Marshall school board approves salary plan contingent on revenue / New glass-blowing program gets nod

The Marshall Board of Education met Tuesday, May 20, to hear a proposal from Community Teachers Association's salary committee for bringing salaries up over the next few years.

"We understand the district is in no shape for a salary increase," said Jim Papreck, representing the CTA salary committee. "We are taking a long view at this."

He said the committee would like to see the compression ratio go from the current 1.694 ratio, to 2.00, which is recommended by Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) and the districts CTA, over the next five years.

Salary compression occurs when job market forces result in newer employees making more money in proportion to their time of service than more senior employees.

He presented a slide show with six options for increasing the 2008-2009 salary budget should revenue become available to cover the costs.

Option one would cost the district $74,276. Option two would cost the district $118,144. Option three would cost the district $142,445. Option four would cost the district $153,996. Option five cost the district $157,843. Option six would cost the district $158,352.

"We are really taking a long view, but we don't want to take a year off" with no raises, Papreck said.

Interim Superintendent Donn Quick said the district can implement the options in order only if there is money available for the increases.

"If you have $300,000, you can do all of (the options)" Quick said. "It's pretty black and white."

"I think it would be a great five-year goal," Papreck said.

The board approved the six options presented and will work toward the increases as revenue is available.

Board member Kathy Green told Papreck, "Thank you guys for all your hard work."

The board approved the six options presented, as revenue is available for the pay increases.

In other business, Marshall High School Principal Carol Smith and Green offered explanation on how the $75,000 of remaining funds of the 21st Century Learning Communities grant will be used to establish a glass-blowing program at MHS.

Green said the committee working on this project had a teleconference call Tuesday morning, May 20, with a representative for the grant from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The district was given approval to use the grant funds to start the program.

The grant will cover most of the project, including benches, tools, supplies and a new building.

The building that will house the program must be a stand-alone building. It will be placed between the greenhouse and the modular building at the high school.

Quick said, "I have made it clear that the district should not support the program for the first three years. You don't have the funds to start a program."

Green said the grant will cover pretty much everything from "A to Z" from water to putting up the building.

"The first three years will be through the grant and donations," Green said. Shawn Harris has been heading up the project and has materials ready to be used to solicit donations from the public.

Green said the district must use the grant or they will lose it.

Treasurer Janette Klinge asked Green how much it would cost to run the program after the first three years is up. Quick said between $6,000 and $8,000 per year to run and "that's liberal."

The board approved Harris to go forward with planning this program, using the grant funds and other donations, which solicited from the community, to begin the glass-blowing program with the provision that during the next three years, no district money will be spent on this program.

Contact Rachel Harper at marshallcity@socket.net