Even after he was abruptly suspended in a controversial move last year, Amityville School District Superintendent of Business Administration Richard Klesius attended the school’s sporting events and maintained some ties with the people he’s known in the district for more than ten years. Now, after settling with the district, and with a ban lifted that barred him from entering school buildings, the former business superintendent spent one day reading to some of the district’s kindergarten students and meeting with his former staff.

"If I had my druthers, I would still be at work," he said. "But I guess all is well that ends well."

In a move that took the community by surprise, Klesius was suspended by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rhoda Pierre March 8 of last year. That move was upheld by a majority of the school board, with one member, Richard Anderson opposing. Anderson, so angry by the move, made an impassioned plea for the board to reconsider its decision. When it did not, he stepped down saying he could no longer be a part of a school board that acted so irresponsibly.

The settlement, signed last month but only released by the district this week, calls for Klesius to receive $250,000, plus all his back pay and accrued sick and personal time from March 8 through January 31, the day he officially retired from the district as part of the settlement.

Klesius was suspended by the Superintendent who, at the time, accused him of insubordination and dereliction of duty; failing to monitor contracts adequately and failing to supervise adequately.

All of that caught the community by surprise, because during his ten years in the district, Klesius had gained the reputation as a strong administrator who closely watched taxpayers dollars. He helped usher the district through some of its most trying fiscal times, and was always considered to be forthright with the public.

He also came to Amityville Schools at a time when there was a wide division between Nassau and Suffolk County residents within the district because of an imbalance in the two assessment systems that resulted in an inequity in the taxes. By providing the residents with correct information, he empowered them and they were able to apply to the state for special equalization rates that are designed to bring the two communities into balance.

"He was the only one who, when asked a question, gave you an honest answer," said Don Cardwell of East Massapequa, a civic leader who fought for the equalization rates that brought his community’s school taxes in line with those of Suffolk residents in the district. "He gave us the information we needed, without evasion, and he was the only administrator to ever do that. I guess you could say I am a Klesius fan."

"I tried to be as open and honest with the members of the community as I possibly could be because that is the way you build trust and I am sorry to say that that doesn’t appear to be the policy of the school district any more," said Klesius.

Following his termination, Klesius vowed to fight to clear his name, adamantly denying the charges. The settlement came just a week before a hearing was to take place on that question—a hearing at which he would have had the opportunity to present his side of the case.

Klesius says now that he had to look at the practical aspects of the issue. "I had to consider that if I fought, I probably would have had to sue the district and, frankly, when you do that, you just never kno.w The settlement was such that I thought it was the best thing for me to do."

Klesius, who lives in Setauket, will be moving to North Carolina in the summer with his wife, Betty, a school teacher in Ward-Melville High School. She is retiring at the end of the year. The couple plan to build a home in Calabash, North Carolina, on the Meadowlands Golf Course.

"I am looking forward to playing lots of golf and doing some fishing and having no stress," said Klesius of his plans.

Nevertheless, his years in Amityville have had an impact on his life. "I will bring with me very fond memories of Amityville, and wherever I go, I will take a piece of Amityville with me," he said.