The county school board's budget committee recommended the school up the salary of Career and Techinacal Education Supervisor Tom Hankinson from $48,962 to $57,702 at Thursday night's workshop. But some board members expressed reservations about upping anyone's salary in light of the economy, budget cuts and the fact that few people in the school system got raises this year. 

Board member Gary Ubben opened the discussion saying he was troubled by the idea not because Hankinson doesn't deserve more money "but we have a lot of good people who deserve more." He noted that teachers didn't get a step raise in this year's budget which has left the staff demoralized and that singling out one or two employees for a raise aggravates the problem.

Board member Van Shaver pointed out certified personnel are expected to get a double step raise next year.  Shaver, who is also a member of the board's budget committee, said Hankinson had taken on additional responsibilities upon the retirement of Gil Luttrell, who served several roles in the county school's Central Office. Shaver even went so far as to say that anyone else in the school system who has taken on extra responsibilities should request the budget committee review their salaries as well. 

Director of Loudon County Schools Wayne Honeycutt said he agreed Hankinson was doing a great job, and it was no reflection on him that some are opposed to raising his salary. He reminded the board the county commission had said no raises in the current budget and that many principals and assistant principals were making less that the teachers they supervise. 

Given those circumstances, Honeycutt said he would " have a hard time designating one person to get a raise."  Honeycutt also noted that while Hankinson had picked up the work of overseeing the Disciplinary Hearing Authority and the truancy cases, other staff members had also taken over parts of Luttrell's old job. 

Assistant Director Jason Vance agreed Hankinson was doing a good job as CTE director but it was important to "look at the whole picture" before deciding to give one person a raise. 

Board member Craig Simon said as CTE director Hankinson has "direct responsibility for a whole lot of careers in this county" and that while most people in the system are way underpaid and need raises, Hankinson is extremely underpaid.

Shaver agreed saying he is usually not a big fan of upping salaries and his first idea was to lower other supervisors' salaries to Hankinson's level. "But we can't have one person so out of whack," Shaver concluded. 

Honeycutt reminded the board the county commission has indicated there should be no raises in this year's budget. 

"The county commission didn't say no raises," Shaver said adding the county commission just set the funding amount but the board had decided not to give raises given the amount the commission had approved. 

"That was our choice," Shaver said.

Honeycutt said giving raises might make "our relationship with the county commission get worse."

Shaver agreed saying the commission might not fund the building program.