I just read the article “Evergreen to give Merlino $40K raise for top job” (The Columbian, May 15). Mike Merlino has been Evergreen superintendent only since February, and the board sees fit to give him a $40,000 base pay raise plus a $15,000 supplemental contract that adds up to $268,015, not including his benefit package. Absurd and outrageous.
Couple this with the recent $301,812.17 spent on showing the previous superintendent the door so he could “resign” due to golden parachute language in his contract that was approved by the board, and you come up with over $350,000 which should not have been spent. Maybe the board should resign.
I guess there is no concern regarding the upcoming shortfall in Evergreen’s budget, as it appears Evergreen must have a money tree growing somewhere. They will just need to add more fertilizer to get it to produce more money, and if that does not work, send condolence letters to staff and programs benefiting students that will be eliminated.
Merlino needs to reject his raise and the board needs to wake up. No more golden parachute language in contracts. It appears that I need not feel compelled to vote for future bond/levy issues as Evergreen has a money tree.
Fed up? Yes. Outraged? Yes!
