CHARLOTTE — Channel 9 learned what happened before the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education decided to abruptly fire now-former Superintendent Crystal Hill on Tuesday.
[ READ MORE: School board votes to terminate CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill ]
Hill told the school board during a closed-session meeting on Tuesday night that she would resign immediately if the board would pay her for two years, sources told Channel 9’s Jonathan Lowe.
The School Board denied her offer. Hill returned with a counteroffer and said she would resign at a later date to be determined if the board would pay her for two years, sources said. The board denied that, as well.
Following that, the School Board added an item to its agenda regarding Hill’s employment, which led to a 5-4 vote to terminate her for convenience, which means that they would pay her a year’s salary worth $379,000.
Hill’s termination comes after months of controversy, including an internal investigation into her conduct and allegations she made against the board involving extortion, cronyism and misspending.
In an 18-page report explaining the decision, the district stated: “The review did not find evidence of improper conduct by the superintendent.” The report also said, “The review did not identify conflicts of interest or improper activity related to contracting by the superintendent.”
The report noted the $379,000 investigation amounted to 0.02% of the district’s $2.1 billion budget. Hill was terminated for convenience, making her eligible for a full year of severance pay totaling $341,000.
Board members acknowledged during the meeting that rebuilding public trust will be a significant challenge following the decision.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates.