Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Albert Lea school board on Monday approved a slight decrease in the levy payable in 2022, which should equate to lower taxes for taxpayers.

The board set the levy at $9,057,748, a decrease of almost $32,000, or 0.35%. The action was the maximum the board could have approved, said Jennifer Walsh, executive director of finance and operations for the district.

The board voted 6-1 on the action, with member Jill Marin voting against.

Marin said though she recognized the vote equates to a decrease in taxes, she preferred that the district not levy at its maximum because there are so many other government entities also levying. She noted the district also received approval of the referendum in November, and she would have liked to have seen a larger decrease in the levy.

Walsh said the levy is made up several areas, including a general fund, a community service fund and a debt service fund.

She said the decrease in the levy is thanks to the school board and administration, who have for several years have had only a slight change to the property tax they have asked of the community.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a 2% increase to Superintendent Mike Funk’s salary for three years.

For the 2021-2022 contract year, he will receive $183,529; for 2022-23, he will receive 187,200; and for 2023-24, he will receive $190,944.

He will also receive a $2,500 COVID stipend, similar to what the building principals received last year.

Marin and board member Angie Hoffman said they preferred to vote on only one year at a time instead of the three years and voted against the measure and voted against.

Marin also asked the amount of Funk’s benefits package. Funk did not expand on the number but said it is available online.

The superintendent contract was approved Nov. 16, 2020, with exception of the salary because of the unknown financial picture at the time in the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Approved a 2% raise for food service workers for 2021-2023. There is also an increase in longevity pay of 15 cents per hour each year and an increase in he district’s contribution to single insurance.

• Approved a 2% salary increase for years two and three for the executive directors within the district.

Kathy Niebuhr, executive director of administrative services, will receive $136,896 for 2021-22 and $139,634 for 2022-23.

Chris Chalmers, executive director of Community Education, will receive $115,066 for 2021-22 and $117,367 for 2022-23.

Sheila Riebe, executive director of special services, will receive $117,300 for 2022-23. Riebe already has a salary approved for 2021-22.

Mary Jo Dorman, executive director of teaching and learning, will receive $136,896 for 2021-22 and $139,634 for 2022-23.

Marin voted against.

• Unanimously approved a 2% salary increase for the administrators in the district for the second and third years of their contracts, plus a health insurance adjustment. This includes the various principals and assistant principals throughout the district.

• Unanimously approved a 2% salary increase for the district’s secretarial staff for the second year of its contract, retroactive to July 1, along with a health insurance adjustment.

• Unanimously approved a 2% salary increase for the district’s success coaches for one year, along with the addition of two PTO days.

• Unanimously approved a 2% raise for educational assistants for the 2021-22 school year.

• Approved the off schedule employee hourly pay schedule, adding a new section for a Project Exploration program that will provide after school and summer programming to students. The wage range is $25-$30/hr.

• Increased substitute teacher pay to $150 a day for short-term substitutes starting Jan. 1.

Niebuhr said Faribault announced Monday it was increasing to $200 a day. The Albert Lea district had paid the lowest in the Big Nine at $110 a day for short-term substitutes.

Permanent on-site subs receive $200 a day.

Marin and member Neal Skaar abstained as they are substitutes.

• Approved the 2020-21 audit report from Greg Larson with Hill, Larson & Walth.

Look to the Tribune for more from the meeting regarding COVID-19 protocols.