Best of Skokie Patch Anniversary Celebration: Tuesday

To celebrate Skokie Patch’s one-year anniversary, each day this week we’ll highlight stories with mass viewing at the website. 

A Patch investigation revealed a pattern of administrators working as high-paid consultants shortly after retiring.

Robert Freeman, a former principal and fine arts director, received more than $71,000 for T-shirt and logo designs, PowerPoint presentations and overseeing a construction project.

At the same time teachers were fighting to keep their jobs in the face of looming budget cuts in Niles Township School District 219.

Gerry Yeggy, a former business operations manager for the school system, said it was cheaper to hire a former administrator as a consultant than it was to hire a full-time employee.

“Benefits are about 28 percent of a [teacher's or administrator’s] salary,” he said. “In most instances, it’s actually cheaper to hire a consultant.”

Read more: The best stories from Skokie Patch’s first year.