Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Tucumcari Public Schools board of education voted 4-1 last week on a contract extension for its longtime superintendent that will keep him in the district through July 2024.
Aaron McKinney, who has been Tucumcari schools superintendent for 15 years, did not receive a raise from his current pay of about $120,000 a year during the board’s regular meeting June 21.
However, the board granted him use of a Chevrolet Suburban from the district’s fleet he can use for commuting and district-based travel.
The board voted on the extension after nearly two hours of an executive session to discuss McKinney’s evaluation and his contract. Board members initially consulted with him during the first 15 minutes behind closed doors, then called him back twice for another 20 and four minutes to discuss the proposed deal.
Board member Jerry Lopez was the only board member to vote against the extension.
Reached by phone the day after the meeting, Lopez said he voted the way he did because “I believe it’s time for a change” in the superintendent position. He said he also has heard from constituents for years that the district needs a new leader.
“I think Aaron has done a phenomenal job for the district,” especially during with the pandemic and school construction projects, Lopez said. “He’s a really nice guy. But we need a new face at the helm. It’s time for a change. He’s eligible to retire; it’s time.”
Lopez also voiced concerns about the declining success of many of the district’s sports programs.
Lopez he was amenable to a shorter-term extension so McKinney can oversee the completion of the ballparks redevelopment project.
Other than to confirm details of his contract extension, McKinney did not offer any comment after the meeting.
The board held its first in-person meeting in over a year at the district’s unit office. Meetings had been held on the Google Hangouts online platform since April 2020 because of restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s great to be back in this building and see people there,” board member Heather Gonzales said.
Board members and staff members wore masks during the meeting. The district had requested direction from the New Mexico Public Education Department on whether masks were needed in light of the state announcing a lifting of health restrictions and reopening the economy on July 1. The PED declined to lift that mandate but said a new COVID toolkit for school districts would be announced July 1.
Answering a question from a board member, McKinney said he was told by PED that board members still can meet remotely if they’re out of town or work schedules prevent them from attending in person.
In other business, the board:
n McKinney discussed how he will spend some of up to $1 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds. One option will be to replace the district’s swamp coolers with air-conditioning units. Improving air quality has been a high priority by state health officials during the pandemic.
He said the district has a large amount of leftover money because of reduced spending during the pandemic. McKinney said he will be motivated to spend those leftover funds on A/C units and the ballfields reconstruction project before the first 40 days of the upcoming school year to prevent the state from taking back those funds.
Even so, McKinney said “it will be hard to spend $1 million on programs.”
• Approved a Title I and II application that requests $540,610 in funding. Assistant superintendent said the money would be used mostly for salaries, paying for two aides, software expenses and improvements in instruction.
• Approved a Title IV application that requests $39,628 in funding. Johnson said the money would be used for student support and academic enrichment, including tutoring, technology, field trips and science presentations.
• Approved an IDEA B grant application to the state PED that requests $436,669 for special education.
• Approved a fuel contract with Tucumcari Oil Co. for $2.3653 for unleaded gasoline an $2.4351 for diesel, plus taxes, for the 2021-2022 school year. Tucumcari Oil was the only bidder.
• Approved a professional services contract extension with Cathy Fury as special education coordinator and diagnostician for the 2021-2022 school year, with an option to renew in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.