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A letter about the Lake Pend Oreille School District budget appeared here on Tuesday, July 26, that contained serious factual errors. Contrary to the letter writer’s assertion, district records do not show “spendthrift” expenditures for desks and chairs and executive pay. There are no $1,800 chairs in the district nor a $3,400 desk-chair set.

Instead there are 70 new chairs at $25 each (a total of $1,779) for students at Farmin-Stidwell Elementary School. Likewise, there are 30 new student desk-chair sets for students at Sandpoint Middle School and another 30 for students at Sandpoint High School. Each batch of 30 cost $3,398, or $113 each.

Hey, letter writers, don’t rush to get your letter in the paper; ask for clarification from the district if numbers don’t look right to you. Facts still matter.

The writer also questioned administrator pay and “bonuses.” In the case of LPOSD, with executive pay we are getting what we pay for — excellent leadership at a cost well within the range of what similar-sized districts are paying. The school board is no longer handing out year-end bonuses, but — by contract — reserving a portion of annual pay of two top leaders — to be given as deferred compensation based upon meeting or exceeding performance goals. It is a widely used pay-for-performance compensation practice and an important tool for recruiting and retaining top-notch district leaders.

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Sagle