Trustees put off pay vote

Clark County School Board members delayed deciding whether to give themselves raises Thursday, choosing to wait until all seven trustees are present for the vote.

A new state law requires that Clark County’s School Board members receive a raise to $750 a month on Jan. 1, 2009. But trustees may implement the raises immediately with a vote.

Trustees now are paid between $80 and $85 per meeting, with a maximum of six meetings per month.

Five trustees were present at Thursday’s meeting. Trustees Larry Mason and Mary Beth Scow were absent.

During a discussion of the raises, School Board President Ruth Johnson and Trustee Sheila Moulton said they are well-deserved and, if approved, still would result in pay below that of other elected officials in Southern Nevada.

Moulton said that officials with the Henderson City Council make about $42,000 per year and that Clark County commissioners make about $68,000 per year.

“It’s still far, far, far less than other elected officials,” Moulton said.

The board, as a group, now can make up to $41,040 a year, or $5,863 per trustee. But that occurs if trustees have perfect attendance and if six meetings take place each a month, which is rare. The raise would elevate the board’s pay to $63,000, or $9,000 per trustee.

But Trustees Terri Janison and Shirley Barber said they could not accept the raises until teachers are paid what they deserve.

“I’m opposed to it,” Janison said. “This is a nickel and dime (raise). And the teachers are getting nickeled and dimed.”

Moulton offered a plan that would give trustees incremental raises starting in September at $510 per month and leveling off in January 2009 at $750. Moulton’s proposal never made it to a vote.

At least one member of the public thought the School Board delayed the vote to win over the public.

“It was all done by design,” Caroline Rangen said. “Why else would they spend all that time patting themselves on the back?”