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Wicomico board approves East Salisbury accessibility contract, renews superintendent and ratifies labor pacts
Summary
At its April meeting the Wicomico County Public Schools board approved a Bancroft design‑build contract for accessibility upgrades at East Salisbury Elementary, renewed Superintendent Micah Stauffer's contract for four years and ratified negotiated labor agreements; all measures passed unanimously.
At its April meeting the Wicomico County Public Schools Board of Education approved a design‑build contract for accessibility improvements at East Salisbury Elementary, renewed the superintendent's contract for four years beginning July 1, 2026, and ratified two negotiated labor agreements, all by unanimous votes.
Why it matters: The decisions commit district resources to a campus accessibility project and extend leadership continuity while formalizing recently negotiated agreements with administrator and non‑certificated staff bargaining units.
The board approved a proposal from Bancroft Construction to provide design‑build services for accessibility work at East Salisbury Elementary. Dr. Rager described the proposal as carrying a not‑to‑exceed design‑build fee of $256,840 and an estimated Guaranteed Maximum Price of about $800,000 for the full project. "Senior leadership supports adding an accessible ramp and elevator at East Salisbury Elementary School," Dr. Rager said. The board approved the proposal on a roll‑call vote; the chair read the roll and the board recorded ayes from Mr. Palmer, Ms. Hazel, Mr. Plots, Mrs. Beauchamp, Mr. Brown, Dr. Ennis and the chair (unanimous).
The board then approved a four‑year contract for Dr. Micah Stauffer as superintendent, effective July 1, 2026. The motion carried on a unanimous roll‑call vote. After the vote Chair Jean Malone said, "Your contract's approved for 4 more years," and the board acknowledged the action with applause.
Also on the consent and action docket, the board approved routine minutes and a consent package that included school bus contracts, an audio‑visual procurement, summer meal services, a multi‑year landscaping job order contract, and purchases of new school buses. Specific consent items referenced in the meeting record include bus contracts to Garrison Charter and Butler Enterprise, a contract to B&H Photo for audio‑visual products, a summer meals service contract to Optimum Foods, a job order contract for landscaping, bus purchases from Kaye Neal (two buses at $51,047 each per the record) and a bus from Bluebird Body Company (reported at $151,000), and policy revisions presented at a March 31 work session. Those consent items were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.
The board unanimously ratified a tentative agreement with the Association of Public School Administrators and Supervisors (named in the record as "Abscess") that represents more than 100 administrators and supervisors. The board also unanimously ratified a tentative agreement with WCEA ESP representing non‑certificated employees. Dr. Rager summarized that both agreements had been ratified by the bargaining unit memberships and were presented for board approval.
What happens next: Staff will finalize contract documentation with legal counsel for the East Salisbury accessibility project and proceed with design‑build procurement steps within the approved not‑to‑exceed and GMP guidance. Superintendent Stauffer's new contract will take effect July 1, 2026, and the district will implement the ratified terms of the negotiated agreements as described in the motions. The board adjourned the open session and voted to go into closed session to consider additional matters.
