Plum School District officials approved new five-year deals with three top administrators who each had at least one year left on their contracts.

The board voted 6-1 at a special meeting Tuesday to keep Superintendent Brendan Hyland, Deputy Superintendent Rick Walsh and Chief Financial Officer John Zahorchak through June 2025.

• Hyland’s new salary is $195,000 with a 2.25% raise in subsequent years.

• Walsh’s new salary is $155,000 with 2.75% raises the next four years.

• Zahorchak’s new salary is $125,000 with between 2.75% and 3.75% raises based on performance evaluations.

All three are also covering 15% premium cost for health insurance.

All three had at least one to two years left on their current contracts.

Those who voted in favor were board President Mike Devine, Vice President Mike Caliguiri and Directors Scott Coulson, Adam Hill, Angela Anderson and Amy Wetmore.

Director Michele Stepnick dissented. Scott Kolar and Joe Tommarello were absent.

2 school directors: ‘Not the right time’

Stepnick and Kolar support the administrators but question the timing of the next contracts.

“My ‘No’ vote is not related to not supporting our staff,” Stepnick said. “I do support them very much.

“I do not feel this is the time or place for these raises and contracts,” she continued. “We have struggling businesses and homeowners in our community. We have that at a normal time, now add in the restrictions of the (covid-19) pandemic.

“In addition, we have several collective bargaining units going into the school year without a contract. Some at two school years without a contract. My priority will always be to balance my obligation to the taxpayers, our students and our employees.”

Interviewed Thursday, Kolar questioned the need for a special meeting since the board’s regular voting session was scheduled for Sept. 29, which would allow for more discussion about the contracts.

“I am in 100% support of our administration,” Kolar said. “I think they’re the best administrative team that I’ve ever seen. I question the process, and I question the timing.”

Kolar said that he attempted to participate in the special meeting via phone, but could not vote due to multiple disconnections.

Devine: Other districts were interested

Devine said the negotiating committee was hoping to get the contracts finalized last month, and get some other personnel moves done by the time students returned to school.

Plum’s first day of class in the 2020-21 school year was Sept. 2.

“We did not move as quickly as we’d hoped to finalize the contracts,” Devine said. “We wanted to get them done to move on with the school year and focus on education and not personnel.”

“These three guys are tops at their positions,” Devine said. “We know other school districts were reaching out, and we felt this was a good time to secure them.”

Hyland and Walsh both technically resigned from their positions Tuesday night and were rehired with their new contracts.

Devine said the resignations were a formality, and that the board could not simply grant extensions to the current contracts.

“Because we wanted to keep them for the foreseeable future in the long-term, two years wasn’t going to cut it,” Devine said. “We wanted to show them we appreciate what they’ve done, and get them in line to where we thought they should have been for what the going rate is. We want to keep them all here in Plum.”

Their history with the district

Hyland was hired as Plum’s superintendent in February 2018. He was given a five-year contract with a starting salary of $155,000 and 2.5% raises each succeeding year. It was set to expire in 2023.

Walsh was hired as Plum’s assistant superintendent for K-8 in April 2018. He was given a similar five-year contract with a starting salary of $130,000 and 2.5% raises each year. Devine said Walsh’s new title comes with a new organizational structure and more responsibilities for him.

Zahorchak began his career with the district with a three-year contract in September 2016. His starting salary was $98,000 with raises of about $3,000 built in.

Zahorchak was given a new four-year deal in August 2018. The deal then was a $117,500 salary with raises of 2.5% built into the next three years.

Administrative accomplishments

Devine highlighted some of the administrative accomplishments from the past few years.

Highlights included increasing the number of teacher instructional days from 188 to 193; development and implementation of K-12 vertical curricular teams; acquiring Chromebooks for students K-12; raising the district’s bond rating, creating the opportunity to refinance about $64 million; reducing salary costs by offering retirement incentives and not having to furlough staff; and cutting expenses by about $2 million from the 2018-19 school year.

Devine said the district leaders also “brought a level of pride back to Plum” by rebranding the district and making the facilities and safety a top priority.

“All you have to do is look around the district and you will see that we have facilities that are inviting and make us proud,” Devine said.

Hyland: ‘Thanks’

Hyland thanked the board for its support.

“When the board approached me in February, I was humbled and appreciative that they recognized the positive changes that have occurred thus far in the district,” Hyland said. “Some other districts were noticing the changes that were occurring too, and our board felt it was important to maintain the path we are on in Plum and wanted to keep the team together.

“To be hired by one board, and to receive a new contract offer from a brand new board with six new members is something that makes me proud of the work our entire team has accomplished. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I am proud to say that I will finish my career as the superintendent of the Plum Borough School District.”

Walsh and Zahorchak did not respond to messages seeking comment.

More information about administrative contracts, collective bargaining agreements and related content can be found on the district’s website at pbsd.net/employeecontracts.

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