Preliminary budget freezes pay for JCPS admins

Jefferson City Public Schools (JCPS)
Jefferson City Public Schools (JCPS)

The Jefferson City Public Schools Board of Education approved a preliminary 2017-18 budget Monday night at its regular meeting, with a notable change presented last week to the board's audit committee - a pay freeze for central office administrators.

However, debate preceded the unanimous vote to approve the preliminary budget over questions whether the word "preliminary" means absolute when it comes to proposed pay raises for building administrators and some coordinators.

"I very much appreciate that central office administrators have taken their potential raise out of the question here, because it is very hard to ask the community to raise their taxes at the same time that we're offering raises, but on the same token, I have difficulty offering raises that are significantly higher than teacher raises for any category (of district employees on the budget)," board member Pam Murray said.

All of the district's 750 teachers, librarians and counselors would receive a $729 increase in their salaries, per their salary schedules. While the 12 central office administrators would not see a raise, 40 building administrators and coordinators would receive up to a $1,525 increase in pay, as presented in the proposed preliminary budget.

The "up to" became the focal point of debate.

"I know 'up to,' but it's almost as if we're approving this budget to go ahead, the way it is presented," board member Michael Couty said.

"We will come back with a final budget in June, but this is giving us guidance on how (to proceed with discussions)," district CFO and COO Jason Hoffman explained.

The proposed salary increases for all categories of employees reflect a uniform 1.8 percent increase in district employees' pay.

Board Vice President Steve Bruce explained the vote to approve the preliminary budget "approved making these funds available," in reference to the money budgeted for raises for all categories of employee.

"The $61,000 is not a guarantee," Bruce said of the amount budgeted for the building administrators and coordinators.

Approval of the preliminary budget opened up the possibility of closed meeting discussion among the board about budget items, some of which happened Monday night and will most likely continue until the budget is finalized.

"All administrator contracts are at the superintendent's discretion," Hoffman said. "Some may get less, some may get zero," Hoffman said of what building administrators and coordinators may actually get in terms of raises.

Superintendent Larry Linthacum said during a recent conversation, an assistant principal told him the assistant principal's salary was about $4,000 less than at a comparable high school in Columbia.

"You could say some exact dollar amount raise, (but) that's under the assumption that (salaries) are where they need to be," Linthacum said.

He added the goal for freezing central office administrators' pay "is to try to have that where it should be."

Hoffman explained teacher contracts are set and ought to be sent out soon, and the board agreed those contracts aren't even up for discussion - making Monday night's approval of a preliminary budget a de facto authorization in that regard.

Murray said her comment "is not based on worthiness at all. It is based on our financial position right now, that prior to the passage of (April 4 ballot Propositions) J Plus C, we do not have a dedicated funding source for some of the resources that we desperately need."

The board also heard an update Monday night from two members of the Citizens Investing in J Plus C Committee - a group of community members who are independently supporting the two ballot proposals.

Campaign coordinator Brenda Hatfield said she had 100 volunteers who came out in the cold to canvas. The mix of community members, students, parents and other family members only made it to about a quarter of the households they want to reach before April 4, but Hatfield said the canvassers had a lot of positive interactions with the electorate.

Nathan Hays reported Citizens Investing in J Plus C has finalized its website - yesonjandc.com. They also have prepared television and radio plugs and YouTube testimonial videos in support of the ballot proposals.