EV extends interim superintendent’s contract
Gresch still may to return to former post
The East Valley School Board voted to extend Interim Superintendent Tom Gresch’s contract through the end of the 2014-15 school year.
According to the contract, Gresch will receive $150,000 in an annual base salary, plus $1,000 a month for reimbursement of travel expenses.
It also stipulates Gresch may return to his previous position of assistant superintendent of general services for the 2015-16 school year.
Board chairman Mike Novakovich said the contract had been reviewed by the district’s attorneys, and they recommended signing the contract.
Before the vote, board member Mitch Jensen said he was going to vote no on the contract, not because he didn’t respect Gresch, but because he felt the board should have looked at other candidates. Northwest Leadership Associates, the company the district hired to find a new superintendent, offered to conduct a search for an interim superintendent.
“I think we’re doing things backward in this district,” Jensen told the board.
Novakovich said he thought Gresch has been doing a good job at the position so far.
“It would be ill-advised to bring anyone else in,” Novakovich said.
Novakovich and board members Justin Voelker Fred Helms voted yes. Jensen voted no and board member Mike Harris was absent.
The board also approved next year’s business meeting schedule. The meetings will be moved to the library of East Valley High School starting in September.
Novakovich, Voelker and Helms all voted to approve the meeting schedule, Jensen voted no.
“This is the first I’ve heard of moving these meetings,” Jensen said.