Rochester has locked in their superintendent for the next three years with a new contract approved by the school board on Monday night.

A resolution for a new three-year contract for Superintendent Nicholas Russo was approved 5-2. His previous base salary of $235,000 will jump to $245,000 next year, $252,500 in 2026-27 and $260,000 in 2027-28.

The new contract will take effect July 1.

Trustees Mary Beth Litkouhi and Shelly Lauzon voted against approval.

Litkouhi tried to indefinitely postpone a vote on the contract because Russo had only received one board evaluation and the district had just approved a budget with a $6.5 million deficit. Her motion failed 5-2.

“He got a major promotion and a $50,000 raise (from his previous position) when he was hired,” said Litkouhi. “So I don’t think that now is the right time for us to justify a $25,000 increase in total compensation, including the longevity bonus, at a time when we are potentially preparing for potential cuts elsewhere.”

“I don’t agree that the timing is correct,” said Lauzon.

A longevity payment will be triggered during the last pay period each year of the contract, assuming Russo receives a board evaluation of “effective.” Those payments would be $10,000 in 2025-26, $15,000 in 2026-27 and $20,000 in 2027-28.

“Rochester Community Schools is truly an amazing district, and I am honored to be able to keep serving our students, staff and families,” Russo said in a statement after board approval of the contract.

In the original two-year contract signed last June when Russo came over from Walled Lake Consolidated School District, he received a tax-sheltered retirement annuity of $10,000 which would increase to $20,000 annually in the new contract.

A $5,000 merit bonus based on criteria established by the board was removed from the new contract.

According to a document attached to the board resolution, Russo’s new contract still does not bring him into line with schools of comparable enrollment size.

“Superintendents in L’Anse Cruse, Walled Lake, Farmington Hills, Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo are “new” (first year) superintendents who started in 2023 or 2024 and have an average total compensation of $293,169,” one portion of the document said.

Trustee Jason Blake explained the pay discrepancy during debate on the motion.

“We lowballed, quite frankly, in that first contract,” said Blake. “For first year superintendents, he was $23,000 under market average. He (Russo) was also able to substantiate that for the annuity payment for his retirement he was $14,000 under the market.”

He added, “He was required to substantiate this, that for his entire compensation package he was $51,000 under the market for his position. So what we are offering him today still does not make up for that difference.”

Blake, President Michelle Bueltel, Treasurer Julie Alspach, Vice President Jessica Gupta and Trustee Barb Anness voted in favor of the new contract.

“By the way, in year three in 2028, Mr. Russo will finally reach the average for 2024 for his peers,” said Blake. “For those reasons I will support this resolution and the proposed new contract.”

“When you agree to a contract, you honor your commitment,” said Litkouhi. “I have asked this question over and over, what key metrics performances have improved and nobody can answer that question. Instead, we are just focusing on the fact that we are not paying market rate.”