Cary Minarchek, teacher’s aide at Hill Intermediate, expressed her concern at the August 18 Bethel-Tate Board of Education meeting about the 1.5 percent raise the Board approved during its July 29 meeting.

Cary Minarchek, teacher’s aide at Hill Intermediate, expressed her concern at the August 18 Bethel-Tate Board of Education meeting about the 1.5 percent raise the Board approved during its July 29 meeting.
By Megan Alley
Sun staff

Concerns were raised during public comment at the August 18 Bethel-Tate Board of Education meeting about a 1.5 percent raise the Board approved for four administrators during its July 29 meeting.

“It came to my attention that there was a vote that was approved for pay raises for, I believe administration, and I wanted to know the rationale behind that approval in a time when we’re going through a fiscal problem, that we’ve been told were dire fiscal problems,” said Cary Minarchek, a teacher aide at Hill Intermediate.

Bethel-Tate High School Principal Keith Hickman, Hill Intermediate Principal Matt Wagner, Bick Primary School Principal Kay Nau and Transportation Supervisor Shawn Wilson all received a 1.5 percent increase on their base salaries, according to Treasurer Karen Royer.

“Two of the principals took concessions in their compensation package, which brought the total cost to the district to approximately $1,000,” said Royer.

The raises took effect August 1.

“I wasn’t at the meeting, and my vote would’ve been no,” said Buffy Clements, board member.

The board voted three to one to approve the raises, with Charles Napier voting no.

“My vote was absolutely yes. Every employee in this district receives a raise much higher than what our building administrators received, and they’ve taken on a lot more duties as well,” said Barb Leonard, board member.

Napier said he voted no because of timing.

“I’m not opposed to them getting raises, I’m opposed to the timing of it. I believe they deserve their money, and everyone else in the district got money also, it’s just that the timing was off,” he said.

Earlier this year, Bethel-Tate Local Schools laid off 14 staff members to make the $1 million necessary in cuts so the district would not be placed in fiscal caution.

“As far as getting raises, I think everyone deserves one. Deserving is great, but not having the money is another thing. I’d love to give people money, but if my balance in my bank account says I have zero funds, I can’t write a check on that,” said Minarchek. “And, to go to the staff and everyone and say, if you don’t make these concessions, we’re a million dollars in the hole, we’ve got to make massive cuts, we’ve got to lay off teachers, we’ve got to lay off staff, and then to go and give anybody a raise just seems like kind of a slap in the face to those people who got cut.”

She added, “I know aides who got cut, and this is what they rely on for their life, and I just feel like I wanted answers to that.”