Marengo High School District 154 approves raises, superintendent's contract

Marengo High School District 154 board members have renewed Superintendent David Engelbrecht's contract for a three-year period and approved raises for 37 employees.

The contract and raises were discussed in closed session at a June 24 meeting, where board members approved raises for 32 hourly support staff members and five salaried employees, records show. The Northwest Herald submitted a complaint to the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor that the district violated the Open Meetings Act by not properly explaining on the meeting’s agenda which personnel matters the board intended to discuss in executive session.

The agenda simply stated “Executive Session to discuss personnel – The compensation and performance of employees of the district.”

Engelbrecht began the 2019-20 school year earning $174,809 annually – a 3.5% raise from the previous year. He’ll receive an additional 2% increase each year until the contract expires in 2022. The board also will pay 9% of Engelbrecht’s contribution to the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System.

Athletic director and dean Nate Wright received the largest salary increase of the five administrators who were given raises. A 4% raise brought Wright’s salary from $87,912 to $91,428.

Principal Angela Fink and Assistant Principal Rich Webb each received 3.75% salary increases. Fink is slated to make $142,124 this school year, and Webb will earn $107,910, records show.

Special education director Julie Amendt received a 2% raise, bringing her salary to $113,892.

Wages for support staff range from $10 to $44 an hour, with the largest raise – a 1.58% increase – going to a network administrator, records show.

Engelbrecht could not immediately be reached to comment on why neither the meeting’s agenda nor minutes listed his contract as a topic of discussion or action.