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Board approves Act 93 administrator pay package, prompting criticism from several directors
Summary
The Southmoreland School District board approved a multi-year Act 93 agreement for administrators on June 24, drawing objections from directors who said the raises were large and lacked full board negotiation. The motion passed 5-4 after debate over first-year adjustments and the committee process.
The Southmoreland School District Board of Directors approved a new Act 93 administrators' agreement June 24 after a contentious discussion of first-year adjustments and multi-year percentages.
Outcome and scope The board approved the Act 93 agreement on a roll call vote that ended 5 in favor and 4 opposed. Directors said the documented first-year adjustments for some administrators included larger increases than typical staff contracts and that details had been circulated to the full board only the week before the vote.
Why it matters: Act 93 covers administrators' pay and can materially affect the district's personnel costs. Opponents argued the effective raises — one item cited a first-year increase of $18,740 for one position — add materially to the district's expenditures; supporters said the negotiating committee considered county salary averages, responsibilities and equity.
Points raised in the meeting Director Deborah Fike criticized the size and timing of the increases. "We have one person on this list whose raise for the first year is $18,740," she said during discussion, citing figures she had reviewed about individual adjustments. Fike and other directors said the packet did not include present base salaries for every named administrator, making it harder to evaluate the percentage change.
Supporters of the agreement told the board the negotiating committee reviewed county comparisons and job responsibilities and recommended adjustments to retain staff. Board members who supported the measure noted prior years' smaller increases for administrators and said this agreement was intended to address equity and retention.
Process notes Directors raised process questions about which board members participated in confidential negotiations and when the full board received the package. The board manager and negotiating committee members said the group had met several times and that confidentiality rules apply during bargaining; the package was provided to directors on June 17 for review before the June 24 vote.
Ending The agreement will take effect July 1 and runs through the specified contract term in the motion. Board members who opposed the vote said they may pursue reconsideration or future amendments if the district's fiscal outlook changes.
