Larke says he'll retire in October

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Correction, September 16, 2006: A statement was incorrectly attributed in the original version of this story. At Thursday night's meeting, school board member Jimmy Atkins said the charge letter dealing with allegations about Dr. Larke was "strong" enough to get the votes to fire the superintendent. (Highlight changes)

Superintendent Charles Larke is out as of Oct. 31, but his monthly paycheck will make it seem like he never left.

Ending nearly five months of contract negotiations, the school board and superintendent reached a deal and an amended contract Thursday night.

The deal has Dr. Larke retiring as superintendent but working from home as a consultant making his same salary until March 31. And although he lost his annuities when he received a poor evaluation, he could receive them in the amended contract should he get positive evaluations.

Deputy Superintendent James Thompson was chosen to be his interim successor.

"I have no hard feelings," Dr. Larke said. "I'm happy it's over."

The superintendent is pleased that the deal allows him to leave with 40 years of service, maximizing his state retirement benefits.

The board approved the amended contract after meeting for 40 minutes behind closed doors, with Jimmy Atkins and Helen Minchew voting against it.

The vote for Mr. Thompson was unanimous.

The deal was a "gamble," said board member Ken Echols, who was among the majority who voted to start the termination process in July but voted Thursday in favor of settlement.

If Dr. Larke had decided to sue the board, it could have cost two to three times the amount of the amended contract, he said.

But Mr. Atkins said outside the meeting that the "dirty laundry" in the superintendent's closet would have kept him from suing.

"I do not agree in rewarding a man who has done an inadequate job as superintendent, but we have employees who give 110 percent every day and we can't reward them," he said . "I don't believe at any point in this contract negotiation he has ever done anything in the best interest of the schoolchildren."

Dr. Larke's last evaluation from the board was unsatisfactory, causing him to lose his annuities.

The new contract, however, allows him to regain those annuities from the time he lost them July 1. The board can choose to evaluate him monthly and award the annuities - up to $97,000 at the end of the contract.

Mrs. Minchew said she couldn't support the money in the new contract considering the accusations levied against the superintendent .

The allegation that more than $400,000 in taxpayer money was given to employees in pay advances surfaced as school board attorney Pete Fletcher delved into grounds for the superintendent's termination.

The board directed Mr. Fletcher in July to research those grounds and draft a letter containing the charges. That letter was ready for the board to see in closed session Thursday night , but wasn't shown to them because it appeared the new contract had the support of most of the board.

The letter was strong enough to get the votes to fire Dr. Larke, Mr. Atkins said.

The board approved a motion to end the practice of giving out pay advances, which was met with groans from the audience of mostly school board employees.

Mrs. Minchew's motion also directed school officials to report to the board who owes how much, how much money the board has lost and how it can be recovered.

Mr. Fletcher said there have been at least three instances in which people left the school system and still owed money.