BOE Releases Details of Margin's $120,000 Payout

paulie November 14, 2012 at 04:41 pm

I am sure there are a lot of people who would like to know the real reason Margin walked away from a three year contract at 157K a year for a measly 120K buyout. There has to be something pretty substantial that happened here.

Local Reader November 14, 2012 at 04:58 pm

I agree and suspect many would like to know but reading this it appears Margin doesn't want people to and there is the equivalent of a "gag order" in effect. So yeah, it was probably bad, real bad. This could have been hundreds of thousands of dollars. I'll take this $ amount any day over the likes of Habel's Wall Township buy-out - and they're paying into perpetuity for his and his wife's health care benefits for life.

paulie November 14, 2012 at 08:32 pm

@local reader - Yes Habel got over $400K, plus those medical benefits, but he actualy retired. I really don't think that is the case here with Margin. Something else had to have happened.
Just remember when you are talking about these "boatloads" of money the school boards standard answer is always "it's all for the children" - please!

Local Reader November 14, 2012 at 08:58 pm

@paulie - Item #3 - "for the purpose of retirement" - just seems this board (thankfully) did a better job than Wall's did. As you implied earlier, she probably did do something bad but we'll likely never find out based on reading this. Who really cares, good riddance and at a cost savings!

Richard November 14, 2012 at 10:15 pm

@Local Reader - how do you come up with a cost savings here? Also, if she did something bad, why not terminate for cause and pay her nothing? By my count, they have already paid $20k to the attorney for this, two months (Sept and Oct) of payroll for her at $13k per month, the settlement payments of $105k, employer portions of SS/Medicare taxes for the above of $8k, along with health insurance for the balance of the contract year - family coverage probably in the $2k per month range. All told comes to well over $180k.

Rick Alexander November 14, 2012 at 10:39 pm

@ Richard - who are you? "by your count?" The agreement is right above online. It shows what dollar amounts being paid on what dates, signed by the parties. It states she resigned her role to retire, thus there would be no health insurance payments. Where does it show $20k to lawyers? YOu appear to be one of those nay-sayers who wants this to be economically bad so you can complain about it. What I read isn't. Cost savings? Sure - beats paying her entire contract out which is probably over $8-900k. "Terminate for cause?" Have you ever seen that go quickly, or efficiently? I guess you can always go to a meeting, show your face, state your name and ask. Article says $120k, you state $180k -- I'm going with the editor on this one, considering Margin signed what he posted above.

Sending District November 15, 2012 at 03:52 pm

who cares if it was 120, 180 or 500. she sucked and had to go, didn't care about kids, staff or community. she liked nobody and nobody but the gullible and those wanting favors supported any of her nonsense. geri margin cost this area a lot more than just cash money. time to rebuild and move on.

Squan1 November 15, 2012 at 10:21 pm

Dear Editor - please do not remove my post(s) as they are relevant. I am calling out Mr. Jim Smith as he was leading the charge on telling residents that Mrs. Margins departure was costing us over $500,000. It did not. Just because Mr. Smith and his fan club hit "flag as inappropriate" doesn't mean you should you take down the truth.

Watchdog November 15, 2012 at 10:41 pm

I have only commented a couple times prior, usually on what I consider municipal injustices. Having observed various stories on this board of education for some time in varying media, I believe I am qualified to comment here. Certain aspects of the "prior" board caused many problems. Whether they induced it, or Mrs. Margin did is irrelevant. The bad seeds are gone now, including her. As an outsider looking in, I have to say that this "settlement" is the lowest I have ever observed, especially considering the length of time remaining in her contract (to 2015). Local taxpayers should probably rejoice, I suspect staff is, and those who left this board should probably keep their mouths shut and mind their own business or they will be dragged back into the quicksand.

squanmom November 15, 2012 at 10:45 pm

Mr. Laplaca, I'd like to know what was improper about me stating a fact on your publication. Jim Smith's car "JSMITH" was ALWAYS parked in front of the board of education office, on Broad St., as I dropped off or picked up carpool. This is a fact you can ask anyone, come to our parents meeting tonight if you want probably 10 people there can easily confirm it. Leave my post too please, he also told MY HUSBAND that Margin leaving was "3/4 of a million dollar unnecessary expense."

Squan1 November 15, 2012 at 10:51 pm

The following is an edited version of what I posted earlier which was removed:
"hey Jim Smith, this # is a lot less than you told everyone at Oneial's, you (***deleted***). Why dont you stick to what you know which is nothing. She got less than even your (***deleted***) little bank got sucked into paying for the last 25 years for doing nothing." PLEASE LEAVE THIS.

