Administrator pay proves tough issue (08/05/2008)

On a night when they agreed to advertise a $37.2 million budget, approved a new contract with the teacher's union and hired an interim high school principal, the issue of pay and benefits for administrators sparked a marathon and sometimes contentious debate among members of the Jay School Board.

Board members, who for several months have considered ways to improve the current methods of figuring pay for administrators, couldn't come to a consensus even after a discussion that stretched past two hours.

The result? Some progress, but no agreement.

Board members did agree on several of the apparently bigger items on their agenda Monday - including ratification of a new three-year contract with the Jay Classroom Teachers Association. The contract will give teachers pay increases of 2.75 percent in each of the first two years, and a 2 percent bump in year three.

Also approved unanimously Monday was the hiring of Phil Ford as interim principal for the 2008-09 school year at Jay County High School (see related story).

A major topic on the agenda Monday was permission to advertise the corporation's 2009 budget. That $37.2 million budget will be the first under the state's new funding formula that removed a big chunk of the school's general fund from local property tax rolls.

Although Jay Schools will advertise a tax rate of $1.75 (per $100 of assessed valuation), officials believe that rate will actually be much lower than the current rate of $1.56. That reduction will be largely due to the fact that the school's general fund, which is roughly 65 percent of the total budget, will now be funded nearly 100 percent by the state.

The starting point for the discussion on administrator salaries was a proposal first disseminated in May calling for an indexing based on percentages above the top pay for teachers - about $56,000 under the newly approved three-year contract.

Because of differences in hiring dates, experience and other factors, some principals and other administrators were significantly below that index figure.

The proposed memorandum of understanding would have given a minimum 2.75 percent pay increase to all administrators over the next two years, with some receiving a much larger increase to bring their pay to the standard, or indexed level.

After hearing board president Bryan Alexander urge the board to adopt the proposal, board member Jay Halstead got the debate underway.

"It holds us to pay raises which in some cases are, I believe, extravagant," said Halstead. "I can't be in support of it ... for the average taxpayer, these (administrator) salaries are extremely high."

After hearing several involved in the discussion say that the top two administrators at JCHS (principal Jeremy Gulley and assistant principal Sean McConnell) have recently left for higher paying jobs in the region, Halstead countered that "if an administrator wants to leave for a pay increase, then so be it."

Alexander, who twice made motions to adopt a modified version of the MOU before agreeing to table the issue for later discussion, said that pay levels for Jay School administrators are not comparable to other corporations in the area or the state.

"When you look at our building level administrators, they are grossly under-compensated," Alexander said. "I don't think we can be way off ... we don't have to be above average or the top of the heap, but we have not been competitive."

Answering a remark by Halstead that Jay Schools can't compensate teachers in the manner in which schools such as Carmel can, Alexander said, "It's so easy to say 'this ain't Carmel.' ... Forgive me, but that's just ignorance. We're just trying to be competitive in our area. We're not doing the taxpayers any favors if we can't attract good administrators ... I think we're basing our arguments on emotion, not reality.

A side issue in the discussion, which was also tabled pending further discussion, was the practice of granting full family health insurance for six top administrators at a cost of $1 per year. The six administrators eligible for that benefit are the superintendent, assistant superintendent, business manager, special education director, and the principal and assistant principal at the high school.

If the administrator chooses the family option, it is a benefit of more than $3,500 per year.

That benefit is part of the contracts of each of those administrators, and therefore can't be changed before that contract expires without a buyout.

Midway through the discussion, a proposal to cap annual increases for administrators at 4 percent on the way to the index salary was proposed. But Halstead and Mike Masters said they weren't comfortable with voting on figures they did not have in their hands until midway through Monday's discussion on the issue.

"This is not how we run a $34 million organization, is it?" Halstead said.

Board member Greg Wellman, who tried to find common ground during the discussion, said "I don't like (the indexing proposal with the cap of 4 percent), but I'm not sure I have a better option."

Board members will continue the discussion during a special meeting Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 5:15 p.m.

Board members Mike Shannon, Larry Paxson, Wellman, Alexander, Halstead and Masters all voted in favor of tabling the issue Monday. Board member Dr. Frank Vormohr was not present at Monday's meeting.

The next step in the budget process will be taken on Monday, Aug. 25, when the board will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget for 2009.

The advertised local property tax rates are $.5779 for capital projects, $.5242 for debt service, $.2944 for transportaton, $.2074 for bus replacement, and $.1481 for pension debt, for a total advertised rate of $.1752.

