Dan McMinimee to get superintendent’s wages while serving as Jeffco board adviser

Dan McMinimee will continue drawing the same salary he did as superintendent of Jeffco Public Schools while serving in an advisory role through the end of his contract.

McMinimee stepped down from leading the state’s second largest district last week after reaching a mutual agreement with the district. He will stay on as an adviser to the board until his contract expires June 30.

In a deal approved at Thursday night’s board meeting, the board and McMinimee agreed his existing contract was modified, not terminated. If the board had decided to break the contract and ask McMinimee to leave earlier, McMinimee would have been owed a year’s worth of salary: $220,000.

McMinimee will continue to earn his regular salary and benefits but will no longer accumulate vacation time. Based on an estimate for what he would be owed in performance-based pay, the district also agreed to pay McMinimee another $27,000 when the contract ends.

The agreement does not provide new details about McMinimee’s advisory role. It states he will be available “for special projects and consideration as needed and to assist the school district with a transition to a new superintendent.”

The board approved the agreement Thursday night without discussion. Board President Ron Mitchell did note at the start of the meeting that McMinimee was not at his usual seat because “his responsibilities have changed.” He also publicly thanked McMinimee for his time leading the district.

The school board also voted Thursday to officially make Terry Elliott, Jeffco’s chief school effectiveness officer, interim superintendent. Elliott was named to serve that role at the same time McMinimee stepped down.

The district did not speak with Elliott about any salary adjustments related to his new role until Friday, said Diana Wilson, a district spokeswoman. Elliott will receive $4,000 per month from March through June in addition to his regular salary, she said.

Elliott only will hold the interim role until the end of June. He will begin a new job in July as principal of a new Brighton high school.

The firm heading up the search for a new superintendent presented findings Thursday of feedback from surveys and focus groups about what the community wants in a new superintendent.

Among the most-frequent responses were someone who can inspire trust, present a positive image of the district and “respond to the challenges presented by an ethnically and culturally diverse community.”