BROCTON - The Brocton School Board heaped praise on Superintendent Jack Skahill at Thursday night's meeting.
Vice President Rod Geiben said he worked with administrators since 1968 when he began his career in education.
"Some have been good, but Jack Skahill is beyond remarkable," he said.
This was said before Skahill told the board he was going to give the pay raise he was going to receive back to the district. This is the second time he has given back his salary increase.
After the meeting, he said he didn't receive a salary increase "two or three years ago." This time, he will be giving the district $4,600, which he said, will be placed in the general fund.
He added that he currently earns $115,111 a year, a figure which, according to Business First, ranks his salary at 189 out of 200 school administrators in the Western New York area.
"I want to thank Jack for the sacrifices he has made for the district; giving his salary back goes way beyond," board member Harry Watters said.
Before Skahill announced his desire to return his raise to the district, the board was asked to approve a memorandum of agreement for his 2009-10 contract.
Board member Tom DeJoe was the only one with reservations. He said his concern was with setting a precedent and he wanted to demonstrate fiscal responsibility. When the vote was held to approve the memorandum, DeJoe cast the only no vote.
Skahill has said he plans to retire at the end of the next school year.
The board also offered its thanks to staff members Bob Sheldon, Chris Vacanti, James Delcamp and Larry Dolce for acting so quickly when a student's car caught fire in the school's parking lot.
They pulled the car away from other vehicles, preventing the fire from spreading, the board noted. The car was completely destroyed, but no one was injured.
In other business, the board accepted the internal audit report and the one received from the state comptroller's office. Both reports focused on the extra curricular activities funds the school maintains. "There were similar findings in both reports but there were no major discrepancies or deficiencies found," business executive Betty DeLand said.
She said changes have been instituted that will transfer the extra curricular activities funds to the central business office where controls are in place. High school principal Stephen Keefe announced that business law teacher Nance Ortolano has been named an adjunct professor at Niagara University. "Students taking her class will have the opportunity to earn three college credits when the successfully complete the course," he said.
He also noted the class is offered through distance learning to other schools.
In other action, the board approved an intermunicipal agreement for shared services between Brocton and Fredonia Central School for food services supervision. This is contingent on the Fredonia School Board approving the agreement, Skahill said.
DeLand said this agreement would save Brocton approximately $15,000 a year.
