Uniontown school board extends Machesky’s contract for five years at no cost
The Uniontown Area School Board signed up for five more years of free superintendent service on Monday.
Board members unanimously voted to extend Superintendent Charles Machesky’s contract at no cost to the school district to April 6, 2020.
He started working for free when he retired in April 2012. He had been working under a contract that started Jan. 22, 2013, and was due to expire on Jan. 21, 2016.
Before the board voted, Machesky said his salary and benefits from the time he started working for free in April 1, 2012, through June 30 this year would have cost the district $504,547 if he were being paid. That amount would reach more than $1.3 million at the end of his new contract, which commences today.
The district would owe him nothing, he said, if the board terminates him before the end of the contract.
He said he wants to continue working at no cost because he loves the job and he has his wife’ support.
“This is a job that isn’t really a job to me because I love what I’m doing,” Machesky said.
For the 2011-12 school year, Machesky only received $99,772 of his $126,665 annual salary before he announced his retirement and offered to work for free. That saved the district $26,893 for that year. The district saved an additional $4,383 in retirement and social security benefits, for a total savings of $31,276.
In each subsequent full school year, his salary would have been $126,665. His retirement benefits would have been $15,655 in 2012-13, $21,444 in 2013-14 and $27,106 this year. His social security benefits would have been $9,689 in each of those years. His compensation for this year would have been $163,461, according to the document.
Machesky said he has recently received a “barrage” of Right to Know requests concerning his position, but none inquired about the compensation he would have received if he were on the payroll.
Before voting on the contract, the board approved a resolution saying they evaluated Machesky and found that he met performance standards and standards in applicable statures, regulations and board policies for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years.
It’s been an honor to serve this community and this board and previous boards,” Machesky said. He added that he has lived in the city since 1953.
In unrelated business, the board voted 6-2 to buy a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan for the Kelly Blue Book value of $13,600 from business manager Jill Regan, but made the purchase contingent on a review by solicitor Samuel Davis because of the cost.
Davis said he believed that any purchase exceeding $10,000 required bidding unless the purchase was made through a consortium. Regan said that ceiling was $18,001.
The motion for the purchase stated that two of the district’s vans are not in operation and are dated.
Board members Thomas George and Thomas Gerke voted against the first motion. The motion for the review passed unanimously.
In other business, the board:
n Awarded a $326,198 contract to Triangle Roofing Inc. to replace the roof over the original classroom section and multipurpose room of Wharton School.
n Accepted the retirement of Benjamin Franklin School elementary teacher Kenann R. Hruby effective June 11.
n Accepted the resignation of district-wide school nurse Lori Mariotti retroactive to April 2.
n Approved the 2015-16 Intermediate Unit 1 budget of $2.21 million, including the district’s share of $32,423.