Former superintendent to get $56K payout for unused vacation, sick time

LACONIA — Former superintendent Steve Tucker, who abruptly resigned on Aug. 20, will receive one more paycheck from the school district — and it’ll be a big one.

As a result of a unanimous vote taken in a special board meeting held Friday, the district will pay Tucker a total of $56,284.80 as compensation for accumulated vacation days and unused sick time. The motion was made by School Board Chair Jennifer Anderson, seconded by Board Member Nick Grenon, and approved by board members LaToya Beck, Laura Dunn, Karin Salome and Jennifer Ulrich without discussion.

Tucker’s termination pay will be for vacation pay and unused sick time. His contract afforded him 30 vacation days each year, and permitted him to carry over unused paid time from previous years, up to a maximum of 60 days. He began the current contract year on July 1 with 60 days carried over, and the value of those, as well as the days he accumulated over the summer, amounted to $42,799.90.

Tucker also built up a bank of 67.25 sick days. Per terms of his contract, the district pays out unused sick time at one-third value, which worked out to another $13,484.90.

Tucker can thank Bob Champlin, former Laconia superintendent who agreed to serve as interim following the August resignation, for being able to realize the full value of his payout. Tucker’s contract states he may only resign without liability if he provides 90 days of notice — but his resignation letter was given to the board only a few hours before he left his post.

However, according to both Champlin and Anderson, who spoke to the issue following the meeting, the district’s attorney Paul Fitzgerald advised that Tucker escaped any financial liability because Champlin had agreed to a compensation package equal to Tucker’s pay, prorated to reflect the length of his interim service.

Anderson said Fitzgerald drafted the motion she read at the meeting on Friday.