Waverider November 15, 2012 at 11:14 pm

First, congratulations to the board of ed for resolving this swiftly and economically. Hopefully we can now move forward. Second, let's wish Geraldine Margin the best, well - okay maybe not, you were not a friendly person to be around. Fake. Transparent. Disingenuous. Lastly, we all know well the bandwagon supporters who propelled all the negativity - certain families who had no problems trying to disparage others and cover their own butts for allowing this lady to do whatever she wanted when she wanted - namely the Muly's, Brown's, Smith's, Bossone's and Haley's. There were others - but these ones did it with downright nastiness. Now that she is gone, the storm has passed and the details are out, can't we all just get along??

Local Reader November 15, 2012 at 11:58 pm

Knowing most of those mentioned here, some specifically well, I can't really disagree with the assessments made. I think the comments have gotten away from the story to some degree, i.e. the end of the Margin era at a reasonable cost. But, they do add some depth and background and I also disagree with the Patch editors removing comments that are void of direct profanity. The aforementioned pretty much spent the last year trying to wreck peoples lives with blatant lies over non-boe issues and self-created drama. They may not like re-living it again, but they shouldn't have started it in the first place.

squanish November 16, 2012 at 12:41 am

Come home from work, logon and BAMM my post from earlier is gone also, so here we go again -
"@paulie, you once commented on this as "classic addition by subtraction" and you were right. The district gained more by removing her. Squan1, Jim Smith (dumb - non profane) as he is did not act alone in spreading (BS - slang for rumors, non offensive), his conspiracy theory friends (Muly, O'Connel Haley Brown Bossone Mangan) all commented about the "horrible deal" and "hundreds of thousands of dollars" being paid out to settle the contract. All wrong. Jim Smith good thing for you this board didn't negotiate your severance years ago or you'd have been working instead of playing golf. You always wanted to ride the bus, ride the short one." Or something like that. About a month ago when this issue arose in the press some got very emotional and wrote a bunch of very ugly things. Hurts when the train changes directions, doesn't it? THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ABOVE ARE NOT ONLY TRUE THEY ARE THE VIEWS OF THE POSTER AND PROTECTED BY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO FREE PRESS SO PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THIS POST BECAUSE SOME DISAPPOINTED PEOPLE WHO DID BAD THINGS TO OTHERS MERELY ASK YOU TO OR CLICK A BUTTON. KEEP THE "PATCH" FAIR AND BALANCED AS IT HAS ALWAYS APPEARED TO BE.

Blake Evans November 16, 2012 at 01:09 am

Just read the agreement and I like the staggered payments. Presumably they're gross and she has to pay her own taxes. Stretching out the money is good for the districts finances and keeps Margin in check with her behavior and comments. Surely if she slips on any of the clauses her payments cease. Hope her followers understand if they screw up they probably complicate things for her also.

D Smith November 16, 2012 at 03:06 pm

@local you are correct about straying from the story, but its just too easy where this dope is concerned.
Jim Smith. Abruptly quit "volunteering" his time doing video highlight tapes because he wanted to ride the team bus, unwilling to drive his own car to games -- even though he does now. He publicly stated "why should I use my own gas and car?" Jim Smith. Refused to quit the board when his highly qualified niece wanted a job in the district. Had he quit, she'd have received a teaching position. Jim Smith. Falsely accused prominent local residents of committing crimes to get closer to Geraldine Margin. When caught and confronted, he immediately resigned. Real quality guy this Jim Smith. Hope it was worth it. What does your Mrs. think about your infatuation issues? And @squanmom you are 100% correct because since Jim had no job (for 30 years) ALL he did was go sit at the school acting like he was important.

Not Mike Shelton November 17, 2012 at 04:53 am

Which one of you is the GREAT Mike Shelton?
Squan 1, or Squanish? You got what you wanted, now let it drop. You've been down this road before--trying to sue builders for work not finished then running away like a dog with his tail between his legs!

Charlie LaPlaca (Editor) November 17, 2012 at 04:54 pm

Folks, if any of your posts have been removed its because they contained personal attacks. Using profane language isn't the only way to get flagged. Let's keep things on topic.

unhappy parent November 18, 2012 at 09:07 pm

@squan i like the accountability stuff we should make the people that hired and rehired geraldine margin pay the $120000, 12 board members that's about $10000 each!