Interim Supe Headed to Bayport-Blue Point School District

Three Village's outgoing interim superintendent is headed for a new school district, and starting July 1 will be working per diem with both districts.

Neil Lederer, whose with the Three Village Central School District expires June 30, has signed on to head the Bayport-Blue Point school district for up to a year with four months guaranteed, according to a report by .

Starting July 1 he will work three days per week at Bayport-Blue Point, and will be paid $1,025 per day worked until the school year begins and the administration operates on full-time hours, that district's administrators confirmed Thursday.

Also starting July 1, he will work as a per diem consultant in Three Village at a rate of $800 per day up to 30 days to assist in the transition to new leadership under , according to a resolution recently adopted by the Three Village board of Education.

"He's not going to be getting paid for both places. He only gets paid here if he spends the day here," Jeff Carlson, Three Village's assistant superintendent for business services, said in an interview Thursday. "The resolution the board passed said up to 30 days, but I don't think it will be that many."

Lederer earned a salary of $200,000 in each of his two years with Three Village, taking a pay freeze in the second year. He did not receive health benefits or retirement contributions from the Three Village district. He did receive 10 paid vacation days in 2010 and 15 in 2011, along with some sick days and personal time, with no payout for unused time, according to Carlson.

In an interview Thursday, Lederer said he accepted the position at Bayport-Blue Point for two reasons: to stay active as a leader in public education, and to work with a district as attractive as Bayport-Blue Point, which will be searching for a new permanent superintendent just as Three Village did the past two years.

"Bayport-Blue Point has a tremendous reputation," he said.

When asked if the two per diem commitments would conflict with each other, Lederer said no.

"People will jump right away to the double-dipping thing. Both jobs are on a per diem basis," he said. "Obviously if I was in a [full time] contract it would be different."

He added: "The Bayport board knows that I have a commitment to Three Village. I will not be in Three Village as much as what had been agreed to. There will never be a day when I will be working in both districts. Bayport is OK with that."

A spokesman for the Bayport-Blue Point school district said Lederer will be working Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays there in July; that district operates on a four-day schedule in the summertime. Lederer could work in Three Village if needed on Thursdays and Fridays, but starting in August will work the four full summer days at Bayport-Blue Point, the spokesman said.

Bayport-Blue Point Board of Education President Jim March told Patch he was not aware of the specific agreement with Three Village. He said the Bayport-Blue Point Board of Education negotiated its rate with Lederer based on current rates paid to interim school chiefs on Long Island.

“We presented a number [regarding rate negotiations], he countered, and we came to the rate. It was clear he would not work for $800 a day,” said March, alluding to the Three Village rate Lederer will be receiving this summer.

“I don’t know what the Three Village rate involves, maybe a shorter workday or because it’s a transition role,” March said, adding that initial plans called for Lederer to work two days a week in Bayport-Blue Point during July, then full-time starting in August.

“We know he has other obligations and worked it out that he would be in a minimum number of days during July,” March said.

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