The Conroe ISD Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to give employees a 2.5% raise, gambling that the state Legislature would provide additional funding and avoid a future budget deficit for the district.
Chief Financial Officer Darrin Rice presented the scenarios during Tuesday’s board meeting.
Earlier this year, the board agreed to move $30 million from its general fund to the capital improvement fund for land purchases. However, with the passage of the $1.9 billion bond referendum Nov. 7, those funds will go back to the general fund to cover the raises.
ON YOURCONROENEWS.COM: New Conroe hotel’s operating budget is $682K in the red for this year, latest financial forecast shows
Proposition A, the largest in the bond at $1.82 billion, includes funds for land purchases. Voter approved Proposition A, B, and C on Nov. 7.
Proposition D, which would have allocated $22.9 million for a new pool and natatorium, failed.
“I personally think the raise is the right thing to do rather than another retention stipend,” said Trustee Stacy Chase. “The two and a half (percent) I guess, is the best we can do but I wouldn’t say it is adequate.”
President Skeeter Hubert was cautious about how the raises could impact the district in the future.
“My biggest concern is not today, not next year but in three years,” Hubert said. “If we give (employees) the money today and the Legislature does not fund us, then we have a reckoning three years down the road.”
In August, the board approved allocating $11 million from its $672 million budget to provide employees a $1,200 stipend. Employees have already received those funds, Rice said.
Superintendent Curtis Null said providing the raises is a risk the district needs to take.
“We need to take care of our people,” Null said.
Trustee Misty Odenweller said the staff “was worth the risk.”
Rice said while the state Legislature has had three special sessions, it has yet to provide additional funds for teacher raises. A fourth special session began Nov. 7 which includes potential funding for employee raises.
“The district remains hopeful legislation will be passed that will allow school districts to provide meaningful raises to employees without operating under deficit budgets,” Rice said.
To provide raises, Rice gave the board two scenarios. The first would be a 2% raise for a total of $12.2 million or a 2.5% raise for a total of $14.6 million. For teachers, that would mean $1,250 in scenario one and $1,600 in scenario two. The raises would be retroactive.
Rice said the raises would take affect before Christmas.
“This is a recurring expense,” Rice said. “It will result in a budget deficit (in the future) without legislative action.”
Trustee Datren Williams said the 2.5% raise for employees is the right thing to do.
“At this point, we need to give the (employees) something, some sort of goodwill,” Williams said. “Let’s make it happen and move on.”
