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School board OKs contract for Farrell

Jennifer Davoren
Aspen Times Staff Writer

A contract for Aspen School District Superintendent Tom Farrell was approved by the Aspen School Board Thursday night, though its details might not become public anytime soon.

The contract was approved during a nearly six-hour executive session last week at board member Fred Peirce’s Aspen office building. The discussion was originally scheduled to take place during a Feb. 19 board meeting, but public comment regarding the superintendent’s performance by both disgruntled parents and supportive teachers forced the board to reschedule.

During Thursday’s closed meeting, the board discussed Farrell’s proposed contract and annual evaluation until just before 11 p.m., said board president Augie Reno. Farrell, a 12-year veteran of the Aspen School District, is currently finishing the first year of a three-year contract. Though the discussion was originally meant to explore the possibility of extending the contract by another year, Reno was unable to comment on whether the extension was granted.



“We have approved the contract that we had discussed in executive session, contingent on the school attorney reviewing it,” he said.

Reno said the board had a few questions about the contract, which was unanimously approved, before it became official. He said he has also reviewed the contract with Farrell, who is aware of the board’s questions. He would not say what the questions were.




Reno said he will try to reach the school district’s attorney again this morning to discuss details of the contract. Reno said he will also ask what portions of the superintendent’s contract, if any, can be made public.

School board member and local attorney Jon Seigle said Sunday that he was unsure whether details of the contract will become public after being reviewed by the school district’s attorney.