McMinimee’s contract a done deal, starts in Jeffco July 1

Dan McMinimee accepted the terms of his contract as approved by the Jeffco Public Schools board at their June 5 meeting, and will officially report to duty at district headquarters on July 1.

Because he signed the contract without any further changes, the board was not required to take a second vote on the contract at their meeting Thursday.

The contract’s total value is $280,000, which was the advertised salary in promotional materials during the superintendent search. McMinimee’s base pay will be $220,000. He’ll also be eligible for $40,000 in bonuses and the district will refund up to $20,000 for his personal contributions toward retirement benefits.

The board’s minority members, Lesley Dahlkemper and Jill Fellman, voted against the contract because they don’t believe McMinimee’s experience merits the pay.

Dahlkemper called the contract “a shell game with taxpayer’s dollars.”

In a video posted to the Jeffco homepage, McMinimee says he’s looking forward to listening to the community and to help find compromises among a fractured community.

Relationships between the board’s conservative majority — John Newkirk, Julie Williams, and Ken Witt, who were all elected in November — have been tense and rife with rumor and speculation.