It’s been very frustrating.
That’s one thing the two sides in the Oxford superintendent of schools contract fiasco can agree on.
The comment came from both the Board of Education Chairwoman Rose McKinnon and Superintendent Judith Palmer during a special board meeting Wednesday night at Oxford High School.
Click play on the second video to watch the exchange.
“I know it’s been very frustrating,” McKinnon said to personnel subcommittee chairman, John Lavin, after a heated moment of discussion about the contract.
“And it’s been very frustrating for me as well,” Palmer interjected.
The board Wednesday unanimously voted to extend Palmer’s employment, salary and benefits until July 31.
Palmer’s contract — which was voided at a marathon meeting in May — expired Wednesday, and was not renewed or extended by the board.
The Contract
McKinnon said the extension in Palmer’s employment will give the board time to conduct a performance review for Palmer, as required by law.
Then the board can start talking about whether to issue a new contract for Palmer, McKinnon said.
Republican board member Michael Macchio said the contract was voided because the board felt it was illegal due to wording that allowed the contract to be automatically renewed.
But Democratic board member Paula Guillet after the meeting said she believes the action was political — motivated by a desire to dismiss Palmer.
“I think there are people in this town and on this board that are looking to get rid of her,” Guillet said.
During the meeting, Guillet questioned whether any future contract would be contingent on the evaluation.
“So you’re saying her new contract is contingent on her evaluation … even though her contract was voided for clerical errors,” Guillet said.
Board vice chairman William Neary disputed that the contract was voided based on clerical errors, but agreed with the fact that any new contract would be determined based on the results of the evaluation.
“The process right now is we’re going to have an evaluation, and from that evaluation, if in fact there’s going to be a new contract, certainly the attorneys will work on it,” Neary said. “The evaluation process is first.”
The evaluation
Palmer will be evaluated using the form that the district has used for the past several years.
How to evaluate Palmer was a point of contention between board members and Palmer, according to Macchio.
The majority of the Board of Education wanted to find a more specific evaluation sheet for the review, Macchio said.
But Palmer wanted her review to be based on the existing evaluation form, Macchio said.
“We have decided we don’t want to fight the superintendent,” Macchio said.
The evaluation form is attached at the bottom of this article.
Reaction
The situation has prompted loud support for Palmer, in the form of a rally, a Facebook page supporting her and a petition requesting a public hearing be held on the topic.
Macchio called the public support “a very vocal minority.”
He said there are more people who support the actions of the board majority, who fear retribution on their children if they speak out.
Guillet said she has received dozens of phone calls from upset parents and residents.
Guillet wore her support publicly Wednesday, with a T‑shirt that said “I support Dr. Judy Palmer.”
“She’s outstanding,” Guillet said. “I don’t think we could ask for a better superintendent.”
Palmer Wednesday deferred comments about the details of the situation to board members.
“I’m just hopeful that it all works out,” Palmer said.