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277 <br /> <br />NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COU2qCIL WILL BE HELD ON Friday, January 14, <br />2000 IN THE Basement Conference Room. <br /> <br />THE PROPOSED AGENDA IS AS FOLLOWS: <br /> <br />Luncheon meeting with School Board <br /> <br />BY ORDER OF THE MAYOR <br /> <br />BY Jeanne Cox (signed) <br /> <br />BASEMENT CONFERENCE ROOM - January 14, 2000 <br /> <br /> Council met in special session on this date -with the following members present: <br />Mr. Caravati, Mr. Cox, Ms. Daugherty, Mr. Toscano. Absent: Ms. Richards. <br /> <br /> Dr. William Symons, Superintendent of Schools, said that the schools anticipate a <br />.009 increase in expenses. Twenty positions are proposed to be reduced across the <br />system which will help support salary increases. The schools are hoping to avoid cutting <br />any existing program. Dr. Symons said that they are trying to fred efficiencies in class <br />size and still keep the student/teacher ratio low. <br /> <br /> Mr. Ed Gillespie, Finance Director for the Schools, reviewed the proposed <br />budget. Mr. Gillespie said that there is currently no state salary supplement and net state <br />funds are down $75,000. Mr. Gillespie reviewed the proposed salary increases. Funds <br />will be needed to make up for the declining grant for the EvenStart Prograrrr <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Cox, Mr. Gillespie said that the salary <br />increases will move employees below $8 an hour halfway to that point this year. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox asked about the compression issue created by increasing starting teacher <br />salaries to $30,000. <br /> <br /> Dr. Symons said that 1~ feels it is really important to jump the beginning steps for <br />teachers since one third of teachers are at that point. Dr. Symons acknowledged that <br />there are flaws in the proposed scales, with no movement in the first one to three years. <br />Dr. Symons said those in the middle and high levels will not get as much this year, but he <br />hopes those levels can be increased next year. <br /> <br /> 'Mr. Ron Hutchinson, Assistant SUPerintendent of Schools, noted that 78 new <br />teachers were hired his year, and this trend is expected to increase. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said he thinks the emphasis on starting salaries is appropriate and he is <br />completely supportive of what the schools are trying to do, though he is sympathetic to <br />those in the middle and upper levels. <br /> <br /> Dr. Symons said the proposal will also increase salaries for those with masters or <br />doctoral degrees. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox asked if the schools have begun to think about other ways to entice <br />teachers. <br /> <br /> Dr. Symons said they have had that discussion and a committee is working on it, <br />but no budgetary dollars have been included. Dr. Symons said that most incentives could <br />be non-compensatory benefits. Dr. Symons said the biggest piece is the salary level and <br />he feels there are some down sides to bonus incentives because they are not ongoing. <br /> <br />Mr. Caravati said he thinks bonuses would be attractive. <br /> <br /> Mr. Hutchinson said that teachers are most interested in the level of their take <br />home pay. <br /> <br /> <br />