The July 18 article “Superintendent gets 1.5% raise, more days off” was interesting. The school board on July 11 approved the raise and changes to Superintendent Michael Maritrano’s contract. Is it normal to modify a four-year contract in the last year of the contract? My impression is a four-year contract is a four-year contract. Why issue a contract for a set number of years if it is going to renegotiated on a whim?

My question is who negotiated these changes? It certainly wasn’t in the best interest of the county. Analyzing the changes, they appear to be in favor of the superintendent. He appears to be a very skilled negotiator. All terms of the modified contract appear to be self-serving. A salary of $216,985, plus a car allowance of $12,000. Not bad in these hard times.

On the surface he is a part-time employee. The number of days off (78 days annual leave, 10 vacation days and 52 sick dyas) could amount to 4.67 months off a year. And he can cash in up to 58 unused annual leave days a year, amounting to additional salary.

Martirano said, “I hope to be working here for many years to come.” He would be foolish to quit such a lucrative job. If his current contract is renewed for another four years the costs to the county will be astronomical. Can the county really afford someone drawing this salary and these benefits?

Daniel J. Wilson, Leonardtown