Haines Superintendent Tony Habra. (Emily Files)

Haines Superintendent Tony Habra. (Emily Files)

The Haines Borough School District will pay about $66,000 to former superintendent Tony Habra.

On Thursday, the board voted to accept Habra’s resignation. He had been on the job about a year.

The decision happened after the board met behind closed doors for the fourth time to discuss Habra’s first yearly evaluation and contract.

Few details have been revealed about the circumstances surrounding Habra’s departure. He declined to comment for this story. But, in a letter addressed to board president Anne Marie Palmieri, he said “a variety of circumstances have dictated a need for me to return to Michigan for the best interests of my family.”

Palmieri has declined to discuss why the school board made this decision.

Officially, Habra resigned. But, he is receiving a settlement. There is nothing in his contract that explains why he would be compensated for resigning.

Calls to the school’s attorney to better understand how the settlement came about were not returned by airtime.

Habra had a three-year contract with the district. But it’s ending early. The district and Habra came to a settlement and release agreement. It awards Habra $65,916. That’s more than half his annual salary of $113,000. In return, Habra promises not to take legal action against the district, for reasons related to his employment.

Habra’s contract does say he is entitled to six month’s severance pay in the event that his employment is terminated unilaterally by the board. In that scenario, they would need to give 30 days’ notice.

Principal Rene Martin is standing in as chief school administrator as the board starts the search for an interim superintendent.

The board tentatively scheduled a meeting for July 12 at 9 a.m. to discuss next steps.