MacLennan banking $500K
Former North Idaho College President Rick MacLennan looks at the crowd that came to wish him well outside his office on his last day at NIC on Sept. 23. MacLennan was fired without cause by the NIC board of trustees. He will receive in total just shy of half a million dollars to not finish the last year-and-a-half of his contract. BILL BULEY/Press
COEUR d'ALENE — Former North Idaho College President Rick MacLennan will receive just shy of half a million dollars to not work at the college.
According to details from a public record request, MacLennan's compensation over 12 months since being fired without cause last September will be $28.72 short of $500,000.
MacLennan’s contract includes NIC’s agreement to pay him for 12 months of salary and benefits. That total is $249,971.28; $222,691.56 from base salary plus $27,279.72 in supplemental retirement.
According to public records, after MacLennan sued, a payment of $250,000 was added to the pot from Idaho Counties Risk Management Program, NIC's insurer.
MacLennan filed a lawsuit Oct. 1 against the college, also naming trustees Todd Banducci, Greg McKenzie and former trustee Michael Barnes, the three board members who voted for his termination.
Within the lawsuit, MacLennan sought to be reinstated as college president with compensation for any lost wages and benefits, as well as more than $10,000 for damages.
MacLennan agreed to the disposition of the lawsuit on Jan. 6. The settlement agreement itself is not a public record and MacLennan said Thursday he has no comment on the settlement.
MacLennan also said he doesn’t have an answer to the chances of him returning to NIC in some capacity.
“At least at this juncture, (termination without cause) seems to have severed my relationship with North Idaho College,” MacLennan told The Press.
MacLennan said he tries not to predict the future.
“We just have to see how things shake out,” MacLennan said. “I hope things get back on track, whatever that takes.”
While MacLennan is getting paid, so is his replacement, Interim President Michael Sebaaly. Sebaaly's salary is $180,000 a year.
