Great Meadows Regional School District offers one-time severance package to employees

Wednesday, February 24, 2010
By STEPHEN J. NOVAK
The Express-Times

INDEPENDENCE TWP. | For the next two and a half weeks, Great Meadows Regional School District workers will ponder their employment futures.

The district's school board voted Monday to offer a one-time severance package for any district employee7 who decides to leave this summer.

The package offered is $1,000 for each year of the employee's service at Great Meadows, to be paid out over five years. The offer is open through March 17 to all district staff.

District Superintendent Tim Frederiks said the staff was to be alerted of the offer Tuesday morning.

"I think (the package) represents a fair amount to give to employees based on their years of service to Great Meadows," Frederiks said.

Officials said the package is being offered to help close gaps in the district's budget.

Districts all over the state are in for rough budget seasons. Gov. Chris Christie announced earlier this month he is freezing $475 million in school aid for the current budget year, expecting districts to dip into their budget surpluses.

The governor has also announced plans to cut aid to schools by 15 percent in the next budget year, which starts in July.

Great Meadows board member William Vonder Haar was the lone vote against the severance package, saying the district has worked hard in previous years to keep its staff and small class sizes intact.

"What I'm concerned about is this is enticing some of our great staff to go on to greener pastures," Vonder Haar said.

Frederiks said that without offering the package, younger staff members would be most at risk in budget cuts. He also said the option is meant for staff members who already may plan to retire soon.

The success of the package depends on who takes it, Frederiks said.