Some U-46 administrators getting raises, after all

Remember the big fuss over this summer's announcement that all nonunion Elgin Area School District U-46 employees, including administrators, would be foregoing raises during this dire budget year?

Slight revision.

Two dozen administrators and managers close to retirement will see 6- to 15-percent pay increases as part of the retirement bonus plans in their contracts.

On average, that means a bump of about $11,000 apiece for those employees. And a bump of $263,000 to taxpayers.

Retirement bonus plans for nonunion employees are based on language in the current teachers union contract, district attorney Pat Broncato said.

While salaries could be frozen, U-46 is contractually obligated to give the bonuses, the same as it does for union employees.

District employees 55 years or older who have worked for 20 or more years can opt into a pool that raises their pay in the last one to four years that they work.

The aim is to not only to bump up earnings in the years leading up to retirement, but to fatten pensions as much as possible.

Like teachers, administrators' retirement bonus plans are capped at 6-percent raises each year.

In 2005, as part of a broad reform of teacher pensions, legislators voted to limit the perks of teachers and school administrators to 6 percent, down from the previous 20 percent limit. Lawmakers from both parties called the change overdue.

Food service workers' retirement raises are capped at 20 percent, according to the terms of their contract. Those three managers will receive 15-percent raises.

The school board in August voted to freeze all nonunion employees' pay - a decision prompted by Superintendent Jose Torres' announcement that he would be turning down his yearly raise.

Torres' cited the tough economy and said the move had nothing to do with performance - but would save the district roughly $1.5 million at a time when every penny counts.

Chief Financial and Operations Officer Ronald Ally told the school board Monday night that U-46 is projected to be $53.5 million in the red by June.

About 75 percent of the district's expenses, he said, come from salary and benefit costs.

District attorney Pat Broncato said that to his knowledge, no other nonunion employees, besides those who are electing to retire soon, will receive raises.

According to 2008 state report cards, the average administrator salary in U-46 is $109,325.

The state average is $105,117.

Who's getting raises in U-46? Source: Elgin Area School District U-46 Adminsitrator Position 08-09 Salary, 09-10 Salary, pension pension Barbara Bonner Chief of staff $194,854.35 $167,395.71 David Smiley EHS principal $155,328.21 $167,395.71 Karen Fox Cabinet member $149,264.750 $159,727.50 Sue Welu Kenyon Woods principal $144,732.14 $158,426.00 Chris Dennison Imp. Coordinator $134,357.21 $147,140.41 Shelly Hertzog Abbott principal $132,155.93 $145,626.93 Richard Wince Asst. principal $128,942.51 $137,639.94 Margaret Rehberg Sp. ed director $125,812.45 $133,361.20 Gregory Derbak Asst. prinicpal $121,523.29 $131,165.77 Pamela Snoeck Hawk Hollow principal $119,055.51 $129,599.37 Sherie Monts Sp. ed. supervisor $118,652.40 $130,410.61 Leslie Kleiman Hanover Ctyside principal $118,092.95 $128,567.01 Anne Dwyer Sp. ed. supervisor $117,869.09 $128,324.37 Debra Sumner Asst. principal $115,506.72 $125,216.43 Kathleen Marden Century Oaks principal $112,729.42 $131,914.36 Lynda Verzillo Sp. ed. supervisor $112,629.17 $126,011.48 Patricia Barrett Oakhill principal $109,266.87 $123,931.79 Merle Erlich Bartlett Elem. principal $107,968.11 $116,046.08 Ernestina Bravo Dean $107,441.26 $115,435.60 Kerry Sund Asst. principal $106,912.58 $116,868.77 Barbara Buzecky Food service manager $51,972.90 $59,768.81 Frances Erdmann Food service manager $51,657.14 $59,405.69 Cynthia Engelke Food service manager $51,231.21 $58,915.87 Total cost to district $2,687,956.17 $2,943,132.94 Average Salary $107,518.25 $117,725.32