Kneisler settlement violated no law

However, Senator says the deal ‘circumvented the spirit of the law

By Rob Cullivan

The Gresham Outlook, Oct 28, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (5 Reader comments)

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Former Reynolds School District Superintendent Terry Kneisler’s severance deal did not violate state law, according to a state Senate committee.

However, it did “circumvent” a law enacted last year to dismantle “golden parachutes,” according to Sen. Vicki Walker, a Eugene Democrat who chairs the Interim Committee on Education and General Government.

“They found a loophole, and we’ve got to plug it,” she said, noting she plans on drafting legislation to make it more difficult for districts to offer generous severance packages for ousted administrators.

At an Oct. 27 meeting in Salem, the committee discussed severance deals for Kneisler and former Lebanon superintendent Jim Robinson, who was given a package worth $400,000 when he resigned earlier this month.

Kneisler resigned in September amidst concerns over budgeting practices and academics in the district. In his severance deal, the district gave Kneisler one year’s salary of $133,026 and will maintain him on its insurance until Sept. 30, 2009. Among other items in the termination deal, the district will continue to pay Kneisler’s automobile allowance of $412 per month for one year, totaling $4,944.

Both Kneisler’s and Robinson’s severance packages were criticized as too generous by some, and John Nelsen, chairman of the Reynolds board, has previously said that should the board ever have to oust a superintendent, the district will offer severance packages covering only three to six months salary.

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