Coffee County director search committee recommends $175,000–$185,000 base, up to $10,000 in performance pay and three‑year contract

The Coffee County Board of Education director search committee recommended March 4 that the board consider a $175,000–$185,000 base salary for its next director, plus a performance bonus program worth up to $10,000 a year and a three‑year contract term.

The committee — meeting March 4 to review a draft director contract and statewide salary data from the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) — decided to send those recommendations to the full board for action next week, the members said. A committee member said the group would "put that on the agenda and make a motion to vote on that." The committee did not vote or formally adopt the package at the meeting.

Why it matters: The committee framed the pay and contract-package discussion as part of its effort to attract qualified candidates in a competitive statewide market while balancing taxpayer concerns about county payroll costs. Members compared Coffee County to nearby and statewide systems and discussed linking pay to measurable performance goals.

What the committee recommended and why - Salary range: The committee discussed TSBA figures and local comparisons and settled on recommending a base salary range of $175,000 to $185,000. Committee discussion repeatedly referenced nearby districts (Tullahoma, Manchester and others) as benchmarks for competitiveness.

- Performance pay: The committee recommends a performance bonus program capped at $10,000 annually, broken into four $2,500 benchmarks tied to objectively measurable goals in the district strategic plan. A committee member explained the bonus would be "an annual thing" and could raise total compensation toward the upper peer range if benchmarks are met.

- Contract term and start date: Committee members agreed to recommend a three‑year term. The group discussed practical start dates — a June 1 transition period was discussed so a newly hired director could participate in planning before the July 1 fiscal year start — but left exact dates to be filled in the final contract.

- Residency and duties: The draft contract, as edited by the committee, would require the director to reside within the boundaries of Coffee County. The contract language discussed enumerates statutory duties, references Tennessee law (TCA 49‑2‑301) and incorporates the board’s adopted job description and policies.

Other contract provisions discussed - Travel and expenses: The committee retained the current monthly travel/expense allowance approach in the draft, noting a $500 monthly allowance (not to exceed $6,000 annually) in the current contract for in‑county mileage and expense coverage; additional out‑of‑county travel would be reimbursed under travel expense claims.

- Moving and temporary housing: The draft allows moving reimbursement at the board’s discretion; committee members discussed a moving reimbursement "not to exceed $10,000" and a temporary housing allowance of $750 per month for the first three months as possible limits to include in the contract.

- Technology and professional membership: The committee kept language requiring the board to provide necessary technology (laptop, printer/scanner or equivalent), to pay professional dues (including membership in Tennessee and national superintendent organizations) and to cover standard insurance and Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System contributions.

- Vacation and leave: Committee members debated whether the director’s work calendar should match central office (2,57 work days) and whether the director should receive 13 or 20 vacation days. The draft under discussion set 13 vacation days plus two personal days (the committee noted vacation is typically negotiable in the final offer).

- Strategic plan and performance benchmarks: The committee added language tying the director’s performance goals and the bonus benchmarks to a district strategic plan the director would develop. The committee discussed a timeline in which the director would present a proposed strategic plan in time for board review in January and board adoption and refinement by February so goals could be used for annual evaluation and bonuses.

- Evaluation timing and format: Committee members agreed the director’s annual evaluation must be tied to the strategic plan and performance goals and discussed aligning the evaluation schedule and format with board policy; they asked staff to prepare an evaluation format and to coordinate timing with the board and the new director.

- Legal and termination language: Committee members flagged several sections of the termination and disability language in the draft as legally sensitive and directed staff to send that text to the board attorney (identified in discussion as Mr. Cagle) for legal review and revision before presenting the contract to the full board.

What the committee did not decide The committee did not take a formal vote at the meeting. Members agreed to recommend the salary and contract framework to the full board at the next board meeting; the full board will consider and may change any provision. Several items were left for negotiation in an offer to a candidate (vacation days, specific moving reimbursement amounts, and exact start date/transition pay).

Who spoke and how the discussion unfolded Committee members reviewed TSBA salary data, compared neighboring systems, and discussed trade‑offs between competitiveness and local fiscal constraints. A committee member noted Coffee County’s total director payroll and said comparing single‑system counties shows large variation in director compensation and that local taxpayers would see the budget impact. Staff present walked the committee through a draft contract clause by clause and noted where standard language could be simplified or required legal input.

Next steps The committee will transmit the recommended salary range, bonus structure and contract draft to the full Coffee County Board of Education for consideration at the board meeting next week. The committee also asked that the board attorney review and revise the disability/termination provisions and that staff prepare the strategic‑plan timeline and an evaluation format before a hire is finalized.