A proposal for Wayland Union schools to provide business services to the Johanneburg-Lewiston district ran into some opposition from Board of Education members Monday night.
The idea, presented at the July school board meeting, is for three Wayland school district employees to offer business services on a contractual basis to outside school districts.
Finance Director Bill Melching and Accounting Supervisor Michael Tanksley will work for the Johannesburg-Lewiston school district in northeastern Michigan for the equivalent of three days every two weeks and Amy Syers, accounting clerk, will continue to work for one day a week for the Allegan Area Educational Services Agency.
This arrangement for contracting business and business management services, Superintendent Norm Taylor said, will bring in about $27,000 to $28,000 to Wayland as a result.
The Wayland Board of Education will be asked later this month to approve a change in the three employees’ contracts, but not the contract for services with Johannesberg-Lewiston and the AAESA.
Board member Nancy Thelen said, “I have a concern. I think it’s a large amount of money when compared to what the district will take in.”
Melching stands to make an extra $12,000, or 10 percent of his current salary.
She said she supports the idea of farming out services, but that 10% may be a bit excessive, especially when paying it to someone who makes more than $100,000 a year and Wayland is having a full-time employee drop time on the job to 78%.
“The work (for Wayland) will still be done, regardless of the hours,” Superintendent Norm Taylor assured. “Not all of this has to be done on site.”
Thelen also said the board needs to develop a policy on sharing services because it might become more commonplace in the future.
Melching said the business office at Wayland has been pared from six to three employees since he came on board and he didn’t feel it was fair to penalize him and his office for being efficient enough to get the work done.
Taylor chimed in, “I think it’s a positive agreement. I think it’s going to work out.”
Thelen told Melching, “ have a concern about you being out of the district every other Friday (and some Thursdays).”
Johannesburg-Lewiston is a drive of about two hours and 45 minutes away.
Melching answered, “We’re doing extra work to put $25,000 back into the district… the work will still get done.”
He added that the percentage formula he worked out for Tanksley and Syers was fair and “The lower responsibility person is getting the highest percentage.”
Board Treasurer Toni Ordway said, “Maybe we’re not comfortable with this situation, and now we’ll have to vote on it.”
She insisted the matter was handled in haste and the cart was put before the horse.
Melching said the process is fairly unique and administrators are permitted to enter into certain contracts without board approval.
“I have never in all my years been in this kind of circumstance,” said Taylor. “But nothing will be dropped in Wayland to provide this service.”
Janel Timmerman-Hott asked Melching, “What’s in it for you” since he was increasing his work load and having to drive three hours.
“It helps my retirement, and I’m in it for my staff,” he replied. “I believe we have a quality staff with marketable skills… like I have not had in my 24-year career in school finance. This is a way to maintain them and nost cost the district one dollar.”
Melching said Johannesburg-Lewiston will pay Wayland $44,000 for the contracted business services. Both he and Tanksley, who is an hourly employee, stand to make more money, but it results in more funds in Wayland’s coffers and it eliminates the need to lay off people in the local schools’ business office.
Melching also promised that he and Tanksley will not charge Wayland for any travel time or mileage.
Melching said this move also would better enable Tanksley to ease into the finance director’s job because he probably will retire in two to three years.
PHOTO: Bill Melching