Employee incentives up for discussion in Del Mar school district

By Karen Billing

Staff Writer

The Del Mar Union School District board discussed the idea of employee incentives, as the district continues to look for ways to increase revenue. Trustee Doug Perkins brought up the issue as it was one of the proposals from the financial task force.

Perkins explained that monies gained from field and building usage as well as after-school and summer programs can be used for anything within the district. The task force’s idea was to incentivize employees who helped increase revenue in field and building usage and the after-school and summer programs.

Trustee Comischell Rodriguez was wary of the idea, whether it was a good business model for schools and if it had precedence in a school district.

Superintendent James Peabody said he wasn’t aware of any precedence.

“Schools do tend to shy away from making a separate class of employee,” Peabody said, noting that if more work was given to an employee it would require a title change or special class of employee that can sometimes affect morale.

“I hesitate to support exploring incentives,” Rodriguez said. “To make a decision on this we’re going to need report materials that we have to spend money and time to get and right now we’re running lean on staff.”

Outgoing trustee Katherine White said that while there may not be a precedence, Del Mar has often led the way for other districts in several areas.

“I’ve never been afraid of trying new things,” Perkins said.

The board decided the issue could be brought back at a future meeting when the new members come aboard.