In a split vote, Jason Mann is getting a raise from the Elmore County Board of Education.
As Elmore County’s chief schools financial officer, Mann’s pay goes from $138,500 to $145,000. He will also get the 2% education salary raise approved by the Alabama legislature this spring. It will bring Mann’s salary to $147,900.
Four board members were fine with the amount, but the three dissenting votes, Bill Meyers, Leisa Finley and Wendell Saxon all agreed the automatic raises built into the contract were too much.
“I have concerns about setting the pay raise at this time for what the pay raise will be next year and the year after if he gets a satisfactory evaluation,” Meyers said. “I would never do that in my own business because you don’t know what the level of funding will be.”
Saxon said he didn’t like the automatic raises either. It means Mann will receive the raises in the contract plus those approved by the legislature for educators in the future.
The increase comes after the board increased Mann’s pay mid-contract in August 2023. The salary went from $118,000 to $138,500.
“I shared a concern at the last meeting that I thought the raise was a bit excessive,” Meyers said.
The funds for Mann’s salary come from local means unlike teacher salaries, which are primarily funded from the Education Trust Fund. Finley believes the funds used for Mann’s salary increase should be placed in the schools and teacher salaries.
She also asked for a salary matrix study of all personnel to see where discrepancies might lie.
Board members in support of Mann’s pay increase noted the specialized skill set Mann has as CSFO.
“It is a high skill set that is very much in demand in the world of public education,” board member Michael Morgan said. “I feel it is a fair equitable offer to retain a skillset that is very much in demand. He has done a good job for us.”
Meyers agreed on the job Mann has done. He noted Mann has restructured the school board’s debt resulting in significant savings, secured bonds for the construction of Redland Middle School, optimized COVID-19 pandemic funds freeing up monies in the general fund and more.
Board president David Jones said Mann’s salary was adequate when compared to comparable systems. Jones said said 18 systems are smaller than Elmore County but the CSFO salary is higher. The average pay was $158,000 and the average amount of students was about half of Elmore County’s.
Elmore County Schools superintendent Richard Dennis said neighboring systems in Autauga County and Pike Road have gone through multiple CSFOs in the last few years. According to the Alabama State Department of Education, the CSFO in Autauga County currently makes $147,900 and in Pike Road $190,281.
Finley said some teachers can never get to a pay of $75,000 per year. Dennis said some teachers with doctorate degrees and, with supplements, make more than $100,000 per year. But Finley was still concerned about the teachers who haven’t spoken up with co-workers, administrators or on social media.
“There is a lot of concern from teachers who are not coming forward because they are afraid of retaliation,” Finley said. “It’s real in their eyes and their reality. It is insulting and concerning. I think it hurts morale in our system.”
