Despite strong objections from an incumbent board member, the Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 school board on Tuesday night approved paying one-time bonuses of $1,500 each to district staff. The vote was 3 to 2.
The bonuses are to be paid to all full-time staff, bus drivers, food service employees, and long-term substitutes who have been work the district for at least 12 weeks.
Mike Lynch, who was acting as president because Sheri Noyes was absent, said the action seemed “completely political” to him.
In November of 2024, district voters passed a mill levy override to raise teachers’ pay. Then in April of this year, the school board approved a salary increase for everyone but teachers and paraprofessionals. Lynch argued against that at the time.
On Tuesday, he noted that this vote would be the last one taken by the old board and under the administration of Superintendent Tom Burris, who is soon retiring. He said otherwise, the people who voted ‘yes’ might be recalled.
Lynch said the more than $700,000 the bonuses are expected to cost could be spent instead on measures to improve student achievement such as curriculum improvement or teacher trainings.
He said, “I need to vote my conscience, not to try to buy my popularity.”
He and outgoing member Paul Beckler voted against the measure. Outgoing members Tiffany Cheney, Leland Collins, and Jason Hall voted for it. Ed Rice and Noyes were absent.
Shortly after that, newly elected board members Justine Bayles, Lara Maria Blair, Laura DeWitt, Barbara Mate, and Joshua Shumway were sworn in and seated.
