BMA approves 5% raises for Kingsport City School employees on first reading

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Kingsport City Schools (KCS) employees are only one step away from across-the-board 5% salary increases.

On Tuesday, the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) unanimously approved an amendment to the school system’s 2024-25 budget. The amendment would grant all KCS employees a 5% cost of living increase.

The Kingsport Board of Education approved the raises at its July 9 meeting after hearing from Chief Finance Officer David Frye, who recommended increasing the raises from 1% to 5% in light of the current economic climate. The school board unanimously approved the amendment and sent it to the BMA for final approval.

The BMA must approve the budget amendment on a second reading before the salary increases become certain.

Frye previously told the school board that the total cost of the salary increase is $2,519,600. Those funds will be supplied by the KCS Unreserved Fund Balance.

KCS Assistant Superintendent Andy True told News Channel 11 on Wednesday that the potential salary increases are indicative of the school board and BMA’s desire to help the school system’s employees.

“I think it just represents our board and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen really wanting to do what we can to really give the type of compensation that we feel like our staff deserves and also to ensure that we’re competitive in our pay,” True said. “So certainly being able to increase those pay rates by 5% this year was a priority as we went through the summer.”

True expects the new pay rate to be reflected on KCS employees’ checks quickly, so long as the budget amendment is passed. Employees who are on 12-month versus 10-month pay scales would require some retroactive pay, which True said the school system would be sure to process.

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