Central Bucks School Board majority approved a $700,000 payment of taxpayer funds to the superintendent upon his resignation.
But PA 24 P.S. 10-1073 states:
(3) No agreement between the board of school directors and a district superintendent or assistant district superintendent for a negotiated severance of employment prior to the end of the specified contract term shall provide for severance compensation to the district superintendent or assistant district superintendent, including the reasonable value of any noncash severance benefits or postemployment benefits not otherwise accruing under the contract or pursuant to law, that:
(i) If the agreement takes effect two (2) years or more prior to the end of the specified contract term, exceeds the equivalent of one (1) year’s compensation and benefits otherwise due under the contract.
(ii) If the agreement takes effect less than two (2) years prior to the end of the specified contract term, exceeds the equivalent of one-half of the total compensation and benefits due under the contract for the remainder of the term.
What this means is that Abe Lucabaugh, who was given a brand new five-year contract and $85,000 raise in July, cannot be paid more than one year’s salary — $315,000 — upon his separation. Period.
Beefing up that already-generous amount with payments for unused vacation and unused sick leave, and a ridiculous $50,000 bonus against mythical future legal claims, is not just excessive. It may be illegal.
Our newly elected school board cannot start soon enough.
Ed Richardson, Doylestown Township
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