Harlan Kirgan
St. Landry Parish Head Start employees will receive a 2.6 percent cost of living increase instead of a $700 lump sum payment.
The 2.6 percent increase was approved by the School Board’s Finance Committee on Wednesday. Last month, the full Board approved a December $700 payment recommended by the administration.
The school system was to receive about $125,000 to pay for a cost of living increase for each of about 140 workers.
At the October meeting, Board member Randy Wagley, an attorney, advised that he could not find any information that would support turning the cost of living increase into a across-the-board lump sum payment.
Head Start officials rejected the lump sum payment.
The school system is to issue a check covering the 2.6 raise from September to November. The raise will be added into the pay checks in December.
As part of the process, the committee approved a new pay schedule for Head Start employees.
About 20 Head Start workers were at the meeting on Wednesday and state various concerns.
Among the issues is they did not realize the school system subtracts 8 percent from their pay for retirement. The school district pays another 26.6 percent into the each employee’s retirement. The school system retirement cost is about $1 million for the Head Start employees.
The employees also said they were not making what the pay schedule states, but it was explained that the St. Landry Parish school system started in paying them in September when it assumed control of Head Start. The pay is based on about 10 months rather than 12 months,
Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said the school system is “working blindly” on Head Start expenses.
Board members urged the administration to communicate better with the Head Start employees.
“I think that the big problem is a lack of communication between central office and the workers,” Board member Milton Ambres said.
“We won’t have this crowd here every meeting trying to figure out what is going on,” he added.
Board member Donnie Perron urged the Head Start employees to schedule appointments with the personnel director to get questions answered.