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ISD 2142 school board OKs two-percent levy increase

Superintendent gets three-year, $468,000 contract renewal

David Colburn
Posted 12/24/20

REGIONAL- No members of the public contacted the ISD 2142 School Board about its proposed 2021 pay levy prior to its Dec. 8 truth-in-taxation meeting, and none appeared viz Zoom to comment, either, …

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ISD 2142 school board OKs two-percent levy increase

Superintendent gets three-year, $468,000 contract renewal

Posted

REGIONAL- No members of the public contacted the ISD 2142 School Board about its proposed 2021 pay levy prior to its Dec. 8 truth-in-taxation meeting, and none appeared viz Zoom to comment, either, letting board members make quick work of approving a 2.03 percent increase in the levy.
District business manager Kim Johnson said that there had been no changes since she presented the proposed increase at a prior meeting and gave an abbreviated review of the changes. She noted that the district’s payment for debt service related to major contruction and renovation projects would be approximately $3.8 million, up about $368,000 from 2020.
An increase of $124,785 in taconite replacement funds from the Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation Board is essentially an offset for district taxpayers, Johnson said. The community education programs and services are paid completely by taconite replacement funds, she said.
Overall, the final pay levy increase will net the district an additional $138,902 for 2021, making the total amount raised approximately $6.97 million. The district’s overall budget is supplemented by multiple state and federal revenue streams.
The board did not describe or discuss the terms of a contact renewal for Superintendent Reggie Engebritson before unanimously approving a three-year deal that runs through the 2023-24 school year.
A copy of the approved agreement included in the board packet reveals that Engebritson’s salary for 2021-22 will be $152,000 and will increase annually by $4,000 to $156,000 and $160,000 in years two and three of the contract.
The contract notes that these amounts apply specifically to Engebritson’s work for ISD 2142. Engebritson also has been serving as superintendent for Mt. Iron-Buhl, and is eligible for additional compensation in accordance with a shared services agreement.
Board members had little to say about agenda items related to school board election locations and dates, school board and 2021-22 school calendars, Indian education polices and procedures, and a final copy of a two-year bus drivers contract, passing nearly all without comment or questions on unanimous votes.
Engebritson gave a one-minute overview of the district’s plan to switch to full distance education for the week before and the week following the two-week winter break. Board members had no questions.
Board Chairman Dan Manick expressed thanks on behalf of the board and district to outgoing board member Christine Taylor, who was attending her final board meeting after having lost a bid for re-election in November.
“It was great having you on the board,” Manick said. “You provided a lot of good insight.”
Taylor responded that she had learned a lot while serving in a role she took on at the encouragement of others. As someone who has always been “very heavily pro-labor” she said that the contract negotiation process gave her new understanding of the priorities and arguments on both sides.
In other business, the board accepted the resignation of Tower-Soudan community education coordinator Amy Banks.