Pauline Liu Times Herald-Record @PaulineLiu845

LIBERTY Superintendent Bill Silver had about a year left on his contract, but the Liberty School Board voted 6-3 on Tuesday night to oust him from the job that he has held for more than four years.

The three dissenting votes were cast by Daniel Parkhurst, board Vice President Jennifer Desrochers and Philip Olsen, who was away on business but participated via Skype.

Parkhurst called the board's actions "destructive to our district." Both he and Desrochers raised the question of whether the board's decision would discourage highly qualified candidates from applying for the job. "We're not going to get the caliber of superintendent if we do not honor our contract," said Desrochers.

Meanwhile, Olsen repeatedly voiced protests.

"I object 1,000 times. I object to the way it's being done. I think Dr. Silver has been a fine leader for this district and he's been treated as a villain," Olsen said.

The actual wording used in the vote was whether the board members would agree to accept Silver's "resignation." Silver, 66, has a current annual salary of $164,655. Under the terms of the agreement, he will receive a buyout totaling about $200,000 including benefits.

The board then voted to hire former Assistant Superintendent Carol Napolitano as interim superintendent. School Board President John Nichols said she would be paid an annual salary just shy of $159,000. But according to members of the administration, Napolitano's package including benefits will likely cost about as much as Silver's buyout.

Sixteen people stood up to address board members before the vote. Most protested the idea of the district paying for two superintendent salaries. They urged the board to reconsider, citing the district's improved graduation rate and its fiscal health under Silver's leadership. Liberty High was also recently recognized as a bronze medal high school by U.S. News & World Report.

While Nichols told the crowd of more than 60 gathered in the high school media center that he could not discuss the board's reasons for wanting to let Silver go, some members of the community and some teachers pointed to incidents that occurred in the middle school, including a bomb threat, a girl who brought a pocket knife to school and a boy who showed up with a BB gun.

Two middle school teachers, Stacey Feasel and Melissa Murphy, called the school unsafe. "The students are afraid and we are afraid," said Murphy.

But high school art director Kathy Johansen and music director Tim Hamblin said the district of about 1,700 students flourished under Silver. Hamblin suggested the board consider hiring a separate principal for the middle school, which drew applause from the crowd.

Silver didn't address the crowd, but numerous supporters including students, teachers and board members lined up after the meeting to shake his hand and wish him well.

"I'm more sad and disappointed than angry," said Silver. "I wanted to be able to see what we would be doing and continue to move forward."

Instead he will officially resign on June 30. At 66, and with 44 years of education experience, Silver said he plans to retire.

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Silver out as Liberty superintendent - Times Herald-Record