Apr 30, 2025 By Garrett Neese 3 min read

Members of the Southeastern Greene School Board unanimously approved a new contract for the district’s superintendent, although many of the details — including salary — were not discussed prior to the vote.

The contract for Superintendent Rich Pekar, who has served in that role for 11 years, runs through June 30, 2030, according to discussion during Monday’s meeting. In the 2023-24 school year, Pekar made $118,052, according to the state Department of Education.

Melissa Melewsky, media law attorney for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, said the contract vote fell short of the public comment requirements under the state’s Sunshine Act. The act requires “a meaningful opportunity for public comment” before votes are taken.

“Obviously, if you don’t have any details about what’s being voted on, you can’t give meaningful public comment,” she said.

Asked about terms of the contract Monday night, Pekar said the final language still needed to be prepared by the district solicitor after the board had agreed on the terms during an executive session before the meeting. He said he would email a copy of the contract when written, which had not been received as of Tuesday afternoon.

Melewsky said it would not be uncommon for a board to discuss the terms in an executive session, then once the contract was written up, add it to a future agenda.

Not providing details of the contract before it was approved by the board could leave the vote open to legal challenges, Melewsky said, though a suit would have to be filed within 30 days. The vote would remain in effect unless a judge invalidated the contract.

However, she said, findings of violations are extremely rare.

On Monday, Pekar said his goals over the next five years include upgrading district facilities, as well as technology to facilitate the district’s move to all-online state testing next year.

“We’re still continuing to work in our facilities, trying to provide all the opportunities that students would have at a larger school setting here in this small, rural school district,” he said.

Pekar credited the board and administration for a shared vision, and said the district has benefited from stability at the top.

“We have a very supportive and hard-working community, and we have a very supportive and hard working school board, so they really care about the students in our district, and they always voted on things that they feel are best for our kids in our district,” he said after Monday’s meeting.