The Northampton School Committee voted unanimously Dec. 23 to post a $180,000–$200,000 salary range for its upcoming superintendent search, saying the range is needed to comply with recent changes to the state’s open-meetings guidance for pandemic-era remote meetings.

Chair Jill Monichero opened the special remote meeting and told the committee the law no longer allows a job brochure to list salary as “negotiable.” “So we need to put a, a salary range in there for it to be a legal, posting,” Monichero said, noting the committee had received a memo from attorney Taylor and a salary recommendation from HR director Dunham.

Monichero said Dunham recommended a $180,000–$210,000 range; Monichero also cited nearby districts she had researched online, including Agawam at about $183,964, Chicopee at about $190,962 and Amherst-Pelham at about $183,412 (the Amherst-Pelham figure includes a doctoral stipend). A committee member who said she was driving told members she was uncomfortable with the upper end of the recommended range and raised concerns about the gap between a superintendent’s potential salary and what principals and the mayor are paid, suggesting a range closer to $170,000–$200,000.

Member Gacy said $210,000 was “a little high” and urged a $180,000–$200,000 posting range to remain competitive with neighboring districts. Member Davis asked whether the eventual negotiated salary must fall within the posted range; Monichero said she believed negotiation would likely remain within the posted range but that she would check with attorney Leila to confirm.

A motion to set the posted range at $180,000–$200,000 was made on the record (the motion was recorded in the transcript as "set a range for the next superintendent of $1.80 to 200,000") and seconded. The committee then held a roll-call vote in which all voting members present voted yes. Chair Monichero said HR would insert the approved range into the brochure and post the position on Friday.

The meeting ended with a unanimous adjournment vote and holiday remarks from the chair.