BURTON ISD SUPERINTENDENT RETIRING
Burton ISD Superintendent Jim Palmer says that he is ready to retire after serving as superintendent for the past twelve years. The agenda for next Monday’s meeting of the Burton School Board was released Wednesday afternoon and on it is a Public Hearing regarding the Superintendent Resignation Agreement. Palmer's current contract was renewed in July of this year and runs through June of 2017. His reported annual salary (as of 2012) is $101,156. Palmer replaced Raymond Morris as Superintendent of Burton ISD in 2003.
Jim Palmer released this statement to KWHI Thursday morning:
After thirty-eight years in service to education, the last twelve years as Burton ISD superintendent, I had a series of significant events in my personal life the past year that spurred my interest in considering retirement. These included my personal health, including major surgery. My wife and family have urged me to give up work and concentrate on my personal health. In addition, my family has grown to include two daughters in law and a grandchild. They have begun their careers and families. As with any parent, my wife and I want to be able to attend their family and career events.
I shared my desire to retire with the Board in the early spring. We discussed when would be the best time for the district to find a suitable replacement. It was decided the optimum time would be January.
The Board has been supportive in this effort, as they have been through most of the past twelve years. This agenda item was at my request. Regrettably, this is the process the state legislature has imposed on districts since 2013. For the Board to be able to take the necessary diligence to address their concerns and mine in determining an exit plan, this is the process. However, I would like to repeat, I am ready to retire, the Board is honoring my request and we are working together amicably to address our concerns and the best interests of the district.
Jim Palmer
Why does the school district need to “buy out” his contract if he chooses to leave on his own? If it’s his decision to leave, then he is the one breaking the contract, therefore he should not have to be bought out!! And also, he did say he was thinking about leaving before the end of last school year, so why did the school board give him a contract extending through 2017?!?! Hopefully the school board will use better judgement in hiring the next superintendent, and lower his salary. No superintendent of a 1A school needs that kind of salary!! Give the teachers a raise instead!! They are the ones that actually work for their money!!
He has not been there since the 90’s! I believe it was 2004, but I might be off by a year or two. Maybe the next superintendent will actually buy property and live in the district.
The story says he has been there since 2003.
It was the 2003-2004 school year. The elementary school was in turmoil after the best principal ever was replaced with a Goat-Soap-Maker. Maybe the original principal will apply for the superintendent job; his heart is in the right place, he has lived in the district his whole life. Our government says to, “buy local”. It is time for every government entity to, “hire local.” I did say “local” not “loco.” We have already had plenty of that.