Support staff wages increase by 5.21 percent

The Fairfield Community School Board of Directors approved a wage scale and 2009-2010 wages for support staff during a special meeting Monday evening.

The support staff will be receiving a 5.21 percent pay raise.

The new support staff wage scale is the first scale the district has had for its food service, custodians, maintenance, mechanics, secretaries, associates, bus drivers and substitutes.

?This shows where employees start and where they can expect to be in 25 years,? said board president Gail Miller.

Board member Bob Waugh pointed out if a current employee?s salary didn?t fit in with the new wage scale, the employee was ?grandfathered in? so no one received a pay cut.

Waugh said some employees would never fit in the wage scale, but district business manager Kim Sheets pointed out others would beginning next year. She also pointed out 48 percent of the support staff were able to fit into the wage scale this year.

The board approved a 5.21 percent increase for the support staff employees.

Board member Doug Flournoy pointed out the increase seemed generous.

?It is, but it is the right thing to do,? replied Sheets.

?As the board knows, I?ve argued about support staff forever,? said Waugh. ?I just want everyone to be where they should be.?

For the complete article, see the Tuesday, June 23, 2009, Fairfield Ledger.