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Senior Center (August 18, 2012) |
As the Danville-Boyle County Senior Citizens Center narrows its search for a new leader, scant details have emerged about the departure of longtime executive-director Jackie Sims.
The settlement between the senior citizens center and Sims, obtained by The Advocate-Messenger through an open records request, shows the center agreed to pay Sims a lump sum of $16,701.11, plus medical insurance through May 31, 2012.
The sum included 240 hours of vacation time — the agreement capped the amount of vacation time at 240 hours — and two months’ salary.
Ryan Owens, chairman of the center’s board of directors, said Sims, who served as head of the center for 36 years, was making an annual salary of $57,641 when she was placed on administrative leave by the board March 16, 2012.
The agreement prohibits Sims from making any legal claims against the center or current and former board members. A portion of the document specifically states that by signing the agreement Sims forgoes any potential claim under the Age Discrimination Employment Act or the Kentucky Civil Rights Act “relating to her age.”
Sims also is barred by the agreement from applying for employment or reinstatement with the center.
Sims has said she does not know why she was placed on leave, but has declined to comment on the circumstances that led to her departure. One of the terms involves both sides agreeing not to disparage the other.
Minutes from the board’s March 7 meeting show Sims was told to follow the center’s policies and procedures closely and not to speak publicly, including making statements to the press. She tendered a two-sentence letter resignation March 12, a day before the board voted to empower Owens to offer the job to Sims’ former subordinate Sheila Cain, who has held that position ever since.
The board began advertising for a full-time executive director in July. According to Owens, they have narrowed the pool of 15 applications to three and will begin interviewing those candidates in hopes of making a hire by next month.
