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Interim superintendent's contract is between district, his company

The agreement is between the district and HeartEd LLC.

IRMO, S.C. — News19 is on your side answering questions about the contract between Lexington-Richland School District Five and their interim superintendent, Dr. Akil Ross.

We asked the district for a copy of Ross' contract, and it says the agreement is between the district and HeartEd LLC, which is an education company owned by Dr. Ross.

RELATED: Lexington-Richland 5 names Dr. Akil Ross as interim superintendent

HeartEd is a limited liability company, which according to its website, is "an educational consulting firm." It was established in 2018.  In the contract, the district agreed to pay an annual fee of $175,000 to the LLC.

News19 asked Lexington-Richland Five, why the contract is not with Dr. Ross himself.  A spokesperson for the district said, "Dr. Ross and his attorney and tax advisor requested he be paid through his LLC."

However, Dr. Ross' attorney did not give the reasoning behind the decision. The school district's attorney drafted the contract and Dr. Ross' attorney made changes, which the school district says is standard procedure.

The school district says the agreement will save them more than $66,000 in benefits and retirement.

Ross took over for Dr. Christina Melton, who abruptly resigned earlier this month. The district reached a settlement with Melton that will pay her a lump sum roughly equal to her annual salary. 

RELATED: Details of settlement with former Lexington Richland 5 superintendent Melton emerge

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