Cash-strapped School District 43 paid its former secretary treasurer $148,495 in severance when he left his job last December after less than three and a half years at SD43, district records show.
Rick Humphreys, who began working in Coquitlam School District on July 13, 2009, left his job Dec. 19, 2012, according to records obtained by The Tri-City News under a freedom of information request.
Humphreys was entitled to up to 14 months in severance for 41 months of service, according to B.C.'s Public Sector Employers Act (hIs annual salary, according to the latest financial records, was $147,955). But if he gets another public sector job, he won't be eligible for the severance pay.
The records show Humphreys was hired July 13, 2009 for a one-year term - effectively a probation period - and his contract was then extended to July 12, 2014. He was allowed expenses for professional development and, according to the district's statement of financial information, spent $7,634 in 2011/'12. He was also entitled to a $540 transportation allowance during his employment, 18 days sick leave per year and 15 days vacation.
According to SD43, Humphreys resigned for personal reasons related to his health. An explanation of Humphreys' departure was sent out to staff on Dec. 21, 2012. (He last attended a public board of education meeting on Nov. 20, 2012.)
The information was revealed as SD43 reviews the flawed budgeting process that led to a $13-million deficit this year that will be partly offset by $5 million in non-staff cuts. The remaining $8 million (the final amount won't be known until the end of June) will be paid back in instalments beginning in 2014/'15.
FORENSIC AUDIT
Trustees have also committed to hiring forensic auditors to go through the books this summer.
One of the questions that has repeatedly been raised is when the district knew it was in financial difficulty and when it shared the information publicly.
There were no financial updates at public board meetings from September through December 2012, although at the Dec. 11 meeting, the board approved its statement of financial information, which included a small surplus - $111,183 - after $774,369 from the previous year was factored in.
In late December, board chair Melissa Hyndes confirmed to The Tri-City News that Humphreys resigned effective in January (she didn't give a specific date) and admitted the district was facing challenges. But she gave no hint about the extent of the problem.
That information wasn't revealed publicly until the Jan. 15 board meeting, when superintendent Tom Grant told trustees the potential shortfall was $7.5 million, and the district was taking action in making $5 million in non-staff cuts.
No blame has been attributed to staff during the discussions about the district budget but both Hyndes and Grant have apologized and admitted responsibility for problems leading to the budget deficit and attributed the shortfall to an over-estimation of revenue and underestimation of costs.
The search for a new secretary treasurer continues. Efforts to find a replacement for Humphreys was stalled during the budget process after the district failed to find an appropriate candidate.
The board is expected to decide at an upcoming board meeting when to renew its search.
