Highest paid Bayonne school official to retire with $28.6K in unused time

He will collect the money for his unused sick and vacation days on top of an annual pension of $167,680.

BAYONNE -- The highest paid public official in Bayonne outside of the police and fire departments is set to collect $28,599 in unused time after he retires Thursday, according to school officials.

Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Robert C. Craig, who has worked in the Bayonne school district for nearly half a century, will collect the money for his unused sick and vacation days on top of an annual pension of $167,680.

Craig, 69, joined the district on Sept. 1, 1970 and earns a total annual salary of $198,740 as of June. He announced his retirement in July, citing the desire to spend time with his wife and family.

The assistant superintendent, who began his career as a sixth grade mathematics teachers at John M. Bailey School, couldn't be reached for comment about his unused time.

According to officials, Craig has a total of 573 unused sick days but state statute caps him at what he was entitled to as of June 8, 2007. That amounts to 164 sick days at $103 per day, or $16,892.

Meanwhile, Craig's unused vacation days from previous years do not carry over, so he is only entitled to collect on his unused days from the 2016-2017 school year, officials said. That amounts to 15 days at $780.48 per day, or $11,707.

Combined, Craig's vacation and sick payout amounts to $28,599.

Bayonne Superintendent Patricia McGeehan makes $177,500 annually in a district with about 10,000 students.

Jersey City Superintendent Marcia Lyles makes $231,000 in a district with about 34,000 students, while Kearny Superintendent Patricia Blood makes $167,500 in a district with about 6,000 students.

Craig was thanked and recognized for his service last week by the city school board, which praised him for his "transformational leadership" and his commitment to the community as a "teacher, principal, Rotarian, veteran, loving husband, father and grandfather."

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

 

Highest paid Bayonne school official to retire with $28.6K in unused time