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Budget workshop moves draft pay, insurance and stipend changes to May agenda
Summary
At a budget workshop, staff outlined a proposal that would raise a school staff stipend to $3,000, apply a 2% pay adjustment, account for an estimated $300,000 increase in medical insurance, and add a 22-year pay-scale step. The draft, showing an estimated fund balance of $8,571,387, was referred to the May agenda for a formal vote and presentation to the county commission.
At a budget workshop, meeting participants reviewed a draft budget that includes a proposal to raise an existing monthly stipend from $1,100 to $3,000 and to apply a 2% across-the-board pay adjustment.
A staff member said the $3,000 stipend was presented as a single package and that some roles operate on 11-month contracts while others are 12-month. The staff member also described a comparison showing a $28,000 figure for the line in question under this year’s numbers, and clarified that the comparison did not include potential additional items such as experience-step increases or degree-related adjustments.
Workshop discussion focused on how to sequence changes so that assistant principals would not be paid more than principals and on whether to implement additional pay-scale steps (including a 22-year step) immediately or review them next year for sustainability. Participants confirmed that a roughly $77,000–$78,000 amount for the 22-year pay-scale adjustment is included in the current draft budget.
On non-salary costs, a staff member reported that medical insurance expenditures were corrected in the draft and estimated an increase of about $300,000, broken down as $100,000 tied to requested premium items plus roughly $200,000 estimated for premium inflation. The staff member also said a bus-driver pay correction and funding for middle-school coaches were added. After those adjustments the draft shows an estimated fund balance of $8,571,387.
Participants also discussed operational line items. One attendee asked whether fuel lines reflected reduced diesel and increased gasoline allocations. Staff confirmed the change appeared in the draft and said the entries would be checked.
The group noted several attendees had not received all packet attachments; multiple version dates were mentioned (including April 4, April 10, April 13 and April 23). A staff member said a revised file was sent the same day and asked members to check spam/junk folders if they did not receive it.
A staff member said they had added about $18,500 to expenditures when reconciling payments, and that the most recent file circulated that day showed an increase of approximately $18,000; both figures were described as estimates. The staff member also warned that the district cannot submit insurance paperwork to Tennessee Risk Management until final salary figures are set because the insurance calculation depends on total payroll.
Members agreed to place the draft budget on the May agenda so the board can vote on it and, if approved, present it to the county commission. A scheduling conflict was noted: May 4 is senior awards night starting at 7 p.m., while the meeting time is 6 p.m.
The workshop did not record a final vote; the draft budget was referred to the May agenda for a formal vote and to forward to the county commission if approved.
