By:Doug Miller
In November, Friedman blamed his departure from Long Beach on a quirk in the state's retirement system that decreases the value of his pension if he works as a superintendent beyond this school year. But Great Neck, a much more affluent district on Long Island's North Shore, has offered him a salary that makes up for the difference. The Great Neck Board of Education voted to approve him Wednesday night.
"Great Neck offered a substantial economic package," Friedman said Monday. "This precludes the need for me to retire in order to protect my pension and my pension rights."
Friedman was the Long Beach Herald's 2003 Person of the Year, based on the progress the schools made during his five-year tenure.
His salary in Long Beach for the 2003-04 school year was $178,466, while his base salary in Great Neck next year will be $230,000, plus substantial "benefits that I've negotiated," Friedman said. He would not elaborate on the nature of the benefits.
In addition, his five-year contract with Great Neck will increase in value significantly each year, at a rate Long Beach could not compete with. "The [Long Beach] board was not able to provide a package that in any way approximates what they're providing," Friedman said.
He said in November that if he retired and did part-time consulting work, he could keep his full pension, which had vested to the point where it would equal his "take-home" pay in Long Beach, while continuing to work as a superintendent would decrease the value of the pension.
The value of the extra benefits Friedman will receive in Great Neck is roughly equal to the compensation he could have commanded had he retired, collected his pension and done the consulting work.
"I'm going to miss Long Beach a lot," Friedman said. "After five years I've developed a strong comfort level here. I know the ins and outs and how to meet them. This is an easy place to feel comfortable because the people are so good."
School Board president Steven Weitz said Tuesday that there were no hard feelings. "Dr. Friedman was totally committed to both the students of this district and the taxpaying members of the community," Weitz said. "It's a shame the New York state retirement system puts committed individuals like him in a position where they have to retire at a certain age."
As to whether the school board ever seriously considered offering a deal similar to Great Neck's offer, Weitz said. "Dr. Friedman told me personally that he couldn't recommend we match it."
Meanwhile, Long Beach continues its search for Friedman's replacement. The Long Beach Board of Education was scheduled to hold a public forum Wednesday night at the Lindell School to discuss the hiring process. The board seeks residents' feedback on what qualities they want in a superintendent, and will brief the public on their progress in their search.
Weitz said the next superintendent should look to his predecessor for leadership models. "I don't want to say we're looking for a clone of Dr. Friedman, but we're looking for someone with many of the same attributes," he said. "I'd like to hire somebody who can be visible in the community and is an expert in school finances. And the next superintendent should continue Dr. Friedman's work in bringing together all the different types of community organizations with the goal of focusing on the children.
"Dr. Friedman is retiring at a time when we're in the best financial position in the history of the district," Weitz added. "As you know, Moody's just upgraded our bond rating three notches, which is unheard of, even in the private sector. We have three assistant superintendents that have done an excellent job and who will remain in place when Dr. Friedman is gone. I'm looking for somebody with Dr. Friedman's high standards for student achievement."
