JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After backlash over the high salary and perks sought by incoming Duval County superintendent Dr. Chris Bernier, the Duval County School Board has come back with a counteroffer.
The board’s offer, which is significantly less than the offer first put forward by Bernier, comes after his initial proposal garnered strong reactions from the teachers union president and the public.
In his first pay proposal, which is part of ongoing negotiations, Bernier asked for a $350,000 per year salary, the maximum advertised for the job, a $1,000 monthly car stipend, up to $50,000 a year for a paid mentor, and monthly retirement contributions equivalent to 25% of his monthly base salary, which would equal $87,500 a year for a $350,000 per year salary.
In the board’s counterproposal, obtained by News4JAX on Thursday, it is offering Bernier a $280,000 annual salary, but did not offer some perks he proposed, including a car stipend, money for a mentor, and massive monthly retirement contributions. The district’s offer is less than the $300,000 a year the last superintendent, Dr. Diana Greene, was making.
The contract proposed by Bernier included a performance bonus of $30,000 for a rating of “highly effective” or $25,000 for “effective” that Bernier would distribute to his cabinet members at his discretion.
Under the board’s proposal, Bernier would be eligible for up to $20,000 in bonus pay if he meets goals set out by the school board each year.
The board said Bernier can use a district vehicle or get reimbursement for mileage on his car, but the distinct vehicle can’t be used for personal use.
The board said it would also pay $15,000 per year into a voluntary retirement account for Bernier and he can participate in the Florida retirement system like everyone else in the district.
However, the district did agree to offer up to $15,000 in moving and transition expenses, as Bernier had proposed, with the added caveat that it serves as reimbursement.
Tammie Brooks-Evans, president of the local union Duval Teachers United, said she thought the perks Bernier first sought were ridiculous. On Thursday, News4JAX asked her about the district’s offer.
“Parts of the offer are more of what we would expect. [I] have concerns about the amount of life insurance and the double retirement that he would be receiving,” Brooks-Evans said.
The district offered $750,000 in life insurance, which was less than the $900,000 Greene received.
“This is kind of how negotiations go. You come in high, they come in low and you end up someplace in the middle,” Brooks-Evans said.
Bernier would officially start on the date the contract is signed until June 2028, with the possibility of an extension.
Bernier was unanimously approved by the board as the next superintendent last month, but his compensation package has not been settled.
News4JAX was flooded with comments after details of the first contract proposal were first reported on Tuesday.
There were more than 220 comments on News4JAX.com and close to 700 comments on Instagram, where one account posted, “What if actually we raised the salary for teachers and school staff instead.”
The pay negotiations come as the district faces financial difficulties due to rising construction costs, aging infrastructure, and dropping enrollment in the face of expanded school choice options.