Teachers and union representatives urge Lake County School Board to use reserves to boost pay
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Summary
Union and teacher public comments urged the board to consider using district reserves to improve pay and retain staff; the superintendent clarified the district’s budgeted fund balance is currently about 3% (not 15%), with an anticipated maximum of about 8% by year‑end.
Speakers at the public‑comment portion of the Lake County School Board meeting on Nov. 10 urged the district to use reserve funds to support educator pay and retention.
Jessica Sawicki of the Lake County Education Association read a message from LCEA president Elizabeth Emery and asked the board whether funds from the district’s reserves could be directed to help attract and retain instructional and non‑instructional staff. "I urge you to remember that investing in our educators is not only right, it's an investment in our collective future," Sawicki said, urging the board to consider reserve balances for compensation strategies.
Sawicki referenced Florida law requiring a minimum fund balance and local policy: "Florida statute 1011.051 requires a minimum fund balance of 3%, and Lake County board policy requires 4%. Our district is well above that," she stated while asking whether money in reserves could be used to support employees.
During board discussion later in the meeting Superintendent Kornegay clarified the district’s fund‑balance figures. Kornegay said the current budgeted fund balance is approximately 3%, that last year the district ended at about 12%, and that staff expect to reach a maximum of roughly 8% once year‑end adjustments settle. "It is not 15%…as it is budgeted currently, it is about that 3% mark," Kornegay said, noting the earlier larger percentage referenced in public comment did not reflect the district’s current budgeted balance.
A teacher speaker, Bobby Blachow, illustrated the scale of some performance incentives and argued the district should find better ways to support educators’ financial stability and long‑term retention.
The board did not make any immediate spending commitments from reserves at the meeting; members asked that fund‑balance numbers be clarified and discussed in future budget and workshop sessions.