MILTON — The Santa Rosa County School Board had the option to increase their salaries but declined.
Florida legislature states that annual salaries for school board members are to be calculated each year and automatically take effect July 1; however, board members may choose to not accept the increases. In 2009, the legislature granted school board members the opportunity to voluntarily decrease their salaries.
The calculations are made by the Florida Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research and are based upon district population along with other several other factors. According to Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick, the school board members have a current salary of $32,450.
“You have the option of reducing it, keeping it the same, or taking it on as it has already been set,” Wyrosdick said during Thursday's meeting. “The last time you moved your salary upward was in 2011… $378 over the past nine or 10 years.”
School board members' salaries could have increased to $35,813, according to the Florida School Board Association. But board member Diane Scott made the motion to keep salaries the same.
Buddy Hinote seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: School board rejects salary increase