by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

After more than an hour-long discussion at the Dec. 12 meeting, the Franklin County School Board decided to hold a special called meeting at 8 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 17, to vote on awarding employees midyear raises or bonuses. “This is more urgent than anyone understands. People are really struggling, and [employees] are getting angry and they’re leaving,” said non-voting student representative Cason Orr, prompting the board to take immediate action rather than deferring a decision until January. The board could not vote Dec. 12 since the agenda only called for discussion on the raise-bonus question.

At the October meeting, North Middle School teacher Amy Smith asked the board to consider midyear bonuses, $2,000 for certified employees and $1,000 for classified employees. The discussion Dec. 12 opened with board member Sara Liechty stressing, despite raises given for the 2022-2023 school year, Franklin County starting teacher salaries fell $1,400-$1,500 below surrounding counties Bedford, Coffee, and Lincoln and several $100 below Grundy County. Board member Sarah Marhevsky insisted both teachers and classified employees should receive raises, and a retroactive raise from the start of the current school year could function as a bonus.

Director of Schools Stanley Bean said although he was “cautiously optimistic” the county would receive increased revenue from the new state funding formula TISA (Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement), he did not anticipate having figures on the amount until after the first of the year. “We give raises off growth from property tax and sales tax and TISA,” Bean said.

Board Chair Cleijo Walker said she did not anticipate the county commission increasing schools’ percent of tax revenue.

Board Vice Chair Lance Williams said a $1,400 raise for teachers alone would require drawing nearly one million dollars ($900,000) from the reserve fund balance this year and every year going forward. Federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) revenue resulted in the unusually high fund balance, Williams noted, since money had been returned to the fund balance the past three years. Liechty countered the excess fund balance resulted not from ESSER but COVID. “We held school differently for a couple years,” Liechty said.

“What amount do we feel comfortable with,” Marhevsky asked, acknowledging the TISA uncertainty.

“We need numbers from TISA,” Williams said. “Raising salaries out of the fund balance is dangerous.”

Williams favored a one-time bonus, estimating a $750 bonus for all 720 district employees would cost $540,000.

Bean proposed a $300 retroactive midyear raise for teachers and $600 raise going forward and a percentage amount wage increase for classified employees. Human Resources Supervisor Linda Foster said a flat $600 raise would “mess up” the graduated pay scale based on percentage increases for years of service. Foster estimated increasing the starting teacher salary by $600 with proportionate increases for years of service, including fringe benefits, would cost $384,000. Foster will calculate the cost of a percentage wage increase for the 300 support employees for the board to consider at the Saturday meeting. Any raise or bonus authorized by the board will need approval from the county finance committee at the Jan. 17 meeting. “Ask for what you require to get where you need to be,” recommended Franklin County Finance Director Andrea Smith.

In other business the board heard an update from consultant Gary Clardy on the school district’s maintenance needs. Clardy recently circulated a survey to board members and maintenance personnel, interviewed all maintenance workers, and inspected vehicles and equipment. “I was struck by the amount of junk they’re travelling around in,” Clardy confessed. He also cited deficiencies in “buildings and material organization.” Clardy plans to interview board members and promised detailed recommendations for prioritized capital improvements in February. “It’s not all going to happen,” Clardy said, acknowledging the cost over 10 years would be in the “21-billion-dollar level.”

On Bean’s recommendation, the board voted to move forward with the TRANE project for lighting upgrades, which will reduce operating costs.

Reporting on the search for a new director, Walker said the deadline for applications was Jan. 31. The timeline proposed reaching a decision in March.