Volusia County School Board approves Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s four-year contract
Daytona Beach News-Journal | By Mary Ellen Ritter | December 12, 2024
The Volusia County School Board voted to approve Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s four-year contract at its school board meeting Tuesday.
The motion, made by Ruben Colón and seconded by Jamie Haynes carried with a 4-1 vote.
Donna Brosemer was in the minority. She felt the board should table the decision until an upcoming meeting so that newly elected board members, including herself, could have a say in the contract.
Superintendent Carmen Balgobin speaks to members of the board and attendees in the room about upcoming issues on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.
“Just allow us a little bit of time to have some input and be able to discuss some of the terms that we might question,” Brosemer said. “We have not been given that opportunity, and when this was negotiated, you knew we were coming, and so, I think it’s fair to us and board members to have a better sense of the overall process.”
“My position is still,” she continued. “… this is not ripe, and we have time to cure it. We have time to discuss it. If it is as solid and logical as you describe, then wonderful. But I don’t think that we have had a full opportunity to find out.”
The board’s other new member, Krista Goodrich said she felt prepared to vote on the item Tuesday because she conducted “a tremendous amount of research” on the superintendent’s performance and has already asked any questions she had.
How is Volusia County Schools’ superintendent compensated?
The Volusia County School Board approved the superintendent’s employment agreement, effective immediately, which covers four years, starting July 1, 2025. Balgobin’s annual salary will be $280,000.
She will be provided health insurance, including vision and dental, on the same terms and conditions as provided to other administrative employees. The board will also pay her a supplement of $500 per month for additional medical expenses and provide Balgobin life insurance coverage.
In addition to having off all holidays afforded to Volusia County Schools’ 12-month administrative employees, Balgobin will be credited 20 calendar days of vacation, accumulate one sick day per month and receive six personal leave days per year.
The school board will budget a fund available to Balgobin, which she can use to participate in civic and community activities as well as activities that promote good relationships with the public and area stakeholders. She also gets a district-owned car, cell phone, computer, and other devices.
The school board will set goals for Balgobin in accordance with its strategic plan. Balgobin will report her progress in meeting such goals biannually, on or before Jan. 31. Additionally, she will be evaluated by board members annually, on or before July 31.
The board can terminate this agreement with or without cause. If Balgobin wishes to terminate this agreement, she must provide at least 90 days’ notice of her departure by submitting a letter of resignation.
Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Edith I. Starke Elementary renovation and additions project, Friday, March 8, 2024.
Board members in favor of Balgobin’s contract
After discussing how Balgobin’s salary compares to other superintendent salaries of like-sized school districts nationwide, Colón said he felt this contract was fair, calling it a “bargain.”
Haynes also said she supported the contract and urged her fellow board members against tabling the vote, noting that this is one of the “most simple contracts … we’ve ever had.”
“We need to vote on this, and she needs to know that she can continue with the vision and the mission that we have and continue the work she’s doing,” Haynes said. “And our staff needs to know that we have stability here in Volusia County, and that’s where I stand.”
In a meeting packed with public comments, many community members attended Tuesday’s school board meeting to sing Balgobin’s praises and show their support for approving her contract.
Alicia Douglas, principal at Manatee Cove Elementary, spoke on behalf of herself as well as principals at Starke, Turrie T. Small, Citrus Grove, and Beachside elementary schools. She said that Balgobin has provided Volusia County Schools with stability, support and space for collaboration.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood also showed support for Balgobin, citing the “synergy” she has established between the district and the sheriff’s department as well as the “enthusiasm” she has developed in schools.
“We have reduced school threats by over 78% since weeks five and six in school, when we were averaging over 300 in that period. We’re down in the teens now,” Chitwood said.
Volusia County Superintendent of Schools Carmen Balgobin and Food Brings Hope Founder and Chair Forough Hosseini speaks to guests, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, during the first anniversary of the Lemerand Center of Excellence in the Mori Hosseini Center at Daytona State College.
Cynthia Slater, president of the Daytona Beach NAACP, praised Balgobin’s commitment to education and students.
“It is Dr. Carmen Balgobin that really brought the relationship between the NAACP and the district to a point of an honest, respected and effective partnership,” Slater said.
Kim Short, who runs the Volusia County School Forum Facebook group and ran for the District 3 school board seat in 2022, supported Brosemer and raised concerns with the board’s decision to vote on the contract Tuesday.
“I don’t like that we have a review that wasn’t put out there for the public to be able to see. I feel like that wasn’t transparent,” she said. “I also have never liked that there was no metrics attached to it.”
