Julie Janssen, Pinellas County’s new school superintendent, has tentatively agreed to a three-year contract that will pay her $200,000 a year, the bottom of the salary range the School Board set for the job. The board had set the upper limit at $240,000. Click here to see a draft copy of the agreement. The board is expected to consider the deal Tuesday.

In addition to salary, the contract calls for a $250 per month “communication allowance” for cell phone and similar expenses and a monthly automobile allowance of $900 that requires Janssen to buy her own auto liability insurance, and premiums to cover a $500,000 life insurance policy for Janssen. The board also would pay 6.5 percent of Janssen’s base salary into a tax-deferred retirement savings plan, a benefit she would receive on top of her regular state retirement as a 29-year veteran educator.

Janssen's salary would remain at $200,000 unless her annual performance review is “satisfactory” or higher. In that event, she would receive the same percentage salary increase as the district’s classroom teachers, up to 5 percent. The deal, which would expire June 30, 2011, is similar to the board’s agreement with former superintendent Clayton Wilcox, whose salary stood at $204,000 when he left in early June.

The board budgeted $20,000 for the nationwide superintendent search. So far, the bills come to about $10,145. Still to come are a few outstanding travel invoices for two of the candidates, including Alberto Carvalho, who declined the job, leading to Janssen's selection. The largest portion of the search cost is for advertising in the St. Petersburg Times and Education Week, a total of $5,804. It looks as if the total bill could come in about $12,000 or less.

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