FAYETTEVILLE -- John L. Colbert signed a contract for employment Monday to formally accept the position of superintendent at the Fayetteville Public School District.
"It's a milestone for me," Colbert said. "It just shows you how progressive we are in Fayetteville."
Colbert has worked his way up through the School District for about 43 years, he said. He said he believes in the goals and mission of the district.
Colbert was named superintendent June 21 but had been acting as superintendent since about April, when then Superintendent Matthew Wendt was put on administrative leave. The board fired Wendt on June 18.
A formal contract for Colbert hadn't been signed until Monday, which also was the first day of school. Fayetteville's School Board called the special meeting, discussed the contract in executive session, then voted unanimously to employ Colbert.
"We were very fortunate to have a leader within our district that not only knows and understands our district but is also someone that is beloved and trusted by our community as well as our staff, teachers and leadership," said Justin Eichmann, board president, in a news release.
Colbert's three-year contract is through the 2020-21 school year with a salary of $215,000. That amount is about $15,000 less than Wendt, who had more experience as a superintendent at other schools, Eichmann said.
Colbert will be retroactively paid about $19,000 for his work as superintendent earlier this year, Eichmann said.
Several additions were put into Colbert's contract not in Wendt's contract. Four new entries make it easier for the board to fire the superintendent in situations where actions don't violate the District's policy, Eichmann said.
Those additions are: neglect of duties; failing to comply with board policies, including sexual or other harassment or discrimination; an arrest or the filing of criminal charges; and conduct the board deems unbecoming to the district or its reputation, according to the contract released Monday night.
"All of [the Board] thought it was the best thing to do for the district," Eichmann said.
The additions aren't related to Wendt's firing, Eichmann said. Superintendent contracts from other school districts were reviewed as part of creating Colbert's contract, he said.
Officials previously said Wendt was later fired for violating school policy through his derogatory and offensive conduct and communication with a female subordinate. He was put on paid administrative leave April 8 after an employee sexual harassment claim was made March 14.
A lawsuit surrounding the release of public records pertaining to the board's decision to dismiss Wendt is ongoing. Shae Lynn Newman sued the district in July to prevent the release of the personnel records requested by the newspaper and others under the state's Freedom of Information Act.
NW News on 08/14/2018