The Wayland Union school district has terminated its business outsourcing arrangement with the Joannesburg-Lewiston district, effective Sept. 30.

The impetus for the move was announcement of the “retirement” of Finance Director Bill Melching on that same date. Melching was going to be the on-site representative from Wayland and his assistant, Michael Tanksley, was to operate via the Internet. Joannesburg-Lewiston was to pay Wayland $44,000 for the service and the local school district stood to gain about $21,000 as a result.

But the Wayland Board of Education balked at the arrangement, indicating displeasure with the process of going ahead in July without official board approval, or as Trustee Gary Wood called it, “rubber stamping a contract that’s already been signed.”

Superintendent Norman Taylor said that was a result of a misunderstanding of policy, explaining that administrators are allowed to enter into contracts, but they must earn board approval if they stand to gain a pay increase as a result. Melching was said to be in line to pick up as much as an extra $12,000 with the arrangement.

Taylor noted that some Wayland employees already are shared with other districts, noting that technology guru Scott Getter also works at Hopkins and Katherine Borovsky, assistant food services manager through Chartwells, does as well.

“We wanted to do this because of the uniqueness of the opportunity and the chance to generate extra revenue for the district,” Taylor said.

He promised a more specific policy on the issue in the future.

Also part of the shared services agreement is an arrangement in which the Allegan Area Educational Services Agency (AAESA) borrows Amy Syers for one day a month from the business office. That agreement was approved by the board.

PHOTO: Bill Melching

PHOTO: The Wayland Board of Education Monday night welcomed this year’s student representative, Noelle Oman, a junior and a member of the National Honor Society.