Martin County negotiators reach tentative agreement to move millage payouts to June

Martin County — Negotiators for the Martin County School District and the Martin County Education Association (MCEA) said Feb. 10 they reached a tentative agreement to revise how millage referendum stipends are paid.

Terry Harmon, chief negotiator for the school district, told the bargaining table the district’s revised memorandum of understanding (MOU) would treat the September 2025 payout as payment for referendum collections tied to the 2024–25 school year and move future payouts to a single end-of-year payment in June. "The MOU contemplates there will be a payout this year in June 2026," Harmon said.

Why it matters: The change aims to simplify timing and reduce the need for multiple ‘‘true-up’’ calculations during the year. Bargaining-unit members will receive a single lump-sum payment at the close of each fiscal school year rather than a separate September distribution and subsequent adjustments, a shift…