LAURINBURG — Scotland County Schools Superintendent Takeda LeGrand is two months into her first year with the district and a contract that will pay her a base (state) salary of $129,036. But a set of supplements, which are common to a school superintendent’s salary, will bump her overall salary worth to $151,689.
According to information supplied by Scotland County Schools Public Information Officer Meredith Bounds, the supplements to LeGrand’s state salary include a local salary supplement of $20,000.04 and a benefit supplement of $2,653.56 — all of which breaks down into a monthly benefit supplement of $221.13.
LeGrand’s salary is significantly less than former Superintendent Ron Hargrave, who retired on Oct. 1, 2020, after seven years with the district.
Hargrave’s salary in 2019, including supplements, was $255,123.19 while in 2020 it was $206,450.68 with supplements.
His breakdown of the 2019 salary included a state salary of $129,753.36; the local salary supplement was $37,432.80; the retirement contribution supplement was $11,311.20; a benefit supplement was $15,553.20; annual leave was $22,340.36; and longevity was $8,732.27.
The local benefit supplement for 2019 totaled $289.52 per month.
For 2020, his state salary was $97,315.02; his local salary supplement was $28,074.60; retirement contribution supplement was $8,483.40; benefit supplement was $11,664; annual leave was $51,452.80; and longevity was $9,459.96.
Local benefits remained the same as the previous year.
Pension spiking
It is believed that Hargrave’s retirement caused the potential for a $406,425.12 bill coming to Scotland County Schools from the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System for pension spiking
In January, The Exchange spoke with Treasurer Dale Folwell who stated the expected bill is because of a dramatic increase in the salary of Hargrave over the final few years of employment, which results in a substantial increase in the pension which they otherwise wouldn’t have received.
Folwell said that come factors that can cause an entity to have to pay the compensation include the substantial increase in compensation from late‐career promotions, conversion of benefits into compensation and leave payouts at retirement. The breakdown from what exactly caused Scotland County’s bill has not been released.
The Scotland County Schools Board of Education has not yet discussed the pension spiking claim by the State Treasurer’s Office.
Katelin Gandee can be reached at kgandee@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com. To support the Laurinburg Exchange, subscribe here: https://laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com/subscribe.