Not to let this slip through the cracks, like the media is obviously trying to let happen. This story was buried in the newspaper, and I haven't heard it mentioned on any of the newscasts. I'm sure there was. I just didn't see it, which means there wasn't much coverage. I think there is waste in the county schools,just like there is in the city. While city residents are still reeling from the conditions agreed to by the school board Tuesday night. Dr. Bobby Webb and the administrators in the county strike, before the iron cools off. I have no doubt both these men are qualified. We just don't need both of them.
I bet if you look at Bobby Webb's old report cards. In the column marked "makes good use of time." You would probably find E's marked all the way across his record. He and his supporters planned this perfectly. I never trusted that sneaky looking David Pickler. I bet he had a hand in this. Had it not been for certain members on the County Commission. This would have slid under the public microscope. How can you possibly deny Dr. Webb his raise now? Considering the package we have just given his counterpart in the same city. His salary is now based on the new contract signed by Kriner Cash. Even though they manage two totally different systems. I think this further establishes my call for consolidation. We can start with the schools. Instead of hiring two superintendents. One for 113,000, the other for 45,000 students. We should be hiring only one for all of them.
His proposed increase makes sure his salary is commensurate with other systems in the state. Based on that criteria Kriner Cash isn't being paid enough. If they based the pay on the size of the job. His system has twice the students of his counterparts. He would be paid in excess of a half million dollars a year. You can bet there won't be an argument to raise his salary to reflect that fact. Just like when they screamed about paying Mayor Herenton $171,500, until it was revealed that the Southaven Mayor was making almost as much. In spite of having a fraction of the citizens living there. Bobby Webb was hired in another time under different circumstances. Now he's trying to cash in on a new trend in education. There is a wave moving across the country, where superintendents are receiving extremely handsome compensation packages. There seems to be no regard for the demographics or economics of the particular systems. People in Tennessee are paid the same as people in California. In Memphis Tennessee $200,000 is a very good salary. Even for something that may be getting $225,000 in New York. Taking a $25,000 cut in pay, you might still come out ahead. The reporters play it's generous nature down by calling it a modest salary. Yet you can count on both hands those public officials who earn that much. Dr. Webb claims he only took the job because they promised to drastically raise his pay in the future. I'm not so sure about that. Below are the are the four salaries taken into consideration.
Hamilton County: $201,000
Knox County: $240,000
Davidson County: $226,000
Memphis City: $260,000
Shelby County Schools tentative raise
Supt. Bobby Webb, $175,284 to $231,750
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jul/03/shelby-school-budget-on-hold/
This was the first I heard of the huge raise. Over 50K a year raise seems way to excessive and seeing as th3e County schools do not face as big of a problem as the Cuity Schools makes it further ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteThat was the purpose of waiting until after Memphis signed their new superintendent.
ReplyDeleteCounty Commission suggests cutting raises for top administrators
ReplyDeleteBy Alex Doniach (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Friday, July 11, 2008
With the power to keep the Shelby County Schools' budget on hold, County Commissioners are asking the district to cut pay raises for top school administrators -- including a $56,000 raise for the superintendent.
Commissioner Mike Ritz is sponsoring a resolution on Wednesday's agenda that defers approval of the schools' operating budget and asks the district to reduce all pay increases down to the 2 percent designated for teachers.
But Supt. Bobby Webb said commissioners don't have authority to tell the school district how to spend its money. Commissioners fund education but, according to state law, they do not have line-item veto authority.
Ritz said the goal isn't to punish the district or jeopardize its state funding. But the increases come at the tail end of a grueling budget process in which no county employees were given salary increases and some lost their jobs.
"It is frankly an attempt to bring the compensation of public employees into alignment," he said of the resolution, which has broad support among commissioners. "I would hope that the school board cooperates with us on this."
Commissioner James Harvey agreed: "Approving this budget just sends the wrong message."
If the $353.8 million budget is approved, Webb's salary would jump from $175,284 annually to $231,750 -- a 32 percent increase. His deputy superintendent, Patsy Smith, would receive almost a 5 percent increase, from $140,000 to $146,832.
The bulk of the other increases, ranging from 2 percent to 4percent, would occur among the ranks of the district's principals, assistant principals and vice principals.
Webb defended his district's request and said the increases were designed to bring his administrators' pay in line with others across the state "in hopes of maintaining and attracting the most qualified individuals," he wrote in an e-mail.
Also, the budget doesn't require any additional funds, Webb said. The district cut other areas to allow for the salary increases.
Those administrative increases above 2 percent will cost the district about $200,000 next year, or .056 percent of the proposed overall operating budget, said county schools spokesman Mike Tebbe.
As for Webb's increase, County School Board Chairman David Pickler said his salary is based on a contract approved when he was hired in 2002. It sets Webb's salary based on the average compensation of superintendents from Tennessee's four largest school systems, which serve Knox County, Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis.
By state law, the commission is required to approve the district's budget for each fiscal year. If the commission doesn't approve the schools' budget by July 1, the budget from the previous year kicks in.
But if the budget is not approved by Oct. 1, the school district risks losing its $170.6 million share of state funds, according to a July 7 opinion by County Atty. Brian Kuhn.
"Shelby County Schools will likely be unable to operate due to lack of funding," Kuhn wrote.
Commissioners, however, didn't indicate a desire to extend the stalemate to the point where the district would shut down.
Commissioner Steve Mulroy said requesting a cut in pay raises sends the message that the commission will not rubber stamp whatever the school board submits.
"It's a question of who will blink," he said.
Commissioner Joyce Avery agreed that the resolution extends the conversation and gives commissioners a chance to express concerns.
"Does Dr. Webb need an increase in his salary? Probably so, but so do the teachers," she said. "Let's be fair."
But support for the resolution may not be unanimous.
Commissioner George Flinn called it an attempt to micro-manage the district.
Commissioner Henri Brooks agreed that the panel couldn't tell the school board how to spend its money, but has asked the raises be distributed equally based on gender and race.
"My concern," she said, "is were those raises given in an equitable and fair manner."
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ReplyDelete