CANYON CITY — Grant School District will pay its new superintendent $145,000 a year — while also paying six months’ salary to the man he replaced.

Mark Witty came out of retirement at the beginning of this school year to step in as principal of Grant Union Junior/Senior High School. He previously spent 17 years with Grant School District — including five years as superintendent — before leaving in 2015 to become superintendent of Baker School District.

In August, however, Witty was tapped by the Grant School Board to take over as superintendent following the resignation of Louis Dix, who stepped down Aug. 28 following a tumultuous tenure that lasted just over a year.

Dix’s resignation took effect on Aug. 28.

Witty’s contract, which was provided to the Eagle by the district at the newspaper’s request, runs from Aug. 28, 2023, through June 30, 2025.

Witty’s compensation includes an annual salary of $145,000. As a retiree, Witty is ineligible for Public Employee Retirement System benefits. Instead, the funds that would have been paid as the employee portion of PERS will be contributed to a tax-sheltered annuity account selected by Witty.

The contract also outlines additional benefits, including health and life insurance, a travel allowance, technology stipend, vacations and holidays, a longevity stipend and sick and personal leave.

The contract can be terminated by mutual agreement of the parties or by the superintendent giving a 90-day written notice to the school board. The board also has the option of terminating the contract for cause.

The terms of Dix’s resignation agreement with the board state that he will be paid his regular salary through Feb. 29, 2024, with all regular payroll deductions taken, including PERS contributions.

Dix’s salary was $142,000 per year. He will receive about half that amount, roughly $71,000, for the six-month period from the date of his resignation through the end of February.

Although Dix will not be serving in the role of superintendent during that period, his resignation agreement states that he will be available for consultation, if needed, through Feb. 29.

The district will provide Dix with health insurance through the end of February, after which he will need to pay out of pocket for health insurance. Dix was also issued a check for the unused vacation time he had accrued at the time of his resignation.

Dix and the school district also released one another and all their agents from all claims, causes of action or demands related to Dix’s employment and resignation from the district. Included in the waiver and release by Dix are claims arising from state and federal wrongful discharge laws, state and federal employment statutes, and all claims alleging a violation of state or federal whistleblower statutes.