Board gives superintendent a raise, treasurer a contract extension

by Sheldon Ocker

July 16 school board meeting

The Revere Schools Board of Education sweetened the contract of Superintendent Matt Montgomery and extended the contract of Treasurer Rick Berdine in two unanimous votes.

Montgomery will receive a three percent raise for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, which begins Aug. 1, increasing his base salary to $149,906, which is $4,366 more than he made the previous year.

A two percent raise is built into Montgomery’s contract, which runs through the 2021-22 school year. However, in July of 2018 as well as this year, the board chose to recognize the value of Montgomery’s job performance by going beyond the requirements of the contract. Last year, the superintendent received a 2 ¾ percent raise instead of the mandated two percent.

The board extended Berdine’s contract through July 31, 2025. The treasurer’s annual salary is set at $119,908 for the 2020-21 fiscal year and $135,000 beginning Aug. 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022. Through the remaining years of the agreement, Berdine will receive annual raises of two percent. For the 2019-20 fiscal year, the board raised Berdine’s base to $116,416.

“We wanted to lock him in,’’ board President George Seifert said of Berdine. “He’s done such a great job for us.’’

Under the terms of his current contract, Berdine is required to work a minimum of 32 hours a week (He also is treasurer at Cuyahoga Valley Career Center). His workweek per the extension maintains the 32-hour minimum workweek.

In addition to the contract extension, the board named Berdine as its Owner’s Representative for the $79.4 million construction project that includes a new Revere High and Bath Elementary school, renovations at Revere Middle School and Richfield Elementary plus a new bus garage.

A previous agreement to install Berdine as Owner’s Representative was to run from March 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021. The new contract begins Aug. 1 and ends July 31, 2021. Berdine will be paid $21,000 annually for what amounts to being the primary overseer of the project.  

“I would like to thank Rick for what he has done with our building project,’’ said board member Claudia Hower.

Positive financials

Berdine presented the board with the June financial report, concluding, “We are $143,000 favorable to what my forecast had been. There was improvement in a number of spots.’’

Total revenue in the report was $369,953, $15,866 more than the estimate. Revenue for the same period last year was $304,597. Expenditures also were higher this year, $3,077,920, compared to $2,536,493 over the same period in 2018.

Other action

• The board approved a new contract for district Athletic Director Tom McKinnon with a salary of $90,671.

“We are moving Tom to a 12-month contract due to his work extending well beyond the tail end of June,’’ Montgomery said.

• The board approved the formation of a Revere Ski Club and ratified the concept of Revere employees being volunteer advisers and chaperones.
• Zach and Marie Meixner donated $1,000 to the Revere athletic campaign.

“They previously donated as a couple,’’ Berdine said. “This is a corporate match from Progressive Insurance.”