- April 20, 2024
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The School Board approved, in a 4-1 vote, 2% step increases for professional staff.
The Flagler County School Board approved 2% pay step increases for the district’s 28 professional staff employees, who currently make an average salary of $39,118 and have not seen raises in three years.
The $21,124 in increases will be taken from food service funds.
“The cafeteria is a 100% self-sustaining operation,” School Board chairwoman Sue Dickinson noted. The fund has a $500,000 surplus.
The rest of the funding — $5,039 worth — will come from general/other funds.
“We’re talking about people that are making very little, and it’s important,” School Board member John Fischer said of the raises.
“This group of folks are some of the folks that are feeling the effects of the economy on a day-to-day basis,” School Board member Andy Dance said.
Professional employees work in food service, maintenance and other departments.
Administrative raises were not included on the agenda. Administrators include principals, curriculum coordinators and “higher-ups” — although Superintendant Janet Valentine excluded herself from raise discussions last meeting, forfeiting an increase should one be approved.
Before the vote, a food service employee, Robin Alverson, approached the board.
“We are the ones who are losing our homes … We are the people who run the shelters … We need money to feed our children,” she said. “The people who oppose these raises, I really don’t think they know who we are … I’m just someone who goes to work … every single day … and we do it for the children.”
Now that government workers contribute 3% to their pensions, an employee making $30,000 sees an effectual cut of $900 for the year.
“The timing for this, in my opinion, could not possibly be worse,” School Board member Colleen Conklin said. “We were legally forced to give the raises for teachers and support personnel (in June) … Even though, out of the general fund budget it’s only $5,000 … my concern is part of a larger and a bigger picture.”
Soon, the board will ask the public to renew the half-penny sales tax, she noted. “If there was ever a time to have the trust of the taxpayer … it’s right now.”
Still, Conklin supported the motion, as did the rest of the board, except for Trevor Tucker.
