By By KERRY WHIPPLE BEAN – Publisher
Most Brewton City Schools teachers will receive their 5 percent state raise beginning in September, the start of their contracts.
The Brewton School Board approved the raise in its meeting Monday evening.
Superintendent Lynn Smith said it would not benefit the school district to start the raises any later, as the county school board has done, because the school district still has to pay the same amount of money within the contract year.
According to the state law mandating the raises, school districts must pay the 5 percent by the beginning of the fiscal year - Oct. 1 - and the full amount must by paid by the end of the contract year, at the end of August.
The Escambia County School Board voted last month to pay the raises beginning in October.
The city school board also approved a 5 percent raise for Smith, which is part of his contract.
Also Monday, the school board approved a resolution asking the county commission to provide for a special election in September on a 4-mill tax renewal for education.
The commission earlier this month said it would consider the request at its next meeting.
Some commissioners said they supported the special election but wanted to get some feedback from residents on the idea.
A special election could cost up to $50,000, but tax revenue from the renewal of millage would pay for it, county officials said.
In other business Monday, the city school board: