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Hamblen County board finalizes budget adjustment, approves 3% pay increase and new grant-writer post
Summary
The Hamblen County Schools Board approved using $600,000 in one-time county funds plus $250,000 from district outcome funds to give staff a total 3% raise and create a communications/grant-writer position; the board also signed a state-mandated acknowledgement that the county funds are one-time.
The Hamblen County Schools Board of Education on a unanimous roll call approved a budget adjustment that combines $600,000 in one-time funds from the county commission with $250,000 from district outcome funds to add 1 percentage point to previously approved pay increases and to create a communications/grant-writer position.
Director Mr. Bunch recommended the combination of county and outcome funds, saying the two actions together would give all employees a total 3% pay increase and fund a new communications and grant-writing role under the condition that the position generate enough revenue to continue past the current year. “That is my recommendation,” Mr. Bunch told the board.
The vote also included a separate, state-mandated resolution acknowledging that the $600,000 provided by the county was one-time money; board members signed the resolution as part of the finalization. Board members approved the motion by roll call: Board member Denton, Board member Williams, Board member Kinder, Board member Harvill, Board member Darlene Smith, Board member Workman and Board member Clawson all voted yes.
Why it matters: The board discussed how the added 1% interacts with previously approved raises and district priorities. Mr. Bunch told the board that with the newly approved 3% increase, the district’s starting teacher salary would be $49,772. He said an additional 3% next year would move that figure higher, but he cautioned that future raises depend on revenue. Board members and staff repeatedly raised the district’s tech-refresh plan as the primary item that will not be funded if the district keeps the current distribution (the tech refresh will be revisited in next year’s budget).
Board discussion and details: The $250,000 from district outcome funds was proposed to be split: $150,000 toward salary increases (bringing the additional 1% for a total of 3%) and $100,000 to create the communications/grant-writer position. Mr. Bunch explained the district had requested $1,365,000 from the county commission; the county provided $600,000 as one-time funding. Because the county funds were not provided as maintenance-of-effort (ongoing), the board must accept them as nonrecurring. Mr. Bunch also noted that the district will still fund an added teacher assistant position from outcome funds as previously planned.
Several board members thanked the county commission for the funding and noted the district would need to address the tech refresh and other priorities in next year’s budget if one-time funds are not repeated. The board’s action was unanimous.
What’s next: The district will hire for the communications/grant-writer role under the guideline that the position must produce sufficient grant revenue to sustain itself. The board said it will revisit the tech-refresh and other outstanding priorities when preparing next year’s budget and when more revenue information becomes available.
