A discussion of the Twin Rivers school district budget resulted in board president Lee Lewis telling Superintendent Jeremy Siebert to improve his listening.
The exchange during the board's regular monthly came half an hour after nearly 30 female athletes and parents made a statement in support of keeping the fall softball season.
Lewis addressed Siebert while reviewing a 2 percent salary increase versus a yearly stipend program. The stipend would maintain current salaries and each year give certified staff a one-time $1,000 payout and classified employees a one-time $700 payout. The 2 percent raise would cost the district $135,000, while the stipend incentive would cost $100,000, Siebert said.
Following May's board of education meeting, Siebert presented the figures to the salary committee, he said.
The confusion came when Siebert portrayed the decision as in the hands of faculty and staff. But after murmured discussion, it came to light the faculty and staff didn't feel they had ever been presented an option and that the stipend plan is the decision that had been made.
"I was told it wasn't a salary committee meeting, and they (teachers) were told 'if you guys aren't for it, you're not going to get anything,'" Lewis said.
Siebert responded by saying perhaps salary discussion should become a calendar committee "because I'm wasting a lot of time setting it up."
"Well you have to listen," Lewis replied. "There have been a lot of times on this board where I can't get you to listen.
"...I'm just saying Jeremy, I was told it's more of 'this is what were going to do and this is what we're going to get done.' Have other people heard that? Because I heard it was a one-sided deal."
"Well, I'll try to portray more options next time," Siebert said, "but when you're putting the budget together, something recurring without us knowing what's going to (happen regarding funding) is hard to get my eyes on."
"Just make sure you talk to a diverse group of people on the campus," Lewis said.
Following the discussion, the board voted to approve the yearly stipend plan, as well as the projected budget for next year. Siebert estimated revenues and expenses both at nearly $9.5 million, with an excess of $8,500 in the black. The proposed budget mirrors the 2016-17 budget, which is a budgeting plan Siebert said works.
"I always use the ending budget as my projected budget and then make revision in the fall after the tax rate is set," Siebert said.
The other point of contention came at the beginning of the meeting as a large group of softball supporters lined the room to refute athletic director Kelly Westerfield's proposal to eliminate the fall softball season.
Westerfield said scrapping the fall season, which conflicts with volleyball, would allow for a stronger volleyball team while keeping the spring softball option in place.
On behalf of the team, Bella Galloway presented the board with a heartfelt plea to consider the young women who are softball-only athletes. Galloway said eliminating half of the playing time would hurt these students in the long run and could impact scholarships and collegiate opportunities.
It was a quick decision for board members and, after a motion by Donna Sue Ashcraft-Fincher, they voted unanimously to keep the season.
The annual Back to School Fair will be held Saturday, Aug. 2. More detailed information will follow at a later date.
The next Twin Rivers Board of Education meeting will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at the central office board room. Board members will be touring the facilities district-wide, which are undergoing updates, prior to discussing agenda matters at 7 p.m. The activities are open to the public.