Pittsfield OKs 3-Year Contract for Curtis
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| Superintendent Joseph Curtis has agreed to a three-year contract with no raise in fiscal 2025. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee has approved a three-year contract from 2024 to 2027 with Superintendent Joseph Curtis that does not raise his $185,000 salary in the first year.
Curtis reportedly requested that he not receive higher compensation in this agreement. He was ill at the time of the meeting and not able to attend.
"I would just like to note that I believe Mr. Curtis deserves a higher salary even though he has made it very clear that he does not want a higher salary with this contract," committee member Sara Hathaway said.
"But I hope there will be a point in the near future that we can help to bring his compensation closer to the salary levels of his peers in comparable districts."
Chair William Cameron pointed out that the contract is identical to the superintendent's current contract except for dates being changed and does not replace the current contract.
The contract runs from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027. From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, Curtis will be paid his present salary of $185,220. This will be subject to negotiation in 2025 and each subsequent year as well as performance-based salary increases.
Curtis' salary is significantly higher than the fiscal 2024 salary of $115,725 for the mayor. Mayor Linda Tyer, who leaves office in January, said the superintendent has initiated several significant undertakings that are critical to the future of the district and she feels strongly about all of the work that he is leading.
"It's essential that we have stability and continuity in our school leadership," she said. "And this contract is a three-year contract that will help the School Committee and the administrative staff and our school community overall accomplish some of these important initiatives that have been undertaken by our superintendent."
Tyer pointed out that she has been around city government for 20 years in different capacities and it is the first time that she has seen such a rigorous and robust set of initiatives undertaken by any superintendent.
The district is currently undergoing a restructuring study that could result in the closing of some schools and new grade alignments.
Elias said Curtis is willing to take the "expected heat" from the study because he knows it is needed.
"Usually, the superintendent would never entertain the idea of reorganizing the schools or the population where they're going to attend schools," he said.
"It's a very unpopular notion. That's usually done at the last second of an administrator's term."
Enc. No. 2, Superintendent&... by Brittany Polito
Tags: contract, Pittsfield School Committee, superintendent,
