Cliff Buchan
News Editor

There will be no waiting for a new school board and a new year for a new contract for ISD 831ís superintendent of schools.

Behind a 6-1 vote at its regular meeting Thursday, Dec. 1, the school board agreed to extend the contract an additional three years starting July 1, 2006. The action came over appeals to delay action from board Keith Dunham and several district residents, including incoming board member Eric Langness.

Steenblock found support from the six board members and other district residents who spoke on his behalf.

The three-year contract extension will mean a pay hike for the top school chief.

Steenblockís current annual salary of $122,000 would jump to $131,675 in the 2006-2007 school year, increase to $138,259 in 2007-2008, and cap at $143,790 in the final year of the contract, 2008-2009. The new agreement will reduce dollars that Steenblock could have earned through pay-for-performance incentives.

Board President Bill Bresin said last week the contract reflected the boardís positive reaction to Steenblockís performance in the past and his willingness to accept a pay freeze in the current school years at a time when the districtís financial future was uncertain.

Dunham says wait

Board member Dunham lobbied hard for a delay last week, arguing that he felt the entire board should have been involved in the negotiations process and not just the three members of the boardís staff welfare committee. He also questioned the guidelines and criteria used in setting salary and benefit parameters in the new contract.

Following a motion by member Karen Morehead to approve the new contract, Dunham asked that the motion be rescinded. A delay until the arrival of the new board in January would not change the process but would extend an ìolive branchî to the community, Dunham said.

At a time when the public has rejected a district excess levy request and elected two anti-administration candidates, waiting on Steenblockís contract was the right thing to do, Dunham said.

Dunhamís request for a delay went silent and the board voted 6-1 to approve the agreement.

Support came from Morehead, Grafft, Bresin, Rob Rapheal, Dean Barr and Jody Krebs.

Time to act

Board members went on record last week indicating it was time to act on the contract.

The board in March voted to offer the superintendent a new three-year deal effective next July.

With last weekís decision ratifying a new teacher contract, the action on Steenblock completes all employee contracts. Morehead said she felt it was the current boardís responsibility to act on the contract and provide a clean slate for the new school board next month.

ìI wanted to be an active part of that,î Morehead said. Morehead, Barr and Krebs all leave the board at the end of the month.

Steenblock also found a staunch defender in Grafft who said heís ìnever seen a man of higher integrityî and someone who has the best interest of kids in his heart.

Grafft also appealed for an end to what he called ìvisceral and ridiculousî letters criticizing the superintendent. ìThatís enough. No more,î Grafft said, urging the detractors to spend 10 minutes with Steenblock to see what the man is about.

Member Krebs said the staff welfare committee requested individual board evaluations on the superintendent but Dunham elected to not complete one.

Morehead reminded Dunham all committee meetings are open to the public and all board members are welcome. And because Steenblock is not a formal union, the board can not use closed session to negotiate a contract, she said.

Citizen comments

During the open forum segment of the meeting, a number of district residents weighed in with opinions on the agreement.

Langness, who won a board seat on Nov. 8, said a delay in approval was warranted in light of the Nov. 8 vote and what he said was a call for change. He also questioned the terms, calling the agreement a 15-year financial commitment in terms of severance and other benefits.

John Freed, Forest Lake, urged the board to delay the vote and give the responsibility to the new board.

The superintendent also found friends in the audience.

Rep. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake, encouraged the board to keep Steenblock and said the school chief was very supportive on the legislative front.

Dan Kieger, Lino Lakes, who fell short of an election bid on Nov. 8, endorsed Steenblock as a good asset and urged the board to take action. ìYou are the people who have been working with him,î he said.

Kim Rapheal, Scandia, spoke in support of Steenblock and said it was unfair for the educational process to drag politics into this decision. ìSome want to make it a battle,î she said. ìThatís not fair to the kids.î

Contract terms

Under the new contract, Steenblock would be eligible to receive up to $4000 a year in pay for performance in each year of the contract.

The superintendent would also be eligible for other benefits that include 12 paid holidays a year, 25 paid vacation days a year, 20 days of paid sick leave which may be accumulated to a maximum of 150 days and 22 days of severance pay each year with the accrual not to exceed 115.5 days for early retirement, severance or resignation.

The superintendent will also receive a $585 monthly car allowance with the rate to increase 3 percent a year in years two and three. The current monthly allowance is $550.

The contract will extend from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2009. It is Steenblockís third contract with the ISD 831 School Board.

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