The Carroll County School Board voted Thursday to give Mimi Alldread, the district’s business manager, a raise of $6,000 a year.
The move increases Alldread’s annual pay from $48,000 to $54,000.
Superintendent Billy Joe Ferguson brought up the issue of the raise, which he also had proposed at the February meeting. At that meeting, he asked for an annual raise of $12,000 for Alldread but was stymied by board members Rubye Miller and Kenneth Deloach. This time he succeeded, with the help of DeLoach.
In February, Alldread said she was considering whether to take the business manager’s job in the Leflore County School District.
Ferguson told the board in February that Alldread has earned her certification in administration and deserved a raise. On Thursday, he emphasized the many responsibilities she has been given.
“The business manager does the work of three people,” he said.
As she did in February, Miller protested that the last quarter of the fiscal year “is not the time to give raises.” She also told the board and Ferguson she has researched the issue and found out business managers are usually paid accordingly for the number of students in a district.
“She comes in at 6:30 in the morning. She’s the only person in the district not paid for the jobs they do,” Ferguson said. “She works around 50 hours each week. We have added several jobs to her work that we formerly had personnel to do.”
Miller said, “Last board meeting a lot of wonderful things were said about our business manager. These are all true. I said then I felt this should come up in next year’s budget. I think there will be morale issues if we do it now and don’t give others in administration raises.
“We are a small district. I called and checked. Our salary is not out of line. We have budget issues here. Based on my study, our enrollment may decline next year. I said last month that it would be a morale issue if we paid our business manager $60,000, when many teachers with AA licenses are not making that much,” she said.
Ferguson replied that teachers work 187 days, while the business manager works 240 days, so actually some make more per day than Alldread.
Vest asked Ferguson if paying Alldread more to do the extra three jobs would save the district money.
“Yes,” Ferguson said. “We would spend $50,000 or $60,000 to replace those extra jobs.”
Vest said he agreed.
DeLoach then made a motion to raise Alldread’s salary $6,000, Vest seconded the motion and the vote was 3-1, with Davis, Vest and DeLoach voting for it, and Miller voting against the motion.
