Conrath, McCuen get raises, contracts

By CANDY BROOKS

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Published: November 13, 2008
Edition: Worthington
Section: News
Page: 01A



The Worthington schools' superintendent and treasurer were granted four-year contracts and pay raises of at least 2.75-percent for this year and each of the next two years during the Worthington Board of Education meeting Monday night. The board voted unanimously to extend the contracts of Melissa Conrath and Jeff McCuen to July 31, 2012. Both had contracts that were to expire next year.

The usual superintendent's or treasurer's contract length is two or three years.

"That was one way to show our appreciation," board president Jennifer Best said of the extended contracts.

Both contracts also include 25 vacation days per year, which is five more than granted in past years.

The contract sets Conrath's salary at $145,700, as of Aug. 1, 2008.

McCuen's salary is $115,600.

Each will receive increases of 2.75 percent in 2009 and 2010.

Each is also eligible to earn an additional 2 percent each year, depending on the outcome of performance reviews performed by the board each July.

Both Conrath and McCuen also receive annual annuities of 19.4 percent of their salaries, paid either in cash or into a tax-sheltered annuity.

Both also pay for their own health insurance.

Board member Marc Schare said that Conrath's raise was actually "a shade under 7 percent" when taking into consideration the annuity and the value of vacation days.

He made clear that he was not objecting to the raises or the contracts.

In an interview after the meeting, Schare pointed out that Conrath receives few benefits when compared to other central Ohio superintendents. Some receive travel allowances of between $400 and $600 a month, plus money for cell phones and other perks. One superintendent has his board pay into a fund for his children's college educations, he said.

Board members said they appreciated the jobs being done by Conrath, who has been with the district for two years, and McCuen, who was hired a year ago.

"I can't tolerate the notion that these two are overpaid," said board member Charlie Wilson.

Board member David Bressman said that McCuen took over at a difficult time, and made the best of it.

"He and his team worked us out of an economic jungle," he said.

Also on Monday, parent Susan Petrick told the board about a discussion called "Media Post Election: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

The program is free and the public is invited. It will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Thomas Worthington High School library next Wednesday, Nov. 19.

The program is not sponsored by a particular organization, but was the idea of teachers and students, with the support of parents. It may be the first of several such programs.

Speakers will be Bill Balderaz, president of Webbed Marketing; Laura Bischoff, staff correspondent, Dayton Daily News; Mike Thompson, news director, WOSU Public Media; and Julie Carr Smyth, Ohio Statehouse correspondent, Associated Press.

The mediator will be Jamie Heberling, director of marketing and strategic communications, Ohio Treasurer of State.


Illustration: Photo

Melissa Conrath



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