Spencer County superintendent explains proposed pay freeze amid budget reset

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Following online post urging Spencer County community members to speak up for teachers, Spencer County Public Schools superintendent Willie Foster shared more information about the steps the district is taking to reset the school budget.

Over the weekend, the community learned Foster plans to ask school board members to approve a one-year freeze on scheduled pay increases for district employees.

In the post, community members are urged to contact their school board members and ask them to vote against the proposed step increase freezes.

The elementary school PTO released a statement asking the board to consider other options.

Foster explained the reasoning behind the proposal.

"I chose to share the idea of the freeze directly with our staffs. They deserved to hear that directly from me and did. I also sought their feedback. That feedback has been strong and fully understandable. And we will adjust accordingly,” Foster wrote Sunday in an email.

Foster said every option is on the table to reset the school budget.

“We have made it very clear that it required dramatic adjustments and has made the current fiscal year very tight,” Foster said in the email. “Our job is to build and operate within a budget that reflects our projected revenues and expenses that don’t exceed those.”

Foster explained personnel accounts for a little more than 85 percent of the district’s overall budget.

He said the district has already taken several steps to review and adjust budget items with the intent to complete a full budget reset.

“We have adjusted budgets for things such as building maintenance and repairs, transportation maintenance and repairs, supplies,” said Foster.

He added that the district is rebidding things such as sanitation services, insurance, and mowing.

Foster also said the district did not purchase new buses this year and it suspended Chromebook replacements.

In addition to proposals to reduce personnel costs, Foster said he has also included proposals to make cuts to Central Office staffing that total over $200,000 in reduced spending.

Foster clarified that the board has not seen the proposals.

He said he and board members welcome community engagement.

On many occasions, Foster has said that he wants to be transparent with the community.

Some like community member and district parent Korey Craddock have shared they feel the district could be more transparent.

Craddock said he believes teachers and staff are being asked to pay for a mistake they didn't make.

"The teachers, the students, you know, they had nothing to do with this happening, but they're the ones that are being asked to sacrifice and, you know, try to recoup," said Craddock.

Those proposals will be shared at Tuesday's meeting.

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