Carthage Superintendent Accused of Violating Administrators' Contract

ALBANY, NY (03/09/2009)(readMedia)-- The Carthage School Administrators Association is challenging in court the conduct of the school district and its former school superintendent, Carl Militello, who the association believes negotiated special deals with individual members in return for their support of his agenda.

In June 2007, the association had settled a case with the district in which Militello had secretly given additional compensation to a member without negotiations with the association. The settlement involved the district agreeing not to conduct secret negotiations in the future. Shortly thereafter however, Militello did it again, this time giving a member free health insurance in retirement and a retirement incentive and other benefits not offered to similar situated members of the bargaining unit. Such unfair treatment of long-serving members of the staff is legally wrong said Association President James Newell.

There is also a legitimate concern as to whether the board of education as a collective body "ever voted on the secret deal." According to Arthur Scheuerman, general counsel for the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS), the matter of this case will go to trial shortly before the Public Employment Relations Board, contesting the conduct of the district and board member Tina Soukop who allegedly signed the secret deal on behalf of an administrator in the district. Mr. Scheuermann is confident that given the circumstances the district will be found to have violated the Civil Service Law and will be forced to take actions to correct the problems.

SAANYS represents over 7,000 school administrators, supervisors, and coordinators. As a professional association, SAANYS provides direction, service and support to the membership in their efforts to improve the quality of education and leadership in New York State schools. SAANYS is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).