Downs lured to Iowa

La Crosse Tribune, Feb 14, 2003 by Mercer, Anastasia

Concerns about retirement and a desire to be closer to family led La Crosse Superintendent Tom Downs to take a job in the Southeast Polk Community School District in Runnels, Iowa.

Downs, 51, informed administrators and staff members Thursday he accepted a job as superintendent of the "growing school district" near Des Moines, which is smaller than La Crosse at about 5,000 students.

"As many of you know, living close to family and being able to maximize the investment of ones retirement become priorities at a particular point in a person's career," he wrote in a letter to staff. "A return to Iowa places me closer to the area that is home to my sons and also enables me to take full advantage of the benefits of the state retirement system where I have 22-plus years of service."

The news was met with sadness by several board members and administrators who described Downs as a "very personable person" and a "top-notch superintendent."

"He's worked very hard at bringing people together and I appreciate that," said board member Al Lambeth. "Even when I disagreed with him, I thought he was amicable."

"I hate to see him go," said Jerry Kember, associate superintendent of instruction. "He's led us through some very difficult challenges over the last few years."

Downs grew up in Wisconsin but spent most of his administrative career in the Des Moines area. He said the move will take him and his wife closer to three of their children: Brian and Bradley live in Des Moines; while Andrew is a sophomore at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. A fourth son, Steven, is a senior at Central High School and will attend the University of Wisconsin-Stout this fall.

The move is also about finances, as Downs needs only work eight more years in Iowa before he is eligible for full retirement benefits. Both Iowa and Wisconsin base retirement income on age and experience, and maximum benefits can only be reached after 30 years of service.

"Will I work 25 more years (in La Crosse)? Likely not," he said. "I weighed the factors that were present."

Downs said he came to La Crosse in 1998 because he was ready to become superintendent and it was the best job available in the Midwest at the time. He said he hoped stock market investments and board efforts would create a comparable retirement package in this state, but they haven't.

"The board here has done everything within its capability or power to address this retirement discrepancy," Downs said. "The QEO (qualified economic offer) just doesn't allow it."

Board member Neil Duresky said Downs' departure reflects some of the problems that are inherent with the state's revenue caps, which limit the amount school districts spend, and the QEO, which limits the amount districts pay employees.

"We could've given him a heck of a raise at the expense of the other administrators'" Duresky said. "Neither Tom nor the board felt that was an ethical thing to do."

Duresky, who was board president when Downs was hired, said Downs filled the shoes of long-time Superintendent Dick Swantz admirably. Downs was hired after the district conducted two, rounds of searches.

"I don't think we could've found a better person to replace Dick and take us to the next level of education for the community we serve," Duresky said. "People move on because they want to make more money. I certainly can't fault him for that."

Downs said there is "important work" to do before he starts his new job July 7, as he still must come up with solutions to the district's elementary boundary problems. He said board members expressed their confidence he would do so before he leaves when contacted about his resignation Wednesday night.

"I've never known him to be one to skirt or avoid the issues," Duresky said.

Downs said he was not actively searching for a new job, but his interest was piqued when Iowa colleagues contacted him about the opening in Runnells during the holidays.

Katie Temple, board president for the Polk Community School District, said Downs was one of five candidates interviewed for the position. She said Downs was offered the job because "he was very forward-looking and for his enthusiasm."

Downs is president of the La Crosse Area United Way, he serves on the board of directors for the La Crosse Symphony and is a second-term trustee for the city library. He said he will miss his friends and colleagues in the Coulee Region, along with the river and bluffs as well.

"I've rekindled my boyhood memories growing up on the river in my last five years here," Downs said. "These kinds of career opportunities come up at the strangest and most peculiar times."