Wayland Union Schools Supt. Tim Reeves received a 4 percent salary increase with an incentive Monday night at the Board of Education’s work session.

Reeves, who just completed his first year on the job had his annual salary increased from $151,000 to $157,040, with another provision for more if he earns a “highly effective” rating in his evaluation next year. He also earned a 3 percent annuity, which Board Trustee Jeff Koon calculated brings his total package to $163,251.

His contract also was extended to three years.

Board Treasurer Pete Zondervan actually wanted to give Reeves a 6 percent increase, but other board members balked because contracts approved with employees earlier in the evening generally were pegged at 3%.

One employee group, maintenance, was granted an 8% and 7& increase over the next two years, but virtually all others, including administrators, got 3%.

The food service contract with Chartwell was approved with a 5.5% bump in costs. And non-affiliated employees such as aides, were given 5 percent.

Michael Tanksley was given a contract to perform accounting services at an increased rate from $45 to $55 per hour for up to 20 hours a week.

In other business at the work session, the board:

• Was given an overview of the anticipated 2023-24 fiscal year budget by retiring Assistant Supt. For Finances and Operations Patricia Velie.
• The budget will take in $38,463,315 in revenue from combined resources such as Gun Lake Casino, state aid and local property taxes. The local tax is six mills, the debt levy for bonds stays at 8.4 mills, the non-homestead levy remains at 18 mills. The fund balance is at 18.3 percent, down from last year’s 18.8%.
• Velie said the casino revenue next month is expected to be $1.92 million.
• The finance director said the state is expected to provide $9,618 per pupil for the next fiscal year, $458 more than last year.
• The student population is slowly coming back after the dip during the years of Covid-19. Velie said there are 2,778 students expected to enroll in the district in the fall. “We’re actually brining in more students than we’re sending out,” she said.
• The district now has 174 teachers.