Joseph D. “J.D.” Pabis is saying goodbye to Groton, and hello to the Auburn school district.

The newly appointed superintendent of the Auburn Enlarged City School District will be relocating from Groton in Tompkins County as per a residency requirement that will be in his contract, which will be voted upon and released to the public on July 31.

“There's an availability of the superintendent that is quite important,” Pabis said. “With that in mind, the district has elected the superintendent to be a resident. I look forward to being a part of the Auburn community.”

Pabis said he has investigated properties in the area, but did not know the timeframe required of him to relocate. He said he has not yet seen his final contract, as the terms are still being negotiated.

Pabis was appointed superintendent by the Auburn City School District Board of Education on July 17 to succeed John Plume, who will be retiring on Friday.

Plume, who was appointed superintendent in 2001, immediately purchased a home in Auburn.

When he started, Plume was not required by the board to relocate, but the school board has since instituted a residency requirement into the superintendent's contract extensions.

“For a city the size of Auburn, it is very important that the superintendent be a part of our community,” said board President David Lansford.

“We were very pleased with the way John Plume became part of our community, and we extended the invitation to J.D. Pabis and he was more than willing to do that.”

Not all school districts require superintendents to live in the districts they serve, but Lansford believes that in Auburn's case, it is important for Pabis to join the community.

“All of our children are in our schools here and we want him to get to know the venues where people come together - the restaurants, the groups,” he said. “We want him to get accepted by the community and the culture of the community.”

And Pabis seemed happy to oblige.

“The role of the superintendent is quite different than my previous role as assistant superintendent,” Pabis said.

“I can foresee myself becoming more active in community organizations such as the Partnership for Results, Chamber of Commerce and possibly some civic organizations within the community. I think it will benefit both (me and the community) by my availability and presence to feel the pulse of the community as perceived by representatives of different organizations.”

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at alyssa.sunkin@lee.net or at 253-5311 ext. 239.