Richard Irizarry will receive $70,000 + $10,000

The Kenedy school board voted unanimously to end the employment of Superintendent Richard Irizarry during a special meeting on Friday morning.

They voted to buy out Irizarry’s contract for $70,000 plus an additional $10,000 for other expenses.

After returning from a three-hour-long closed session, Trustee Ed Monson made a motion.

"I move that we approve the settlement agreement regarding the resignation of Dr. Richard Irizarry and that we approve the buyout of his contract for the amount of $70,000 plus $10,000 for attorney fees, moving expenses and insurance expenses for the total amount of $80,000," Monson said.

Trustee Jimmy Burns seconded the motion and School Board Vice President Leo Valerio called for discussion. Valerio presided at the meeting in the absence of Board President Frank Nieto.

"I would just like to say that I wish that we could have worked this out," Monson said. "But, we couldn’t work it out and to me it comes to a point where, in business terms, you cut your losses, and you go forward. We want to go forward with this and we want this school to be successful and we feel like we are working together with this."

"Also," Monson added, "we would like to improve our relationship with Mr. Baker and the paper and we are trying to be positive about this. Dr. Irizarry did many good things for this district. We wish we could have worked this out but it got to the point where we couldn’t, so this is what it led to."

"Well said," Trustee Carl Lundquist stated. "I totally agree with Mr. Monson."

"I agree with Mr. Monson, too," Valerio said.

Valerio called for a vote and the vote was unanimous in favor of the motion.

In the next item of business, the board considered appointing an interim superintendent.

Monson made a motion to authorize the school district’s attorney to proceed with negotiations with a possible interim superintendent candidate.

Monson said that hopefully the interim superintendent would be hired before the start of the school year next week.

Trustee Carl Lundquist seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

The school board met yesterday evening to continue discussion and possible action regarding hiring an interim superintendent.

The Countywide left numerous messages for Richard Irizarry at his office last week, but the phone calls were not returned.

Irizarry began working as superintendent for Kenedy ISD in April 2005 at a pay rate of approximately $96,000 per year plus benefits. His contract was due to expire in eleven months.