Jefferson-Morgan board has busy night
JEFFERSON – Jefferson-Morgan School Board awarded contracts Monday for the renovation of the middle-senior high school and approved a tentative budget that proposes a 1.48-mill tax increase, part of which will help fund the renovation project.
The board also approved a new three-year contract with Jefferson-Morgan Education Association granting teachers raises of between 1.6 and 3.2 percent each year, depending on where they are on the district’s salary schedule.
The board awarded six contracts totaling $4,351,888 for a project that will include replacing sections of the roof and upgrading the electrical, plumbing and heating and air conditioning systems.
Board member Bob Mitchell, chairman of the board’s building and grounds committee, said the board was pleased with the bids and the total contract award came in under budget.
The district issued $5.8 million in bonds to pay for the school renovations. In its budget last year, the board earmarked 1.07 mills toward the project.
The tentative budget approved Monday includes an additional 0.55 mill that combined with the 1.07 mills approved last year will go to pay off the 30-year bond issue.
The tentative budget of $13,660,700, approved unanimously, and if adopted next month, will increase the property tax levy from 25.63 mills to 27.11 mills.
The board was able to increase the tax rate above the 0.69 mill inflationary index set by the Taxpayers Relief after it received an exception from the state for its high retirement costs.
For a school district to increase taxes in excess of the state’s inflationary index it is required to either receive an exception from the Department of Education or have the proposed tax increase approved in a voter referendum.
Increases included in the tentative budget were attributed to retirement costs, regular salary increases and health care costs, according to business manager Jennifer Foringer.
The board approved a three-year contract with the district’s 65 teachers after about four months of negotiations. The current contract expires Aug. 31.
Board President Lisa Mattish said she believes the new contract is good for both the teachers and district. “Both parties agreed that negotiations were conducted with the utmost respect and professionalism,” she said.
Salary increases ranged from 1.6 to 3.2 percent, depending on the teachers’ years of service. In general, teachers with more years of service received the smaller percentage increases while those with fewer years received larger percentage increases, she said.
Under the contract, the teachers also will share more for the costs of health insurance. Members of JMEA earlier had voted to ratify the new agreement.