The Kalispell Public Schools Board of Trustees unanimously has renewed Superintendent Micah Hill’s contract for a three-year term.

Hill is currently wrapping up his first year leading the largest school district in Flathead County that serves 5,842 students and employs roughly 750 people, according to the 2020 Statistical Report of Schools,.

During the April 27 board meeting, board Chairman Lance Isaak said the initial decision to hire Hill was not an easy choice for the board, but in the time since, Hill has done “a phenomenal job,” noting his recent recognition as the regional superintendent of the year for Northwest Montana voted on by his peers.

Fallon added that extending Hill’s contract three years out, as opposed to one, is a “vote of confidence,” to encourage him to remain with Kalispell Public Schools.

While trustees commended the work Hill accomplished during an unprecedented school year, keeping schools open during the coronavirus pandemic, it was a bit more challenging to garner unanimous support for a market adjustment raise.

In a 9-2 vote, trustees approved a $6,750 market adjustment raise for the 2021-22 school year.

At a previous March meeting, trustees approved a 2% inflationary increase for 25 central office and K-12 administrators, which included Hill, in addition to a 1% retirement plan contribution for the 2021-22 school year. The financial implication to the district is a difference of $137,979.

THE MARKET adjustment and inflationary increase bring Hill’s current salary from $150,000 to $162,000, not including the retirement contribution.

Trustees Rebecca Linden and Amy Waller voted against the pay increase, based on him having only one year of experience in a superintendent position.

“Please keep in mind that he’s got a lot of principal, assistant principal and district years of experience as well,” District Human Resources Director Tracy Scott said.

Before the board vote, Scott had presented a chart of other AA superintendent salaries and reminded the board it hired Hill at a conservative salary based on it being his first year in a superintendent position.

“And so when I looked at this and I saw Helena was bringing in a brand new superintendent at $173,000 I started looking at the salaries and I do not believe we could hire somebody for $155,000 if Micah were to leave and so I feel we are not paying this position at market ...”

She later added, “I think that the original discussion about Micah’s lack of experience has been answered and I think that Micah has shown incredible leadership and incredible knowledge and has brought so much to this district I do feel we need to look at this salary and bring him higher than we had originally intended,” Scott said. “When you look at this document, you’ll see, still, he’s the lowest-paid superintendent in the state.”

WALLER VOICED concerns the district was “becoming disconnected with the reality of our taxpayers,” in regard to the average wage of taxpayers and that comparing Kalispell to other districts was trying to “keep up with the Joneses.”

“I think Micah is phenomenal but I think the salary is a great salary,” Waller said.

“I think you have to look at the market,” Scott said. “I feel it’s not keeping up with the Joneses, it's being competitive so that you are able to attract and retain employees.”

Waller also cited salaries that were unrelated to school administrative positions, to which trustee Scott Warnell commented.

“I appreciate Amy bringing those other stats in, but they also don’t manage that many people and have to be accountable to that many employees, students and parents,” Warnell said.

“Kalispell Public Schools is the second largest employer in the valley behind KRH,” Scott said.

Trustee Ursula Wilde said she wanted to retain Hill as superintendent.

“I feel confident that if he wanted to, Micah could move somewhere substantially more affordable and get paid more, and for me, I think that that matters. Not just that we’d have to pay somebody more. I don’t want to pay somebody more. I want Micah to stay, and it’s not that he would leave, it’s knowing, you know, another district would pay him more I think is an important perspective …” Wilde said.

TRUSTEES ALSO approved a market adjustment raise of $2,137 for Director of Business Services and Operations Gwyn Andersen in a 10-1 vote, Waller opposing. The market adjustment and the 2% inflationary increase bring her salary from $ 117,147 to $124,317, not including the retirement contribution. Andersen has worked with the district for 11 years.

Waller echoed a similar statement about the salary amounts without the increases.

“I think this salary is a great salary,” Waller said. “I don’t want this to be a reflection on what I think of Gwyn, she’s outstanding, but I just can’t support this when we are facing $800,000 [deficit] with the [self-funded] health insurance when we’re looking at the budget. I’m not in favor of this.”

Trustee Jack Fallon said it is important to continue the practice of adjusting salaries for inflation as the district has done for prior administrators.

“This district has been very challenging ...,” Fallon said. “Having a market adjustment is a simple part of the equation to be respectful for the role she’s taken on.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.