Superintendent Salary (5 minutes) vote required

Transcript (~8 min @ 1:28:52)

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▶ 1:28:52 Speaker 1: you any further comments or questions from committee seeing none thank you all very much and thank you again superintendent and that brings us to the next item on our agenda which is the superintendent salary as the committee knows and is undoubtedly many in the public know as awkward as this can sometimes be we are required by law to discuss deliberate and vote on the superintendent salary in public we do this on an annual basis it would seem like this is something that would as a personnel matter would be an executive session but by law again it is not so here we are and just to provide some context I took the opportunity to go back through the superintendent salary history and in this committee's history and in deliberating discussing and voting on the superintendent salary as most of us know the superintendent began employment with the city back in 2012 and was hired at a salary of $160,000 per year during her first year here our city finance officials made a decision that it was appropriate that there be some context and a frame of reference within which the school committee might make further pay increases and or evaluate the superintendent's salary and so a pay scale salary chart call it what you will was created in 2013 that is in the packet that's before us this evening thereafter beginning in that year 2013 the super the school committee followed that salary schedule and increased the superintendent salary per the step increases in that chart again the chart that's in the packet the school committee did that again in 2014 and again in 2015 in 2016 at the request of the superintendent the school committee voted not to increase the superintendent salary and then thereafter in 2017 the school committee made a decision to move away from that salary schedule again that was prescribed by our city finance officials largely and people will correct me if I'm wrong but largely it It was about our limited finances and our ability to pay what we could pay. At the same time, at the superintendent's recommendation, if I recall correctly, the decision was to move away from the salary schedule and if there was to be any increase, the superintendent recommended that it be in keeping with whatever our teachers were being paid. And that's exactly what the school committee did in 2017, in which year the superintendent was given a 2.5% increase. And likewise, in 2018, last year, again, recognizing our limited finances, recognizing what our teachers were being paid, the school committee voted on August 28th to increase the superintendent's salary by 2.25%. At that time, that brought the superintendent's salary to its current level of $183,238.

▶ 1:32:37 Speaker 1: And let me say this, and this can be seen by comparing that number with what the salary schedule calls for. Had the school committee continued to adhere to that salary structure, the superintendent's salary would now be $191,048 with an expected increase, should there be one this year in accordance with that schedule, to $196,780. And again, the superintendent's salary is presently $183,238. So we're at a pace that's on the order of $8,000 less than what we would have been at had we kept to that schedule. So any comments or questions, discussion? And of course, the chair would be happy to entertain a motion.

▶ 1:33:41 Speaker 1: Ms. Driscoll, please.

▶ 1:33:42 Margaret Raymond Driscoll: Through the chair to the superintendent, can you clarify what the teachers are receiving

▶ 1:33:47 Speaker 3: as an increase this year? It's a multi-tiered and complicated schedule that varies anywhere from three to three and a half, also with some market adjustments at the upper level, steps six through ten. I'm looking at Ms. McAndrews, Mr. O'Connell refreshed my memory exactly, six through

▶ 1:34:17 Speaker 3: ten and masters masters above but at the lower end it's three percent at the upper end for

▶ 1:34:27 Speaker 4: simple simplicity it's 3.5 thank you so a three percent raise would bring uh the superintendent

▶ 1:34:36 Margaret Raymond Driscoll: to 188 735 that's correct i have calculated correctly and a three and a half would bring the superintendent salary to 189 651 is that correct yes chairman o'connell that is correct

▶ 1:34:51 Speaker 3: what's the number thank you repeat again for three and a half three and a half one eight nine six

▶ 1:35:03 Speaker 1: five one thank you and again uh a three percent increase uh to 188 735 would be just slightly more than eight thousand dollars uh less than uh the schedule prescribed by the city finance

▶ 1:35:17 Speaker 4: officials so thank you i would uh may i continue please oh any any further discussion

▶ 1:35:24 Margaret Raymond Driscoll: signan you had a motion mr yes i would like to make a motion um to raise the superintendent's

▶ 1:35:28 Speaker 4: salary by three and a half percent and the reason i'm doing that is for two reasons one is um Because of the fact that she did skip that year and her salary differential is substantive. And the second is that her rating for two years in a row has been exemplary. And the accolades from across the state, the folks who want to come and see our district, see the performance of our students and staff, I think has been a model around the commonwealth. And I think that particular raise is not out of order with the teachers, especially as the superintendent spoke to the higher end of the scale, and is certainly in keeping with executive pay for a position in charge of 500, correct me if I'm wrong, 500 staff, 450 staff members. That is 24-7. Thank you, Chairman O'Connell.

▶ 1:36:40 Speaker 1: Second. So the motion, thank you, Mr. Abramski, the motion is to increase the superintendent's salary 3.5% to a new salary of $189,651. That motion was made by Ms. Driscoll. It's been seconded by Mr. Abramski. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? And that

▶ 1:37:03 Speaker 1: passes with six in favor and one absent thank you all very much and thank you

▶ 1:37:10 Speaker 3: superintendent for your patience thank you I'm a little bit surprised but thank you very much I appreciate and I appreciate your recognition of the work