MASON CITY – The Mason City High School Athletic Director was told Monday that he would be terminated, until the school board later Monday voted 7-0 to hold off on that decision.
According to an email that was distributed by Mason City High School Athletic Director Bob Kenny, he explained that his position would be cut Monday. He makes $101K per year.
However, Monday night, the school board decided to hold off on terminating Kenny, as a number of students, coaches and teachers voiced strong opposition to the possible move.
The board may take up the issue at a later meeting.
The district, despite approval by voters of two new taxes last fall, is claiming that it is in financial dire straits and needs to make serious cuts to balance budgets. More cuts will be discussed at tonight’s school board meeting. Some coaches and teachers have been on alert that they could be without a job soon.
Meanwhile, more school buildings are slated to have upgrades and improvements in the near future, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. NIT reported last July that the district is about $36 million in debt. It pays over $24 million in salaries per year.
It has been said that School Superintendent Micich favors the fine arts programs over athletics. NIT hs also received word that Clear Lake is exploring ending a sharing agreement with Mason City with Micich, who is superintendent of both districts.
They could eliminate a couple administrator positions.One of the principles could take over for Hal Minear when he retires and still keep his job at the high school/John adams. They have 2-4 principals in each school plus Dean of school. The bad thing about all of this is our students still score low in most surveys.
The public cries to cut administration, so they cut an administrative position and the public cries. What is the school district supposed to do to make you people happy?
The most challenging decision the athletic director has to make on a given day is whether to get popcorn or a candy bar at the track meet.
That position can be easily absorbed by the school district, like many other administrators who do multiple jobs today.
The Mohawk Trapshooting Team has done well without the support of the MCCSD for years. The only support they receive is that the kids do have the opportunity to letter. All of the coaches are volunteers and the kids/parents fund the team through hard work. Someone commented here that in other states you pay to play. The argument then comes that kids that want to play wont’ be able to afford to play. Volunteers will step forward to help that child find a way to play.
My spelling bad today, sorry I wasnt the best in English classes @ MCHS. I’m just pissed this comes up every year @MCHS and then we give out raises. Terrible school board and the same goes for our Mayor and his council of puppets. I’ve said enough.
I have said this before and we are very heavy for pay in out very sad town for employment. From the top down starting with micich for every $10k they make they take a 1% pay cut, very easy to figure out: Say she makes $180k she takes a 18% pay cut, Bob Kenney says he makes $100k he would be 10% cut, Janitors @ 40k 4% cut, very simple and it gets every administrator,teacher,coach,down to the lowest individual. Maybe even got to the contracts of our transportation,food vendors and ask them also.
Anonymous, you are correct, there were no cuts, there was no wage freeze.
Soon to be a pay raise for all and everything will be fine. Yes, we are fools to drink the coolaid
Ahhhh. Another scary tactic that worked. Ya all got stirred up went to the school board meeting an the magic wand got waived again!!,! Fools all around!! You all idiots!!
Bob Kenny is also the Associate Principal. He has two job titles. For Many families Sports is the way to a higher education. It is scholarships. Many of our students have taken to open enrollment. The atmosphere is on that Anita should take notice and so should the board. We are tired as a community as being treated like we are 2nd class if we do not make over 6 figures and we are of no value. Anita stated she works hard took on two distracts, LEAVE! YOU CAN”T BUDGET!
Very soon MCHS may be a 3A school, if so, is everybody going to take a paycut because they fell to 3A? No they are not.
How many teachers are retiring at 55, 56, 57 years old and making as much money retired a they did working?
The unions have priced people right out of a job at many levels, and there is more to come. The taxpayer has learned to do with less, the government is going to be forced to do the same.
The reason there is a dire lack of funds is not the taxpayer problem, its because EVERYONE from the top down is overpaid!!
The Janitors make 45.000 dollars! At NIACC they make 13.50-14.00 a hour and probably work harder!
The teachers average 55.000 dollars with many making alot more than that! Thats 10.000-15.000 more than the average of all the other systems in N Iowa.
Micich basically makes 1.000 dollars a day worked! Really? I dont care if there is a 4A in front of their titles or not
Wow, and to think the county gave $10,000 to the city of Mason City this morning so that they could “promote” their RAGBRAI plans out of the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) fund.
Now we know how that concert is getting funded but our schools aren’t.
What do you expect from the caped liberal arts queen and her cronie board.
Unbeliveable!! Coordinating all the activites takes a lot of time, and working with all the other schools. How can this be eliminated? Take a look at the wage increases of teachers and the upper management…take a pay cut to save extra curricular activites. These activities also help in the growth of a student!!!
This is crap! How does a 4A school expect to be competitive when it is cutting one of the main athletic positions. It is crazy to think that the athletic director, of all positions, is the solution to this.
Anita needs to take a paycut, that would solve these budget issues.
The Horror!
No one cares.