Auburn Enlarged School District Superintendent John Plume has decided to stay. Plume had been interviewing with the Hilton Central School District in Rochester about their superintendent vacancy, but announced he has withdrawn from his name from consideration.

And now a community wonders: If our superintendent is job-hunting, how committed is he to our district? Perhaps the more cynical critics of the superintendent may venture further, and question his decision-making or whether he is putting the time and energy into the Auburn job any longer.

It can be a painful time for a district to watch helplessly as its superintendent seems to be looking elsewhere. There is a feeling of rejection, inadequacy; what does another district have that we don't?

It didn't help that the Hilton schools were not offering that much more money than Plume was already making in Auburn. If money wasn't the motivation then what? After all, Plume painted his home in Auburn's school colors ... how could he up and sell and move, right? It may be tough to sell a maroon and gold home anyway, right?

This was not the first time Plume had applied for a job in Hilton. He applied in 1995, when he was serving as superintendent in South Seneca. But this may be the last time; how will Hilton officials respond after being told that he really wasn't that interested in their job after putting them through multiple interviews?

Why would anyone go through such multiple formal interviews, and then realize they were only interviewing because they were asked?

Maybe it was a contract bargaining tool with the school board. A subtle way of saying: "Don't take me for granted."

Maybe, it was the time of year. Preparing a school budget, then selling it to the school board, the faculty, and the community has to be the most challenging part of a superintendent's job. You have parents and their students demanding more programs and equipment, a union which wants more staff, more money and better working conditions, and countless members of an overtaxed, frustrated community demanding fiscal belt-tightening.

Whew.

Auburn has its share of challenges during budget season. But so does every district.

While many in the Auburn school district are relieved to know Plume is staying, so too is BOCES Superintendent Gary Gilchrist. Not only has Plume helped carry the fight for a new BOCES building project, but Gilchrist is already facing superintendent vacancies in Weedsport and now Skaneateles.

We're pleased Plume is staying in Auburn. But we, too, now wonder along with many in the Auburn school district:

For how long?