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and we will make adjustments after the public hearing,” said Mills.
The board also included an increase of $10,017 in order to equalize salary steps for most support staff positions.
Missing expenses
The board still has to decide whether to include the superintendent’s salary as part of the school-wide 4.5 percent increase. Chappell reaffirmed at the meeting that he has not asked the school board for a salary increase.
Also in the works is Chappell’s proposed increase in employee health insurance contributions. The projected increase for the insurance package was $166,000. The school board mentioned at the meeting that they are looking for other ways to package the program.
Competing with surrounding counties
Once again, Chappell hammered home the importance of increasing the school teacher salaries. He noted that Warren County has proposed a 5.6 percent increase, Culpeper has proposed a 6 percent increase and Fauquier is discussing an increase of 7 percent.
“Even with the 4.5 percent increase, we are still falling behind,” Chappell said, adding that he compares surrounding county salaries in order to retain teachers.
“We’ve lost at least eight teachers to Fauquier County Schools in 10 years,” Chappell said, adding that that Rappahannock schools are also falling behind Madison and Page counties.
Public hearing
The school board will hold a public hearing on its proposed budget for 2007-08 on Tuesday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the RCHS Band Room.
“We continue to encourage the public to come to these hearings,” said Vice Chairman Aline Johnson. “It would be nice to see the room filled with people who care about what the school is doing with the budget.”
E-mail the reporter at cspiering@timespapers.com
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