Academic Distress Commission meeting canceled as CEO's departure in works

LORAIN — The Academic Distress Commission is negotiating the end of CEO David Hardy Jr.'s contract. Commission chairman Randall Sampson sent a statement Wednesday morning regarding the cancellation of the ADC's meeting and its eventual rescheduling. It had been slated to meet at 5 p.m. that evening. "In collaboration with the Lorain CEO's legal counsel and the Lorain ADC's legal counsel, there is continued negotiations and deliberation regarding the expiration of the CEO's contract," he said. "The current ADC meeting will be canceled; a rescheduled meeting will be announce in the coming days or week(s)." Commission member and high school teacher Steve Cawthon said he would have preferred the commission keep to its scheduled meeting but understands the legal process. "I also know the legal team is working on a transition plan as we speak and an announcement will be forthcoming shortly," he said. "I strongly urge the Lorain community to get behind Issue 13 (levy renewal) and support Lorain City Schools as we move forward." Commission member Diane Conibear-Xander confirmed "legal teams are finalizing negotiations and a transition is underway." CEO David Hardy Jr.'s current contract runs through August 2020. It states the contract may be terminated by the commission, subject to a 60 day notice to the CEO; by mutual agreement between the CEO and commission with 60 days notice; or by retirement, disability or death of the CEO. In August, Hardy received an ineffective rating from the commission for the 2018-19 school year. The school board had stated it would not move forward with the district's $3.1 million renewal levy without Hardy's departure, but has moved forward with the measure on the November ballot. Board president Mark Ballard said Sampson's statement was "great news." "Finally the ADC and the sate have put in writing that he (Hardy) is departing from our district," he said. "The district can now begin to unite and heal." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.