Letter to the Editor: Remove stipend from superintendent’s contract
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The Wood County Board of Education recently negotiated a new contract for Superintendent Christie Willis. Under the travel portion of her contract Willis gets reimbursed for any reasonable and necessary expenses incurred when she travels performing her duties as superintendent, which she should, as long as she has sworn itemized statements to justify her expenses.
The concern I have in her contract is, she is given a monthly travel stipend of $900 for vehicle expenses to carry out her duties. This is in addition to her reimbursement. Board member Judy Johnson has stated this "stipend" is because Willis would rather use her own car than using a county provided vehicle when she travels.
If Willis uses her own vehicle to travel, that is her choice. She should not get a "stipend" to use her own vehicle, unless a county provided vehicle is not available. There are other things in her contract that I have an issue with, but this travel "stipend" is a blatant slap in the face to those of us who pay her salary, and an even bigger slap in the face to employees that have had to face a large RIF. Willis should be ashamed of herself for fleecing the county and the taxpayers like this.
This $900 monthly stipend appears to be illegal. State Code 18-4-9 states, the board may reimburse the superintendent from the current expense fund for all reasonable and necessary travel expenses actually incurred in the performance of their official duties. But no allowance should be made except upon sworn itemized statements. This code says no allowances shall be made. The definition of stipend is an allowance or a bonus.
Willis should have the BOE remove the $900 stipend from her contract and use a county provided vehicle when she travels for her job. If Willis refuses to ask the board to remove this stipend, the BOE should renegotiate her contract and remove the stipend and require the use of a county provided vehicle for her travel. Willis is making almost $11,000 per year whether she travels or not. This money would go a long way in providing classroom supplies for teachers who often pay for these expenses out of pocket or depend on donations from parents.
Chad Conley
Mineral Wells