Echo SD 5 approves multi‑year employee contracts with 5% annual increases

Trustees approved multi‑year collective and individual contracts for classified, certified, exempt staff and the superintendent, with compensation changes described in negotiation materials.

Superintendent/HR presenter (Speaker 4) summarized the key terms: "We agreed to a 5% total increase over the 2 years each year, 3% COLA, and 2% on the steps, which is already built in." For classified staff the board approved a 2‑year package that includes a 3% cost‑of‑living increase plus step increases, a return‑to‑work bonus of $300 in October, and a safety award increase from $100 to $150 for drivers with no accidents.

Certified contracts were approved with similar financial structure: a 2% step plus a 3% COLA each year (equivalent roughly to a 5% annual increase) and new longevity/bonus language for teachers who are maxed out on the salary schedule (example: $500 for staff at top of scale, plus $100 per year up to a $1,000 cap). Exempt contracts and a 3‑year superintendent contract were also approved; trustees moved a cell‑phone allowance into a 403(b) contribution instead of direct payment.

Board members emphasized that some contract language changes were clarifications (arbitration wording, health & safety phrasing) rather than substantive policy shifts. Several personnel details (individual contract amounts and two outstanding exempt contracts) were noted as still pending final signatures.