Ender got $46,233 in moving expenses
Moving from New Jersey in fall 2009, new Harper College President Kenneth Ender was reimbursed by the board of trustees for $46,233 in moving expenses.
That full amount “is to be paid to Dr. Ender, for purposes of relocation expense, effective September 18, 2009,” a board memo states.
The amount, then-board Chair Laurie Stone noted, “was very carefully negotiated. We took a lot of things into consideration,” she said.
Ender still had his two New Jersey homes to sell, at a time, Stone said, when the real estate market was tanking. He was also purchasing a $596,000 home in Inverness.
“We also knew that there was going to be some lag time from where he was going to be able to complete the transaction (in New Jersey) and have the necessary funds to complete another transaction here. It was not done in a frivolous manner at all,” she said, noting, the board was “very very careful in our consideration in terms of the total expenses he was going to accrue.”
Ender declined to comment on this story, as did current board Chairman Diane Hill, who other board members deferred to.
In an email from Ender to college Treasurer Tammy Rust on Sept. 16, Ender wrote, “we are well on our way to closing on the Inverness property. It is projected for closing at the end of next week. I will need the $46,000 (1/2 of the set aside) for the closing. Our chair is aware of all this and will authorize the check. Please do not process this through payroll, as I will need the bulk amount for closing. If there are tax issues I will deal with those through my federal and state return next spring. Please provide me with the check ASAP thanks ke.”