Newsome’s compensation draws high-level attention
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

Newsome

Some eyebrows are being raised in the county government over the compensation and benefits paid to Superintendent Marcus Newsome compared to his predecessor Billy Cannaday and County Administrator Lane Ramsey. Newsome, who started his new job on Oct. 1, makes $192,000 annually. After adding in $40,000 in deferred income and $12,500 for a vehicle allowance, Newsome’s earnings total $244,500.

According to School Community Relations Director Debra Marlow, if former Superintendent Billy Cannaday had continued working for the county, he would have been paid a total of $231,419 currently – about $13,000 less than Newsome.

Cannaday assumed the position of State

Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Virginia Department of Education’s chief executive, on July 1.

At its meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors proposed giving Ramsey a four percent merit raise – the maximum county employees are eligible to earn. The increase would raise Ramsey’s salary to $207,676 for 2007. Ramsey could also receive deferred compensation of $20,500 and a car allowance of $13,600, bringing his total earnings to $241,776 - $2,724 less than Newsome.

Ramsey

However, Ramsey does receive some benefits that Newsome does not. Ramsey is given a membership to the Bull & Bear Club for business purposes at $68 per month and receives an annual year-end bonus. Last year, that bonus was $15,000.

Historically, the county administrator has been paid more than the superintendent.

During a recent interview regarding Ramsey and Newsome’s salaries, Public Affairs Director Don Kappel said the board has not decided firmly on Ramsey’s compensation.

School Board Chairman Marshall Trammell was unhappy when he was asked about the salaries of Newsome, Cannaday and Ramsey. Referring to the executive session in which county board members recently discussed Ramsey’s pay, he said, “I think someone may have violated the law [by leaking the information] so you can put that in your article.”

The agenda for last week’s board meeting listed “a closed session pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(1), Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, relating to the performance of a specific employee of the county.”

Trammell pointed out that while Newsome slightly out earns Ramsey when comparing salary, deferred salary and vehicle expense, the county administrator actually earns more when Ramsey’s Bull & Bear membership and bonus are factored in. Newsome’s contract does not allow him to earn a bonus.

“We advertised nationwide to get the best after Billy [Cannaday] left,” Trammell explained. “You can’t get the best cheaper. In government service, people are not rewarded for longevity. The only way to make more is to move from one [school] system to another. When [Ramsey] retires, unless the county hires from within, they’ll have to compete, and that will cost more.”

Ramsey has held his job since 1987.

Newsome has two PhDs. Earlier this year, Frank Barham, executive director of the Virginia School Board Association, who aided in Chesterfield’s search for superintendent, said there were few candidates who met the qualifications the county school board was seeking.