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Under the provisions of Mike McMillan's termination agreement, McMillan will continue as an employee of Delta County Joint School District #50 until an interim superintendent has been appointed. School board president Tom Mingen has said that process could be completed in two weeks or less.

At that time, the district will pay McMillan all unpaid wages and benefits earned through the date of separation; the lump sum of $130,373, representing severance and unused vacation and sick leave; and the retirement benefits which are offered to all longtime employees of the school district. In McMillan's case, those retirement benefits total $118,215, payable in five annual installments of $23,643. The compensation is equivalent to one year's retirement benefit as calculated by PERA.

McMillan has worked for the school district since 1971. A 1967 graduate of Paonia High School, he obtained a bachelor's degree in social sciences from Colorado State University. He taught at both the middle and high schools in Hotchkiss before serving as assistant principal at Delta Junior High School. In 1977 he left the area to pursue his doctorate at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

In 1978, he returned to Delta County, serving as principal at Hotchkiss High School until 1985. From 1985 to 2001, he was the district's personnel director. He became assistant superintendent/director of operations in 2001.

When superintendent Laddie Livingston resigned in September 2004, McMillan was named interim superintendent and then superintendent.

In March 2010, McMillan announced his intention to retire and the school board reported it was in negotiations with Ed Longfield, a former District 50J employee. When district employees, taxpayers and the media complained the school board was violating its own policy by not conducting an open, active search for McMillan's replacement, Longfield withdrew his name from consideration. McMillan continued in his role as superintendent, receiving positive reports during his annual evaluations by the school board.

Mingen said the services of the Colorado Association of School Boards will be utilized during the superintendent search.

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