NEW MILFORD -- Schools Superintendent JeanAnn Paddyfote earned a new three-year contract Tuesday that increases her base salary by just over $9,000.

In reality, though, she is taking a pay freeze.

With the current economy and town's financial constraints, Paddyfote opted to keep her current $167,475 base salary for the coming year. To offset the increase to $176,765 -- an increase that benefits how Paddyfote's future state pension is calculated -- she will take eight unpaid furlough days and defer a 2 percent salary increase, or $3,349, until next July.

One of the long-standing contract guarantees for Paddyfote is a severance package of 1.75 percent of her base salary multiplied by her years of service.

  • the severance will be 2 percent of her base salary multiplied by her years in the district, to be paid over no more than four years.


  • Paddyfote will continue to pay 15 percent of her health benefits premiums.


  • She will receive 27 days of paid vacation, increasing one day each year of the contract, plus four personal days and 18 days of sick leave.


  • To date, she has an accumulated bank of 429 sick days.


  • Paddyfote earns a travel allowance of $500 a month.