary of $165,000 plus benefits.  

Board member Dewayne Dill, who worked with Human Resources Director Linda Goers to negotiate the contract, said most of the language is based on an updated model contract from the Minnesota School Board Association and past district contracts.

Dill said a major priority for the board was to avoid a large payout, or as he put it,  "bestow(ing) great riches,” in the case of a separation.

Instead, Allen-Mastro will receive a year of health insurance coverage after she retires for every year of service. If she accepts a position before retirement and becomes eligible for other benefits, she may no longer benefit from the district’s insurance.

She is also able to convert 10 days of unused sick leave each year into a health savings account, but cannot convert more than that into a payout at the end of her contract.

 Accrued vacation time expires six months after the end of the year.

No Relocation Decision 

The contract does not include language for relocation expenses. Allen-Mastro lives in Prior Lake. Board member Joanne Mansur said that if Allen-Mastro is not able to spend as much face time in the district as the board would like, the language may not have enough “teeth.”

The board cannot require a superintendent to move. 

Dill said that the spirit of the negotiations regarding relocation conveyed that the board and Allen-Mastro could assess if relocation is necessary at a later date. If either the board or Allen-Mastro requests a relocation, the board could take action to approve those expenses.

A performance evaluation is required before the end of the contract and a yearly performance review is part of district policy.

“This is a document that everyone should read from front to back,” said Interim Superintendent Tom Nelson. He said negotiators did an “extremely fair job” of creating a contract that is good for both the board and Allen-Mastro. 

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