Shelby County’s school board could get a big raise soon.
On Wednesday, Shelby County’s board of commissioners will consider whether to quintuple how much the county’s school board members make, according to their agenda.
The Shelby County School board currently makes about $4,200 a year.
The commission will consider raising that figure to $25,000. That’s more than a five-fold increase. The chairman would make $26,000.
There’s been a long-standing controversy over whether school board members should be paid. Some argue that serving on a school board is a public service, while others say school board members should be reimbursed for the long hours they spend answering constituents’ concerns and sitting through meetings.
The Shelby County Commission is also considering whether to increase the salaries of the county’s mayor and sheriff.