Baldwinsville, N.Y. – Amid criticism from staff and residents for lack of transparency and wasting taxpayers’ dollars, the Baldwinsville Board of Education on Monday approved a separation agreement with Superintendent Jason D. Thomson that calls for him to resign as of June 30.
The resolution passed 9-0 with no discussion.
What was more contentious was the next vote.
The board voted 6-3 to replace Acting Superintendent Joseph DeBarbieri with a new acting superintendent from outside the district. Board members Matt Yager, Anthony Germano and Sam Schraven voted against the hire.
Some in the crowd of more than 60 shouted out their displeasure just prior to the vote and cheered when some board members said they wouldn’t support hiring a new person.
“Where is your transparency?’' shouted one resident. “We want to be heard. And we want you to respond back.”
Thomson will remain officially as superintendent through June 30, and be paid his regular salary. He won’t be working during that time period, however.
That means he’ll get nearly $145,000 since he got arrested, including $58,000 this year. The school board did not make details of Thomson’s settlement public prior to Monday night’s meeting.
During the meeting, the criticism was about far more than Thomson’s separation agreement, who is leaving after being charged with driving while intoxicated after crowd surfing at a high school football game last fall.
About a dozen people from the crowd spoke before the votes. Most speakers criticized the board for hiring another administrator -- at a rate of $800 a day -- rather than keeping the district’s current acting superintendent who is already on the payroll.
At times, the meeting grew heated, especially when board members cut off speakers.
Joseph DeBarbieri was appointed as acting superintendent after Thomson was placed on paid leave last fall. He also stepped in as acting superintendent previously, when then-superintendent Matthew McDonald took a leave in 2020 and subsequently resigned.
In recent days, the school board announced it would hire a replacement for DeBarbieri. That means the district will be paying for two full-time superintendents, though just one will be coming to work.
The move comes after the district has churned through three superintendents in the past eight years. That turmoil, plus Thomson’s departure, has cost district taxpayers nearly $400,000 that resulted in no work.
On Monday night, several people spoke in support of DeBarbieri and against the board’s plan to hire yet another administrator.
Curtis Billings, who has two children in the district, praised DeBarbieri for his leadership and urged that he remain as acting superintendent. He said the past several superintendents have cost taxpayers a lot of money.
He was met with applause as the board told him he had to stop speaking because he continued to use names of individuals, which is against board rules.
Another resident, Burrill Wells, said he is upset the school board didn’t involve the public more when they hired the last superintendent - Thomson. He also urged the board to retain DeBarbieri as acting superintendent and then make him superintendent.
“Why are you here?” Wells asked the board members. “Why do you pass him over every single time? That doesn’t sit well with the public.”
Baldwinsville school board members did not respond to questions from the public, or from syracuse.com | The Post-Standard in recent days, about why the board wouldn’t let DeBarbieri continue as acting superintendent.
Kimberly Dickinson, who said she works for the district, said staff members are questioning the board’s decisions, starting with the hiring of Thomson. She said the staff also supports DeBarbieri.
One speaker thanked the board members and said she welcomes a new acting superintendent.
Last October, Thomson was charged with driving while intoxicated after crowd-surfing with students at a school football game. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in that case.
Thomson has already collected $58,573 since Oct. 10, when he was placed on paid leave.
He would collect an additional $85,888 through June 30, according to his contract, which was set to expire in 2024.
With approval of the agreement, the board agreed to drop all disciplinary charges against Thomson. The board brought charges against Thomson in November after he initially refused to step down as the district’s leader.
The new hire, Kathleen Davis, will serve from Feb. 1 to June 30 and make $800 each day she works. She will earn about $83,000 in total, plus get a housing subsidy of $800 a month for Sunday through Thursday night lodging.
She will not be paid on holidays and would get 10 days off. DeBarbieri is returning to his previous role as the district’s deputy supervisor.
During the meeting, former Baldwinsville school board members circulated a letter they gave to the current board imploring to hire DeBarbieri as the new superintendent, rather than spending money on a search for someone else.
Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime at 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com