As the School City of Hammond considers potential cuts, its board members are keeping their own pay the same in 2024. Under a resolution unanimously passed Tuesday and existing board policy, each member will get $2,000 a year, plus $112 for each regular meeting and $62 for each special meeting, work session, public hearing or executive session.
Meanwhile, School Board President Lisa Miller, Vice President Cindy Murphy and Secretary Manuel Candelaria Jr. will all remain in those positions. The other two members, Carlotta Blake-King and Kelly Spencer voted against their reelections, but also didn't nominate anyone else.
The Hammond School Board will continue to meet in some form on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Miller noted that additional executive sessions will be held in February, but rebuffed Blake-King's request to elaborate publicly.
"We are having these extra meetings why?" Blake-King asked.
"Because we're currently in a planning period," Miller replied.
"Planning period for what?" Blake-King continued.
"I'm not going to discuss that at this time," Miller responded. "It's not on the agenda. We're just in a planning period right now, and so we're meeting a little more regularly."
Additionally, the school board unanimously agreed to keep Eric Kurtz as the school corporation's treasurer and Alesia Pritchett as deputy treasurer, at the recommendation of Superintendent Scott Miller.
Blake-King replaces Candelaria as the board's legislative committee contact person, after Blake-King said she thought she already held that role. Candelaria agreed to take over Blake-King's role as National Affiliate Advocacy Information Network representative.
