Northridge secretaries press board over pay-scale and back-pay; trustees table retroactive-pay item

Kathy Wertzer, a building secretary, told the board she and four colleagues have repeatedly sought correction of years-of-service and retroactive pay and that promised April actions were not fulfilled. "It is now May 20, and our years of experience along with back pay have still not been corrected and paid even though we were voted on and promised in April," she said, urging the board to move the five secretaries to the district office pay scale.

Board members and administrators debated whether corrected years should carry retroactive pay to Jan. 1 or May 1 and whether the treasurer's office had sufficient time to vet newly submitted employment histories. One trustee moved to table item 6.18 because some entries had changed and the treasurer's office had not reviewed the latest information; another trustee seconded the motion. The board took a voice vote recorded in the proceedings as 3–1 in favor of tabling 6.18.

Superintendent Christine Michael said she had asked secretaries to provide updated resumes and that some entries were adjusted after the April meeting; the treasurer said the finance office had vetted the April numbers and was ready to cut checks for those earlier-approved items but had received new information that afternoon that required review before paying retroactive adjustments.

Board members set a broader timeline to review classified staff pay-scale alignment and confirmed an administrative deadline of July 1 to complete a review of classified staff as discussed in April. The board did not adopt the retroactive pay requested by the secretaries at the meeting; rather, it directed administration and the treasurer to collaborate and review the corrected records before further action.