Million Dollar Man? Board evaluates Superintendent’s contract behind closed doors

DR. NATE CARMAN

By J. NOEL ESPINOZA
Special to the NEWS

Without elaborating or giving any details after a closed executive session Tuesday, the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District approved changes to the contract of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nate Carman.
Apparently, the changes are still subject to legal review.

After the regular board meeting, the school board went behind closed doors and deliberated a couple of items on the agenda related to the contract under discussion of and conduct superintendent evaluation and discussion and consideration of superintendent contract.

After the executive session, SBCISD Board of Trustees President Michael A. Vargas read the first item and stated that the board was not taking any action.

The second item, however, was divided into three portions: first, Vargas asked for a motion to approve the changes as indicated in executive session, then he asked for a motion to approve the compensation changes as indicated in executive session, and third, asked for a motion to approve the changes as indicated in executive session subject to counsel review.

All the motions were approved overwhelmingly except the last part of the second which is subject to counsel review. Board member M. L. Garcia voted against that motion.

According to the district’s own website, Carman has had four contract reviews since he was hired Aug. 2017.
The online information shows the superintendent’s contract was amended on Feb. 2018, six month later after being hired, and two revisions on Oct. 2018 and Dec. 2018.

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An August 2017 contract also found online shows an annual salary of $175,000. That means that in less than two years, Carman’s salary has increased $27,776 plus incentives.

The News sent emails to Gonzalez since Tuesday inquiring whether Carman is getting another salary raise and incentives.

According to multiple sources close to the situation, Carman asked for a $1 million severance package in the event that a new majority were to enter into the picture next year and attempted to replace him as superintendent and that he asked for anywhere between $14-16K to be placed into his retirement fund annually for the life of his contract with the district, pending the school district attorney’s vetting the legality of the buyout with TEA. Gonzalez has been reached for comment to verify this matter but has yet to respond to that portion of the inquiry, stating instead that, “details will be made available online once the contract has been signed and executed.”

Editor’s note: This article has been edited for length. To read the full story, click here or make sure to grab a copy at one of our various newspaper racks.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2019/09/13/million-dollar-man-board-evaluates-superintendents-contract-behind-closed-doors/

6 comments

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    • Native on September 25, 2019 at 7:32 am
    • Reply

    Submit a petition and get him out!!!!

    • Gilberto Gonzalez on September 21, 2019 at 9:39 pm
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    This is the reason our family left the area. It cannot justify the means of its employees.
    This is supposed to be a FAIRly administered organization and It all breaks down into corruption.
    From what I am reading the employees at the bottom of the rung must be making at least 100k a year
    to be in a competitive mode with the higher ups like the superintendent.
    It only proves that the city government still does not have the brainpower to control payroll.
    I can also note that the administrators continue to be corrupt to the bone.
    God bless you and guide you.

    • COMMUNITY on September 17, 2019 at 2:51 pm
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    The Project Mgr MIGHT KNOW. They hang out at his place I heard?

    • COMMUNITY ORGANIZER on September 15, 2019 at 11:47 am
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    Beginning to think Superintendent Carman is feeling the wrath of the community. Which brings me to ask a question some have asked me. WHY WASNT THE AQUATIC CENTER built on VMA property? Must have some DISLIKE TO PRINCIPAL GALVAN? WHY NOT MAKE VMA the SECOND HIGHSCHOOL? Some DISLIKE TO PRINCIPAL GALVAN? Has the SUPER broken any HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES? Another DISLIKE to PRINCIPAL GALVAN? IDK. So many UNANSWEREABLE QUESTIONS. Someone KNOWS these answers.

      • Concerned Citizen on September 15, 2019 at 10:06 pm
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      Someone who has resources… Needs to see how much he earned and what other free benefits he got….from previous district.
      Why did he leave them.. I guess he saw SB as a naive, cash cow..with INCOMPETANT citizens.

    • Former SB citizen and Taxpayer on September 14, 2019 at 9:35 am
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    That is F***ed up!..just because some of the district employees got recognized by your rival newspaper and got an A.. this fool thinks he deserves a BIG PAY RAISE WITH side benefits. San Benito cisd board members WAKE UP. . AND more important citizen need to open their eyes wider than VARGAS MUGSHOT PICTURE. THIS man, the board members and employees who brown nose his lying behind…will be the cause of this district’s demise. (If this district is so great and gold standard why didn’t they build a SECOND HIGH SCHOOL INSTEAD OF THOSE OTHER USELESS BUILDINGS).. VERY INCOMPETANT DECISIONS. bunch of BS.. HARLINGEN cisd will always be..BETTER THAN THIS TOWN. at least they were intelligent enough to have built a second high school before they built a aquatics center. . (The super wants more money and according to another article the enrollment rate went down…what a pitiful situation…).. so much for the STEAM, Fine Arts and Science Academies..SMH.).. lol.

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