Crook County School Board OKs $265K Melissa Skinner departure agreement, appoints panel to review board applicants

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Crook County School Board voted 3-0 at a special meeting Monday evening to enter into a separation agreement the district had negotiated with departing superintendent Dr, Melissa Skinner.
The $265,000 agreement basically provides 12 months of salary and benefits. District staff said Skinner has not yet signed the agreement but had agreed verbally to do so.
Skinner and the school district had announced a few weeks ago that she would be leaving the job just six months after her appointment, amid a community controversy and a student walkout to protest the reported removal of Athletic Director Rob Bonner and the appointment of resigned school board member Jessica Brumble as transportation manager.
A second board member, Cheyenne Edgerly, later submitted her resignation as well.
The board also voted 3-0 Monday evening to appoint Joanne Hemphill, Debbie Wood, Linda Pepper (Jennifer Knight nominations), Steve Forrester, Steve McGuire, Kathy Puckett (Steve Holliday nominations), Wayne Looney, Kevin Bradley and Calista Songstad (Scott Cooper nominations) to a committee to review board applications and recommend appointments to the board. Kevin Bradley was appointed chair of the committee by board Chair Jenn Knight; Linda Pepper was appointed vice-chair.Â
Applications from board candidates are due by Feb. 5 and the committee will conduct reviews after that. A special board meeting is likely in late February to fill the vacancies.
The board also voted 3-0 to authorize Steve Holliday to negotiate a draft contract with Acting Superintendent Joel Hoff, potentially appointing him as interim superintendent. The draft contract is to be considered at the board's next meeting on Feb. 10, if completed by then, otherwise at the expected special meeting later in the month.
Cooper expressed appreciation to Skinner for her efforts as superintendent, despite all the turmoil, saying she had stepped into an unmanageable political situation and tried her best.
"I am truly sorry for how things ended with Dr. Skinner," Cooper said. "I do think she had great promise, and always had the best interest of the district at heart."
"I appreciated her heart and her efforts, and I look forward to closing this chapter and moving on," he said.
Board members also expressed appreciation to school district staff who they said have endured a difficult time and acted with professionalism.