Colby K-12

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look at distributing pay, what percentages, those kinds of things,” Galligan said. “It was decided, after that discussion, that we should stay with the CPI, which is what the 2.95 [percent] is for this past fiscal year because of the budget uncertainty that we have at both the state level as well as federal funding levels.”

“We’re hearing from the state of Wisconsin legislators and others that we will probably not have an answer as to what the state budget will look like until well after July 1, which is traditionally when we get those numbers,” he added. “And so I think, to stay conservative, we will stay at the rate of CPI for right now and then, not only will we potentially have the option of doing bonuses for faculty if we end up with some additional funding beyond what we know what we can count on from the state at this time, but we have different options we can play out when we have that certainty.”

Another factor behind the decision to keep with the normal CPI increase was the fact that Act 10 could be adjudicated some time in the next year. The 2011 law limited salary bargaining rights for government employees, including teachers, to increases that can be no more than the inflation rate. Other benefits cannot be negotiated under Act 10.

Changes to the law could affect future pay for district staff, but with uncertainty remaining as to what those changes might be and whether or not they come to pass, administration and the personnel committee believed that keeping things the same for now would allow them the most flexibility to make changes in the future.

“I think trying to keep things as they are right now and letting us react beyond that puts us in a better spot than doing something that could potentially cause us difficulty financially three to five years from now that leads us to unintended consequences,” Galligan added.

Other business

■ The board approved two additional projects. One is an upgrade to the high school HVAC systems for a cost of $24,900, while the other is the purchase two new heating pumps variable frequency drive (VFD) replacements in the elementary school for about $12,000. The HVAC system update is a project that the board has considered in numerous meetings over the past year and was at one point potentially going to be part of the referendum before it was removed. The VFD replacements were deemed necessary after one system went down and the other appeared close to the end of its service life..

■ Resignations of Susan Young as a special education teacher and Benjamin Bartelt as the Ed Rising and Forensics advisor were accepted by the board. New hires approved were Nichole Braaten, first grade teacher, Lindsey Tyrolt, kindergarten teacher, Courtney Raymond, behavior interventionist at the elementary school, Logan Rosemeyer, co-athletic director, and Laura Depner, head middle school girls basketball coach. Rosemeyer will also be transferring from his position as a high school math teacher to the new student support coordinator position created earlier this year.

■ New board member Liz Baumgartner was sworn in and served during her first board meeting following the reorganization meeting held before the regular board meeting on Monday.

BOARD COMMENDATIONS - A number of Colby varsity athletes received recognition at Monday’s board meeting. Above, Veronica Mateer was honored after receiving the Wisconsin Academic All-State Gold Award for gymnastics, while below, Xander Buchanan, Rolyn Hopperdietzel, Tucker Hayes, and Landon Steinman received awards for being named Academic All-State for basketball.

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