Raises for Marysville teachers, but not top brass

Marysville Joint Unified School District trustees on Tueday night approved the first pay raises for hundreds of teachers and staff in more than six years.

After years of staff and budget cuts, each teacher will be given a 2 percent salary increase and a $100 per month increase to their medical benefits cap. Raises will be effective April 1.

Additionally, child development professionals and personnel involved with the Association of Management and Confidential Employees will receive a 3.8 percent raise.

However, not everyone walked out of Tuesday's meeting with heavier pockets.

Board members rejected raises for three major administrators on a 4-3 vote.

Superintendent Gay Todd, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Mark Allgire and Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Services Ramiro Carreon were each denied a 3.8 percent salary increase.

Trustee Bernard Rechs, who supported the pay boosts for the three administrators, said he wasn't sure why they were denied their raises.

"My way of thinking was you don't treat one group of employees different from another," he said.

According to Rechs, trustees who voted against the adminstrator raises were Philip Miller, Frank Crawford, Jim Flurry and Anthony Dannible.

But even the raises that were approved don't come without their share of red flags.

Funding for the salary increases that were approved is complicated, Allgire said prior to the board meeting.

Raises were factored into the district's budget based on a state proposal, which hasn't yet passed.

Rechs said the decision to give salary increases based on the assumption that the proposal will eventually pass has sparked some concerns among board members.

"Votes like this are tough decision make," he said, "but we are trying to do the right thing."

CONTACT Griffin Rogers at grogers@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4783. Find him on Facebook at /ADgriffinrogers or on Twitter at @ADgriffinrogers.