Jay Schools business manager Brad DeRome said Monday he believes that rate will drop significantly - perhaps by 50 cents or more - when final county assessment figures are reached. In the current budget year, the general fund comprised about 69 cents of the total tax rate of $1.56 per $100 of assessed valuation.

Because this is the first year under the new funding formula, DeRome said the budget he prepared includes a cushion in the general fund.

Jay Schools currently has an approximate $3 million operating balance, or reserves, in the general fund.

"Even if we get that (requested $26 million in general funds from the state), I don't want to spend it. I want to keep that operating balance," DeRome said.

There was no dissension on the issue of approval of the new contract with Jay Classroom Teachers Association.

"It was a very amiable process," said Jay Schools Superintendent Tim Long.

Shannon, who is a member of the board negotiating committee, agreed. The process was "long, but productive. I think we have a very good contract to present."

The board thanked JCTA president Jessie Mangus for her work on the contract, which in addition to the pay increases also includes the creation of prep time during the school day for elementary school teachers.

In other business Monday, board members:

•Heard Treena Pope, who has been a music therapist with Jay Schools special education for nine years, question why her contract was not being renewed. Pope said she was informed of that decision earlier Monday by Dave Chastain, director of special education for Jay Schools.

During the 2007-08 school year, Pope said she provided music therapy to 46 school and pre-school students as part of those students' individual education programs (IEPs).

"What was the reasoning in cutting the contract completely? How are these 46 IEPs going to be serviced?" Pope asked.

Alexander, speaking for the board, said that board policy prevents discussion of personnel matters in public, but said he would personally follow up on Pope's questions.

•Reviewed a consent form for the new random drug testing policy at the high school. In order to participate in extra-curricular activities or drive to and from school, students and a parent or guardian will have to consent to random urinalysis testing for illegal drugs and alcohol.

•Agreed to borrow up to $4.5 million from the Indiana Bond Bank. The move will give the schools operating funds until local property tax funds are available. Property tax bills, which are normally paid in semi-annual installments in May and November, have not been sent out yet this year.

•Hired Andrew Mishler as a fourth grade teacher at Pennville Elementary School and approved the transfer of Chris Whitenack to a second grade position at General Shanks.

•OK'd retirements for Janet Shreeve (second grade, Shanks), Marlys Saxman (bus driver) and Janet Brunswick (instructional assistant).

•Approved the following extra-curricular activity leaders: Denise Rogers (cheer sponsor, Redkey Elementary); Cathy Franks (student council sponsor, Redkey Elementary); Julie Barlow (Just Say No Club, Redkey Elementary); Irene Taylor (student council and honor society sponsor, West Jay Middle School).[[In-content Ad]]The interim principal at Jay County High School won't have far to move into his new office.

Phil Ford, currently in his second stint as athletics director/assis-tant principal at JCHS, was approved Monday to serve as principal on a one-year contract.

He steps into the role previously filled by Jeremy Gulley, who resigned last week to become the principal at Huntington North High School after one year as the top administrator at JCHS.

"I will give the board, the school, the students my best," Ford told board members after a 6-0 vote approving him for the position. "I thank you for the opportunity."

Prior to returning to Jay County High School in 2004, Ford served from 1999 to 2004 in the same role at Wes-Del High School.

He also was A.D./assistant principal at JCHS from 1995-99, and was dean of students at the school from 1993-95.

Ford also taught chemistry at Jay County from 1976 to 1993, and also taught for two years each at Delta High School and in Amelia, Ohio.

A 1968 graduate of Dunkirk High School, Ford earned his bachelor's degree from Ball State University in 1972.

"It's late in the season to hire a principal," Ford said following Monday evening's marathon school board session.

"It's a good deal ... I get a chance to do something I've never done before, and it's a good deal for the school ... it's a good deal for everyone."

The corporation plans to advertise Ford's current position among current staff, then begin an external search if no suitable candidates can be found.

The search for a permanent principal is tentatively scheduled to begin in January. Ford said Monday he wasn't sure if he would be among those applying for the job.

"Mr. Ford is a tried and true individual who knows the county," Jay Schools Superintendent Tim Long said before the board vote. "He's been there ... and he will do a great job in this transition."

Ford's salary for the current school year has not been determined. His pay, along with all other administrators in the school corporation, was the subject of extended debate that ended with no decision Monday. A special meeting will be held Tuesday, Aug. 12l, on that subject.

Members of the board said Monday they reluctantly accepted the resignation of Gulley.

"I think he proved himself very well this year," school board president Bryan Alexander said of Gulley. "He helped change the learning environment at Jay County High School."

Gulley took an approximate $15,000 pay increase in moving to his new position at HNHS, a school of nearly 2,000 students.