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King’s gets $100,000 in tax credits for Spring Brook building

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<p>WRIGHT TWP. &#8212; Former Crestwood Superintendent Joseph Gorham and Operations Manager Christopher Gegaris got assurances of clean personnel files, as well as getting nearly six months pay and all their accumulated sick and vacation days in deals that eased them out of district employment earlier this year, according to documents provided following a Times Leader Right To Know request.</p><p>The district provided the &#8220;mutual general release and buyout agreement&#8221; made with Gorham dated Jan. 11, and the &#8220;mutual general release and severance agreement&#8221; with Gegaris dated Jan.17. Both were suspended with pay late last year after a state audit discovered that the district did not have on file required clearances for some bus drivers, causing cancellation of two school days.</p><p>At the Jan. 17 board meeting, the board voted unanimously to accept their resignations, and solicitor Jack Dean said they both were given pay and health insurance coverage through June 30, but did not provide details. Gorham had more than two years remaining on his contract.</p><p>The documents provided Monday show that both sides agreed Gorham&#8217;s final day of employment was Jan. 17, with salary and health care paid through June, followed by a lump-sum payment of accrued but unused vacation, personal and sick leave benefits. &#8220;These payments reflect the parties&#8217; agreement on the buyout of Mr. Gorham&#8217;s contract without admission of liability by either party.&#8221;</p><p>The district also agreed not to contest any application for unemployment compensation and not to attend any hearing that might be held regarding such compensation. Gorham agreed to be &#8220;available to testify at any and all board proceedings, grievance arbitrations and/or unfair practice hearings relative to events which occurred&#8221; during his time in office.</p><p>Both sides agreed to waive any rights to further legal action on the matter, and Gorham agreed to waive &#8220;all rights to assert any claim for re-employment with the district and releases the district from any liability for failure to hire him or rehire him in the future.&#8221; The district, in turn, agrees to &#8220;provide a letter of neutral recommendation setting forth Mr. Gorham&#8217;s dates of employment with the district and his job duties.&#8221;</p><p>The district also agreed &#8220;to ensure that Mr. Gorham&#8217;s personnel file and all internal/external district documents reflects that Mr. Gorham resigned his position in good standing free of any disciplinary action, investigation, charge or allegation.&#8221;</p><p>The agreement does not give the amount of money paid to Gorham in the buyout. State records list his 2017-18 salary as $115,000, and he would have received about 23 weeks pay, or $50,865.</p><p>The agreement with Gegaris differs in that it requires him to resign officially on June 30, but that on Jan. 15 his status was changed from paid administrative leave to paid sick leave, using sick leave through June 30. He was paid his salary through that date. According to state data for 2017-18, that would total about $46,727 for 23 weeks, based on a salary or $105,643.</p><p>On June 30, he is to get a lump sum payment for unused vacation and personal days at the per-diem rate, plus any unused sick days at $55 per day, but the total is capped at $10,000. His insurance is paid by the district until June 30.</p><p>The agreement also requires the district to change the personnel file and &#8220;all internal/external district documents&#8221; to &#8220;reflect that Mr. Gegaris resigned his position. Four letters &#8220;regarding certain personnel matters shall be removed from his personnel files.&#8221; The letters were dated Nov. 7, Nov. 18, and Dec. 11, 2018 and Jan. 8 2019. </p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Gorham-agreement-1.pdf">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Gorham-agreement-1.pdf</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/gegaris-agreement-1.pdf">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/gegaris-agreement-1.pdf</photo1><caption1></caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Crestwood_Gorham-cmyk-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The New Crestwood Superintendent  Joe Gorham --------------Fred Adams|for Times Leader 4-11-16</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Crestwood_Gorham-cmyk-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>The New Crestwood Superintendent  Joe Gorham --------------Fred Adams|for Times Leader 4-11-16</caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Gorham, Gegaris got nearly 6 months pay in Crestwood exit