The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday evening, discussed but took no action on their plans to hold a special election in September, with regard to the voted Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) and PPEL Income Surtax. The Board did, however, agree to have the district’s lawyer look over a draft resolution for placing the Income Surtax before the voters, only. The idea is to have the resolution ready by their next meeting on July 13^th, so that it can be submitted to Cass County Election Commissioner Dale Sunderman by July 25^th, the deadline for a next special election to be set.

The current, draft Resolution of Election calls for a vote on the PPEL Income Surtax, only, which if approved, would begin July 1st, 2017. The language states “The percentage of Income Surtax will not exceed 20-percent (to be determined by the Board each year), with the total taxation not to exceed 85-cents per $1,000 of assessed property value in any one tax year. If the measure fails, it would still not “Terminate or restrict authority previously granted by the voters to levy a special tax for any one or more of the purposes permitted by Iowa law.”  A similar Measure placed before the voters last fall, failed. School Board members hope to have the matter explained in more detail at future, public meetings.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board voted 4-to 1 in favor of a 3% salary increase beginning with the 2016-17 School Year, for School District Administrators and Supervisors, with Dr. Swanson voting against. They also approved, by a vote of 4-to 0, a 3% salary increase for Central Office clerical staff, with Board Chair Josh McClaren abstaining due to a conflict of interest.  Prior to the vote, School Board member Jenny Williams requested to have Business Manager Mary Beth Fast’ increase removed from the group increases. She said that’s because compared with the State average pay for District Business Managers, Atlantic’s is pretty high.

Atlantic Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein had requested both increases. The cost of the salary increase for Administrators and Supervisors amounts to $29,108, which includes IPERS and FICA. Amstein noted that during the 2015-16 school year, the Administrators and Supervisors did not receive a raise, but were given five additional vacation leave days that they were allowed to exchange for cash at the end of the school year. The same offer does not apply to the coming school year, but Amstein requested those individuals be able to retain the option to be paid for up to 5 days unused vacation leave at the end of the 2016-17 school year. With regard to the Central Office clerical staff, Amstein says the cost of their salary increase would amount to $9,377, which again, includes IPERS and FICA. It affects four clerical positions, two tech support and one grounds maintenance positions.

The 3% increase is less than the total package agreement negotiated with the non-certified employees association for the 2016-17 year.