Forum Post: Ferguson-Florissant superintendent gets health insurance for life

When Ferguson-Florissant Superintendent Jeff Spiegel retires at the end of this school year at age 56, he'll leave the district with the rare benefit of health insurance coverage for the rest of his life.

The School Board added the incentive to convince Spiegel to delay his retirement and stay on as superintendent this year. Although the board estimates the insurance should cost no more than $218,398, the actual cost is unknown. Spiegel until he is eligible for Medicare benefits at age 65.

Lentz, who also declined an interview, said in a statement that the school board stands by its decision made at a time when other districts are facing financial catastrophe, employee layoffs and loss of accreditation.

Other school board members did not return messages, declined to comment or referred calls to Lentz.

Spalding, of the Show-Me Institute, said that if school board members were having a difficult time persuading Spiegel to stay at the district, they could have awarded something that could be built into the budget, such as an increase in salary for one year, or an increased annuity payment — something other school districts occasionally do.

The health insurance Spiegel was awarded is an unknown expense —it is impossible to know how long he and his wife will use the benefit, she said.

District officials defended the decision, saying that Spiegel has served as Ferguson-Florissant superintendent longer than any district leader in the past 29 years and is the only area superintendent with a 35-year tenure in the district he leads. His salary, unchanged from last year, is less than new superintendents hired for this year by Hazelwood, Rockwood and Clayton.