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Board agrees to Hinesley's price
By KELLY RYAN GILMER LARGO -- Pinellas School Board members Linda Lerner and Jane Gallucci were sure to vote no. Board members Lee Benjamin, Max Gessner and Carol Cook were likely to vote yes. With board member Tom Todd hospitalized and unable to attend Tuesday's board meeting, the fate of Superintendent Howard Hinesley's contract extension rested with board member Nancy Bostock. After criticizing how the board negotiated the contract and calling its counteroffer to Hinesley "feeble," Bostock voted yes. The more than $61,000 annual price tag for Hinesley's new life insurance policy is too high, Bostock said, but she still wanted to support Hinesley for stability, experience and leadership. "We got the right guy," Bostock said. "We have the wrong contract." To avoid contentious debate like what punctuated workshops on the contract, board members read prepared statements or gave speeches. They did not discuss or argue the details back and forth, and the issue was resolved within an hour. The vote was 4-2, with Lerner and Gallucci voting against the contract. In voting yes, Gessner said he wants the district to set goals to raise teacher salaries. Cook wanted a promise that the district would examine its staffing levels to find ways to save money to pay for the cost of Hinesley's contract extension. "I believe no one is irreplaceable, yet I value what Dr. Hinesley has done," Cook said. "I don't want to spend the money at all. (But) I do not believe this is the time to replace the superintendent." Last month, the board unanimously agreed to negotiate an extension to Hinesley's contract. That began a series of meetings during which the board could never reach unanimous agreement again. Hinesley, 54, now will be able to do consulting during vacation; have more contributed to a tax-sheltered annuity, from $9,500 annually to the maximum the IRS allows, which eventually will be $15,000; and have a $3,000 bonus he had been donating to charity folded into his $159,509 base salary. The most debated section of the contract calls for the School Board to buy Hinesley a $690,000 permanent life insurance policy. The payments would be stretched out for four years, with each of the first three years costing more than $61,000 for the premiums and taxes. A fourth year, if added, would cost taxpayers an estimated $20,000. The board is obligated to make three payments, one for each year of the contract. If Hinesley stays a fourth year, the board would make the final payment to make the policy self-sustaining. If Hinesley leaves, he would pay the final payment and any tax burden that goes with it. Also, if he leaves and the board has contributed more than 75 percent of the total premiums, Hinesley would have to reimburse the board. Over four years, the board's obligation on the premiums would not exceed $140,000. But that doesn't include the tax liability, which adds more than $60,000 to the cost. Hinesley would not have access to the cash value of the policy until it becomes self-sustaining without permission from the board. Since details of Hinesley's demands were made public, the board has gotten dozens of e-mails. A few offered support to Hinesley. But most said his requests were unreasonable at a time when teachers and other employees don't have lucrative life insurance policies, retirement funds or annual salaries. Only one person, who works for an insurance company, spoke during Tuesday's public hearing. He said the district could save more than $50,000 by buying Hinesley's insurance through a company other than Northwestern Mutual. Gallucci and Lerner said Hinesley was already fairly compensated and expressed frustration that Hinesley would not negotiate his demands. "His take-it-or-leave-it attitude I don't think is good for the district at this time or any other time," Lerner said. In staying through December 2004, Hinesley inherits myriad challenges: cost-cutting to balance the budget in tight economic times, replacing half the district's administrators who will retire and shepherding the district through its "controlled choice" student assignment plan. After the vote, Hinesley thanked the board for its support and promised that he does not plan to tap into the cash value of the permanent life insurance policy. That policy, he said, is to protect his family. "I appreciate it, and I respect each of your positions," Hinesley said. In other news: Hinesley told board members that to cut $14.4-million to balance the budget this year, the district likely will tap into reserve funds and also chop an additional $1.1-million from central administration. A detailed plan for how that will be done is being written and will be discussed in a January workshop. Board members and district staff members remained largely in the dark about the condition of board member Todd, 72, who remained hospitalized at Tampa General Hospital, recovering from an undisclosed surgical procedure. His wife, Pinellas County Commissioner Barbara Sheen Todd, has not returned calls about her husband, but a family member said Tuesday night that he was in good condition. She declined to give additional details. Howard HinesleyAge: 54 Hometown: Warrenton, Ga. Education: bachelor of science, master of arts and doctor of education degrees from the University of Alabama Hired in Pinellas: July 1, 1978 Superintendent since: 1990 Family: Married with three adult children Base salary: $159,509
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