The Forum's opinion in a recent edition entitled, "Minnesota auditor off base again," has completely missed the mark of its subject matter and needs to be addressed.
The office of Minnesota State Auditor Pat Awada is currently conducting a statewide study of school district superintendents' salaries and benefits. A similar study could be conducted for any group of government employees.
As a government employee, I know that a government employee's salary and benefits package is open for public review. I have been there.
This current study is not intended to speak negatively about school superintendents, but whether the school boards are negotiating in the public's best interests when setting the salary and benefits packages for the school superintendents. The local taxpayer has a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.
I am sure that most school boards are not hiding any of this financial information from the public, but we have already been told of some metro school districts who have given outlandish severance packages to superintendents who have left their jobs.
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In 1995 Minnesota State Auditor Judi Dutcher conducted a similar study and found that 11 Twin Cities metro school districts and technical colleges were violating the 95 percent rule. Dutcher, at that time, called some contracts "an outrage" and said they were being padded so that the public did not know what the superintendents were earning.
The Forum's editorial stated that Awada seems ready to threaten school districts with more regulation. This statement is completely false. Awada campaigned, and won an election, stating that she would be the taxpayers' watchdog on local spending. This is what her office is currently accomplishing. They are studying the salary and benefits packages of school superintendents.
If school boards are conducting these negotiations in the public's best interests, they have not to worry.
This study is not about more regulation.
Brent E. Frazier
Utilities superintendent
Pelican Rapids, Minn.
