Here's how much the Beaufort County schools interim superintendent is set to make

The interim Beaufort County Schools superintendent is set to receive the same base pay as his predecessor, Jeff Moss.

Herbert Berg, who begins his interim superintendent position on Aug. 1, will be paid an annual salary of $220,000, according to his contract.

Two weeks ago, the board voted to offer the contract to Berg in an 11-0 vote. The board’s attorney, Charles Boykin of the Columbia-based Boykin & Davis LLC law firm, negotiated the agreement on the board’s behalf.

Board chairman Earl Campbell said Berg had requested the $220,000 salary. And after talking it over with an attorney during three separate closed-door meetings, the board agreed on that amount.

"There was some discussion (about the amount), and there were some other things (in the contract) that we took out," Campbell said. "But the board talked about it, and no one objected to it."

Berg's contract spans one year from Aug. 1, 2018, to July 31, 2019. His full package, including his salary and benefits, equates to at least $250,000.

Among other benefits, the district will make an annuity contribution equal to 5 percent of Berg's salary — or $11,000 — to a retirement fund of his choice. Unlike Moss' annuity contribution, Berg's will not depend on a satisfactory evaluation from the board, according to his contract.

Berg will receive a reimbursement of up to $5,000 in moving costs, an automobile allowance of $850 per month and health insurance coverage of about $408 per month, the contract states.

In addition to his annual salary, the interim superintendent will be paid an hourly rate for initial visits to the district prior to his Aug. 1 start date. Berg's daily rate equates to his base salary divided by 260 working days. Therefore, Berg will be paid $846 for each day he visits the district before Aug. 1.

Campbell said he was not sure how many days Berg is expected to visit the district prior to his start date.

Berg, who retired in 2011, has worked as a superintendent for more than 35 years in Washington state, Virginia and South Carolina. He was named Superintendent of the Year in 2006 and was twice named among the Top 100 American School Superintendents by the American Association of School Administrators.

Berg served as superintendent of South Carolina's Kershaw County Schools from 2003 to 2007 and Lexington-Richland 5 from 2008 to 2011.

Superintendent Jeff Moss' last day at the district will be July 31.

(Click hereto read Berg's contract. Click hereto read Moss’ original contract.)

When Moss became superintendent in 2013, he was offered a similar contract to Berg, including a $220,000 annual base salary, 5 percent annuity plan, $850 car allowance and $5,000 reimbursement in moving costs.

As part of his buyout package, Moss will receive a $220,000 lump sum equal to one year's salary for the 2018-'19 school year, a $44,000 annuity contribution to a retirement fund and an unspecified amount of unused sick and annual leave.

This story was originally published June 20, 2018 at 1:40 PM with the headline "Here's how much the Beaufort County schools interim superintendent is set to make."