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School board to vote on buy out of Superintendent Martinez

A judge says the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees should buy out Superintendent Pedro Martinez in exchange for him leaving.

That was the result of a mediation between the school board and Martinez yesterday, overseen by District Judge David Hardy.If approved at Tuesday's school board meeting, the district will pay Martinez 15 months of salary and benefits, as well as $80,000 to cover his attorneys' fees. In return, Martinez will drop his civil suit against the board for breaching his contract.

In the settlement, Judge Hardy writes that the board has no cause to terminate Martinez because he's not a licensed CPA, but "both parties agree it's in the best interests of everyone...that the Board exercise its right to purchase the balance of Martinez' employment contract." He adds that it's impossible for Martinez and the board "to move forward in a mutual spirit of cooperation" given what's happened. 

Credit WCSD
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WCSD

All of this is subject to a vote by the board at today's public meeting, which begins at 2 o'clock. The superintendent's last day of work would have to be at least 6 weeks from today. Also in the settlement is a requirement that both parties "agree they will not malign one another with respect to any matter relating to their employment or service, their professionalism, ethics, work ethics, character, or integrity."

Earlier this month, 6 of the 7 school board trustees were fined more than $1,000 each by the attorney general for violating the Nevada Open Meeting Lawwhen they met in private and fired Martinez.

Will Stone is a former reporter at KUNR Public Radio.