School board split on director contract that could cost 'close to a million dollars'

A divided Rutherford County school board recently extended Director James "Jimmy" Sullivan contract through April 4, 2028.

Sullivan has served as director since July 1, 2022. His previous contract ran through 2026 to manage a fast-growing district with over 6,000 employees serving nearly 52,000 students at 50 schools. The board voted 4-3 on April 4 to extend the contract with Chairwoman Shelia Bratton, Vice Chairwoman Claire Maxwell, Coy Young and Frances Rosales in the majority.

Fellow Board of Education members Katie Darby, Caleb Tidwell and Tammy Sharp opposed because they wanted the contract to only offer 90 days of pay for termination if the elected school officials in the future wanted a new director rather than continue paying an annual salary that's currently at $230,750.

“It could end up costing the district close to a million dollars or more depending on when that happens," Darby said during a 27-minute debate prior to the vote on the contract.

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Darby also mentioned how the board paid former Director Bill Spurlock a year of salary and benefits after he agreed to vacate the job by June 30, 2022, when he had a year remaining in his contract.

"That ended up costing the district almost $200,000 to get out of that contract," said Darby, adding that she's looking for compromise on a four-year contract that represents the entire board and director well. "It is virtually the same contract as when Mr. Spurlock was here."

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The majority of the board, however, wanted a contract that keeps Sullivan as director for the next four years and assures his salary and benefits through April 4, 2028. The agreement also increases his pay by $5,000 annually starting July 1 and matches any cost-of-living percentage increases or bonuses offered to district teachers.

The raise plans would give Sullivan a salary next year of nearly $241,519, including an imminent 2.5% cost of living increase approved by the board for all employees combined with his $5,000 increase.

The board's goal is to provide competitive pay for what directors earn for similar-sized districts, Bratton said after the meeting.

Sullivan after the meeting said he intends to continue to donate his cost of living percentage increases in pay for a scholarship fund to help students who have faced illnesses to themselves or families. The director set up the scholarship fund that three students so far have earned to recognize the support from the community starting four year ago while his then 8-yea-old son, Declan, dealt with a diagnosis of a very high risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Declan is a cancer survivor.

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Vice chairwoman says Sullivan deserves extension

Maxwell said it does matter whose name is on the contract.

"It says Dr. Jimmy Sullivan on it, not the former superintendent, and I want to reward him and make sure we lock him up," Maxwell said.

"There are no guarantees in this world, but he deserves it. He has moved heaven and earth for this district and taken us through (and) out of COVID when we were in a terrible, terrible place."

Maxwell said morale of the district has improved under the leadership of Sullivan.

"I know how bad it was, and I want to thank him for this," Maxwell said.

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Audience gives Sullivan standing ovation after contract extension

Sullivan had a strong evaluation overall after his first year that included an even stronger evaluation from principals and central office administrators, Rosales said.

"They still support him," said Rosales, who described Sullivan after the meeting as being a phenomenal director.

After the vote, Chairwomen Bratton clapped at a fast pace in leading the applause.

Many administrators stood with other audience members to applaud the extended contract for Sullivan, and Bratton, Maxwell and Rosales joined the standing ovation.

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Majority rejects amending contract with reduced severance pay

The official vote followed Tidwell calling for an amendment to the contract that would provide 90 days of pay for termination instead full annual salary and benefits. Darby and Sharp agreed with with Tidwell's proposed compromise, but the majority opposed.

Tidwell said he has a great working relationship with the director, “but I wouldn’t sign this contract for my dad.”

"It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me," said Tidwell, adding that he viewed the past contract as being horrid and favorable for the director. "I didn't even like the timing of how it happened right before an election."

Although wanting the contract termination arrangement changed, Tidwell did say that Sullivan has done a great job.

Young, a former board chairman, suggested that no school director in the state would accept only 90 days of termination pay and would want the entire contract bought out if the elected school officials wanted a change in director.

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Previous board rejects contract extension prior to election

Sharp said the contract issue is not about Sullivan's job performance, which she said went well in his first year while she was chairman.

"This is about doing our due diligence," Sharp said. "This is about setting a precedent of giving an extension on a contract before he even has his yearly review, which is not due until June."

"It’s about procedures and policy," Sharp said.

The majority of a previous board in 2010 declined to give former Schools Director Harry Gill Jr. a contract extension prior to that year's election and an evaluation of his performance. Gill retired from the district in 2012 and then became the Smyrna town manager in 2013 before retiring from the government job in 2018.

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School officials mum on who sought contract extension

Prior to extending Sullivan's contract, board members questioned who asked for the issue to be placed on the April 4 agenda.

Rosales said she did not bring up the contract.

Darby asked if Chairwoman Bratton brought up contract extension.

"I did not," Bratton said. "I’m not throwing anybody under the bus. You had the wrong impression, Ms. Darby.”

Bratton after the meeting declined to say who initiated for her to announce at the board's March 19 work session the intension to extend Sullivan's contract. Each board member can request for issues to be added to the agenda, she said.

Young, Maxwell, Sharp and Tidwell each said Monday they did not request for the contract extension to be added to the agenda.

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Sullivan: 'My focus remains on serving'

The announcement about the director contract extension was 15 days before the item can be voted on as required by state law, Tennessee Code Annotated 49-2-203, Sullivan said Monday in an email sent to The Daily News Journal.

"My focus remains on serving the district, our students, parents and staff, and I’m honored to be able to do so through April 2028," Sullivan said.

Sullivan declined to say who initiated his contract extension.

"It is not my place to speak on behalf or for board members," Sullivan said.

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Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.

Facts about schools director contract

• Whose contract: Rutherford County Schools Director James "Jimmy" Sullivan

• Contract period: April 4, 2024, to April 4, 2028

• Job description: Manage district with over 6,000 employees, including hiring and firing, for district serving about 52,000 students at 50 schools

• Annual salary for director at this time: $230,750 plus same benefits as teachers and all fees to participate in professional associations

• Annual raises starting July 1, 2024: $5,000 and any cost of living percentage increase or bonuses offered to teachers

• Source: Rutherford County Board of Education agenda report for April 4, 2024

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Rutherford school board votes 4-3 on four-year director contract