Waterford - The American Federation of Teachers Connecticut purchased an advertisement in the Sunday edition of The Day urging residents to voice opposition to Superintendent Jerome Belair's current contract.

The contract, ratified in September after Belair announced his intention to retire in June, divides the $220,000 salary originally slated for Belair for the 2014-15 school year between salary and retirement benefits. Of the $220,000, Belair is receiving $99,000 as salary and $121,000 as retirement benefits. The board has now voted to extend Belair's contract, which calls for the same salary and benefit package, through the 2015-16 school year.

The deal has allowed Belair to begin collecting $140,000 in pension benefits from the Connecticut Teachers Retirement Board.

AFT Connecticut Communications Coordinator Matt O'Connor said his organization was questioning the legality of the contract and is worried it may set a precedent for other school systems. Under state law, someone receiving Connecticut teacher retirement benefits cannot be paid a salary that exceeds 45 percent of the maximum salary level for a position with public money for an education job. While the $99,000 does not exceed the 45 percent limit, O'Connor said the fact Belair is receiving the rest of his salary in retirement benefits may violate the law.

He said that he believed Waterford Public Schools would need to face special circumstances, such as facing a shortage of superintendent candidates, for the contract to be in line with the law.

Connecticut Teachers' Retirement Board Director Darlene Perez said in an October interview that Belair's contract did not violate state law. She said, however, that the contract was not in the spirit of the law.

"It seems to be designed to avoid restrictions in the law, but in a legal way," she said.

The AFT ad asks its audience to attend the board's meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Town Hall "and tell the majority that this arrangement is unacceptable."

"I was surprised," Belair said Monday of the ad, adding that board meetings provides public comment periods.

"They can come and share their thoughts regarding the contract extension," he said.

The board is slated to discuss the terms of the contract during executive session Thursday and may take action during the meeting.

O'Connor said the union wanted to make sure residents had an opportunity to voice their opinions and said that AFT believes there is still an opportunity to change the terms of the contract.

"For the democratic process to be respected there ought to be some public comment on what would be expected to be in this extended contract," he said.

O'Connor also questioned why the board had not, as far as he knew, started its search for a replacement superintendent.

"The primary concern is with this apparent delay in following through with starting the search for permanent leadership for the district," he said.

Board member David Kenney, who voted in favor of extending the contract in February, said he supported the contract because he understood it to be in line with the law and because he felt the superintendent had done a good job. He said that given the questions raised by AFT, he would be looking over the contract in the next few days.

The vote in February to extend Belair's contract for another year on the same terms was 7-2, with board Chairwoman Jody Nazarchyk, and member David Campo voting against.

"If somebody's raised the question I wanna know what the question is and whether it holds water," said Kenney Monday. "That's my job, isn't it?"

Former board member John Taglianetti and his wife Helen has submitted a letter to the board criticizing the contract with Belair. He urged the board to end the contract this June and find a new superintendent sooner.

Waterford Federation of Classroom Teachers President Martha Shoemaker could not be reached for comment.

t.townsend@theday.com