|
To read the Audit Report as well as the District's response to the Comptroller's Report, click here and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and select "Complete Audit in PDF" |
|
|
|
To
read Richard Rhau's Letter to the Editor
regarding the $160 travel expense, Rhau Asks for More Money and More Time Off?!
According to the New York State School Administrator Salary Disclosure (which is posted on the Watchdog web site), Richard Rhau is the third highest paid school superintendent in the entire County of Ulster.
|
Note: To read Salary Disclosure, as noted above, click here |
What Rhau Gets
According to the report, Rhau receives $186,702 annually in salary and benefits, which includes an $11,058 cash buyout in lieu of health insurance, $6,000 in cash each year for the use of his personal vehicle and another $4,200 in cash annually to purchase his own personal life insurance, etc. The District also pays approximately $1, 600 each year in dues for the three organizations to which Rhau belongs. He is provided with a District credit card and cell phone, 25-vacation days per year—which may be accumulated up to a maximum of 50-days (at time of separation he is entitled to cash-out unused vacation days at the rate of 1/240th of his then-current salary); 18-days off per year in lieu of holidays; 5-personal days off each year; 15-sick days per year—which may be accumulated up to a maximum of 75-days (at time of separation he is entitled to cash-out unused sick days at the rate of 1/240th of his then-current salary); generous bereavement leaves (Contract states "three (3) work days of bereavement leave (four days if travel of 500 miles or more is required) for the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling or corresponding in-law, grandparent, grandchild or member of immediate household); full pay while serving on a Grand Jury; and he is provided legal counsel against all uninsured financial losses arising out of any claim, demand, suit or judgment by reason of alleged negligence or other conduct resulting in bodily or other injury to any person or property while acting within the scope of his employment.
What Rhau Wants Now
As of January 1, 2007, Rhau received an additional 4% increase in salary. The Board of Education is presently in the process of evaluating him, and that could net him another 4% on top of that last increase. It will be interesting to see how Rhau's cronies vote. Obviously Rhau (and I repeat here that he is the third-highest superintendent in the County) is not satisfied with his current contract. I've recently been informed (by two sources in the community, in fact, both of whom are outside the school district) that Rhau has made an attempt to get the Board to renegotiate his contract (set to expire in June 2009) with a view toward getting more money, more time off, and other additional benefits. In order to confirm that, I've FOILed for any and all pertinent information with respect to that possibility. Can you believe this guy? Here is a man who
• is the highest paid public employee in the entire Town of Saugerties,• is the third highest paid superintendent in the entire County,
• is collecting a full pension from the State of New Jersey based upon his former employment, and
• is a registered voter in Burlington County, New Jersey, his home town.
Can you imagine the audacity of this man asking Saugerties' taxpayers to give him more money and more time off? This is pure greed—behavior that reminds me of a "pig at the trough." When will all this end?
Speaking of taxpayers, I'd like to remind voters that within a few months we will once again be going to the polls to vote on next year's school budget as well as elect three new board members. This election will be a critical one because the next three individuals who are elected to the school board in May will have the final say about whom the superintendent of schools will be for the next several years and what his or her contract will contain. So please, keep this in mind when you vote.
The High Cost of Administration
In the mean time I'll share some information regarding the cost to the District for our school administrators—who, incidentally, are the highest paid public employees in the entire town of Saugerties. Unfortunately, since the majority of these administrators are "non residents" who have no tax obligations to the Town, they also have nothing to lose as a result of their exorbitant and overpriced employment packages While I'm sure that most of these people are decent and respectable, they just are not personally affected by the high taxes their "packages" help create.
• Richard Rhau, Superintendent and who is a registered voter in his hometown of Medford, New Jersey, receives approximately $186,702 annually (which includes salary and benefits, see details above). (See Note (1) below)• Cheryl Nuciforo, Assistant Superintendent and nonresident, receives approximately $120,000 annually (As a side note, Nuciforo was just granted tenure, so I guess she's here to stay.) (See Note (2) below)
• Joe Dziaik, Business Administrator with the permanent residence of Phoenix, New York, receives approximately $110,000 annually (See Note (2) below)
• Timothy Price, Senior High Principal and nonresident, receives approximately $126,226 annually (See Note (2) below)
• Fred Hirsch, Vice-Principal Senior High, receives approximately $90,786 annually (See Note (2) below)
• Don Farris, Jr. High Principal, receives approximately $106,801 annually (See Note (2) below)
• Susan Gies, Cahill Elementary School principal and nonresident, receives approximately $101,989 annually (See Note (2) below)
• Seth Turner, Grant D Morse Elementary School Principal and non-resident, receives approximately $104,489 annually (See Note (2) below)
• Michael Miller, Riccardi Elementary School principal and nonresident, receives approximately $116,219 annually (See Note (2) below)
• Tim Farley, Mt Marion Elementary School Principal and nonresident, receives approximately $101,989 annually (See Note (2) below)
_________
Footnotes:
(1) These are the individuals to whom district cell phones are assigned.
(2) Includes salary and cost of health benefits, but does not include pension, employer portion of social security, or other costs
Guess What?
Remember my report (December 21, 2006) that it had been alleged that a certain high school principal would be retiring in 2007, and how "certain" members of the administration had already hand-picked a particular math teacher (who shall remain nameless for now) whom they want to be groomed for the position of Junior High principal? Remember I had a meeting with those "individuals" in an attempt to verify whether or not the rumor was true? Remember how "both" of those individuals emphatically assured me that it was not?
Well, guess what—on January 21, 2007, a mere 30-days later, the Saugerties Central School District announced in the Kingston Freeman that they are seeking a
". . . dynamic instructional leader for a 7-8 building, with a record of and demonstrated proficiency in the areas of communication, curriculum, organization, data driven decision-making, and public relations. Previous administrative experience at the secondary level is preferred."
Does anyone want to take a guess whom the administration will be recommending for that position? My guess? It will be the individual who denied the rumor. Time will tell.
In Closing
To share one last bit of information recently received, it was told to me that certain individuals who hold Department Chairman positions (such as Vince Buono's sister and niece) and others did not receive a raise in their stipend pay last year. Mr. Rhau and board member Buono were seen recently having lunch together at a local Barclay Heights restaurant. Based upon this information, I make the following prediction: you will see a resolution placed on the agenda in the near future requesting that the board approve raises for the department "chairs." Time will tell.
George D. Heidcamp, Sr.
February 1, 2007