Neale-Rich pay dispute heats up
U46 chief defends raise, bonus as ex-board member renews his criticism
ELGIN -- U46 Superintendent Connie Neale on Tuesday defended her proposed large salary increase even as she drew new criticism of being too loose with the taxpayers' checkbooks.
"I have been getting the same raise that the teachers have been getting," said Neale, who added that every U46 employee from bus drivers to administrators received a 5.95 percent raise last year.
"Part of the problem is that Mr. (Daniel) Rich has been a board member for three years, but this was the first time he attended the meeting (at which the superintendent's salary is negotiated). So perhaps he didn't understand the process," said Neale. "I'm just giving them (school board members) the data and I leave the room. I gave them a list of what they should consider -- it wasn't demands, it wasn't expectations -- I don't negotiate with the board."
Regardless, U46 school board member Daniel Rich resigned Monday, citing what he considered outrageous salary demands by Neale and a generous response by board members.
Rich provided The Courier News with a letter that Neale handed the school board at a closed meeting Saturday. The letter sought a tax-free 10 percent to 20 percent bonus and a $30,000 to $50,000 raise on top of her $242,000 salary.
The letter cited the elimination of the district's huge deficit and that "all elementary schools (made) adequate yearly progress goals (under the federal No Child Left Behind Act) in the fall of 2006."
Rich said the board on Saturday "reluctantly agreed" to give Neale "a $20,000 salary realignment and a 10 percent tax-free bonus." This means Neale will be making "around $400,000 next year," Rich said. The final vote on her contract has not been taken, so the action is not official.
"The call is theirs (the board's) and I am their employee and ultimately your boss makes the decision," continued Neale. "I was totally shocked at the misrepresentation of the facts. It was just one of those things (her salary considerations) to chew on, and I would have supported whatever they decided."
"Connie admitted to the board that she gave her staff (top 10 U46 positions) $5,000 bonuses and that's on top of the $30,000 to $50,000 increases in their salaries over the past few years," said Rich.
U46 school district officials in 2006-07 were making anywhere from $130,386 to $175,925, which includes their salary and pensions, according to a board document provided by Rich.
But Neale put a wet blanket on that fire.
"It's absolutely not true (giving $5,000 bonuses to ranking staff)," said Neale, who explained the justification behind salary increases and bonuses.
"The cabinet staff, they get the same raises that all administrators get, which was 5.95 percent raise (last year). All administrators got that and all teachers got the same raise," said Neale. "If someone changes their job or goes back to school and gets their doctorate or assumes more responsibility and is working more hours, we realign those salaries."
Neale cited some examples within her administrative staff.
"Tina Radomsky's (executive director of elementary education's) salary went way up because she was an elementary principal at Liberty (Elementary School in Bartlett) two years ago," said Neale. "She was working 220 days versus 265 days and she had a shorter contract and was responsible for one elementary school. And so now she is an executive director in charge of all 40 elementary schools -- she has a different job and she not only works 10 months a year, she works 12 months a year; so that person (Radomsky in this instance) would be making more than the 5.95 percent raise."
Radomsky is paid $145,151 in salary and pension, according to a school board document.
And then there's "the chief financial officer (John Prince), who two years ago was just in charge of finance. Now he's in charge of not only finance but all financial operations," said Neale.
Prince makes $175,925 in salary and pension, according to a school board document.
"If she's going to tell me she didn't mean what she said and that none of that happened and that whatever perception I had was off," Rich said, "people are going to know she's lying.
"You can't keep kicking things under the rug," said Rich. "The public is crazy if they reseat any of those board members. The public needs to try the superintendent's decision (to increase salaries and give out bonuses) and put pressure on the district to make some changes and maybe remove Connie" Neale.
