HUNTINGTON BEACH : 2% Raises Approved for School Officials

Ocean View School District trustees this week approved 2% pay raises for many of the district’s top administrators and their secretaries.

The salary increases, which are retroactive to July 1, are equivalent to raises given to union-represented employees, who recently signed a three-year contract with the district.

Although several parents had spoken against raises recently given to teachers and other union workers, the pay hikes approved this week did not draw any public opposition.

The 37 employees awarded the pay raises include all administrators except Supt. Monte McMurray, who has a separate contract. Those administrators include assistant superintendents, principals and psychologists.

The raises were also given to top administrators’ secretaries, who are considered “confidential” employees and therefore are classified separately from other clerical workers.

The board approved the raises 3 to 1, with Trustee Lottie Hobbs absent.

The lone dissenting vote was cast by Trustee Tracy Pellman, who also opposed the pay raise package given to union-represented employees earlier this year. Pellman argued that Ocean View’s financial picture is too nebulous to consider employees’ raises now.

Including the new raises, the district’s three assistant superintendents are earning up to $73,900 per year. Principals are making from $59,300 to $65,200, and psychologists from $45,800 to $51,400.

All six of the district’s confidential secretaries are now at the top of the pay scale, earning $32,640.