NORTH MANCHESTER - Manchester Community Schools Tuesday approved a retirement incentive plan introduced last month, though not all school board members agreed about the plan's terms.

The plan, according to Steve Shumaker, business manager for the school corporation, is "a one-time incentive to be offered to individuals who qualify for early retirement under the old contract."

Teachers who choose to retire under the plan will receive a payment of $5,000 to $15,000, depending on years of service.

The board approved a recommendation to include two teachers who submitted retirements previous to the plan's first proposal. Including those two teachers will cost the corporation an additional $22,000, though Shumaker said the school eventually will be reimbursed.

Board member Thomas Frantz objected to including those two teachers because the plan's purpose is to give others an incentive to retire, not reward those who had already planned to retire. Frantz also noted that while the corporation may be reimbursed, taxpayers will not, leaving them responsible for the $22,000 bill.

"This is to incentify people to retire early and I still will sit by what I said last time (that the two should not be included because of their previous decision) - that these people made their decisions before ... ," Frantz said.

Frantz said those two teachers may be upset it they are not given the extra bonus, but that bonus was not an option when they made their decision, so they are not entitled to the money.

Despite Frantz's objections, the motion was passed 4 to 1, with Frantz the only opposition.

In other business, the board approved the following athletic department appointments: Brandon Baker, varsity football head coach; Cindy Goshert, varsity cheerleading coach; and Lorie Sorg, assistant cheer coach.

Manchester school board members are Sally Krouse, president, Todd Speicher, Thom Frantz, Kent Terrill, Larry Miller, Carlye McLaughlin and Brad Perrot. Superintendent is Diane Showalter. [[In-content Ad]]