Salary set for new Iowa City superintendent

The Iowa City school board Tuesday night unanimously approved a three-year contract for the district's new superintendent, Stephen Murley.

Murley's salary will be $184,000 annually. Each year he also will receive $20,000 toward a tax-sheltered annuity and a $7,000 vehicle allowance, plus other benefits.

That's $10,000 more than current Superintendent Lane Plugge's salary, and the annuity and car allowance are slightly more than Plugge receives.

Murley will start work July 1. Plugge is leaving for a job in western Iowa after 11 years with the Iowa City school district.

Murley's total compensation would rank him sixth among Iowa's eight largest school districts this year, although that does not take into account pay increases those other superintendents may have received for next school year.

The Iowa City school district has the state's fifth-highest enrollment this year.

If Murley receives his doctoral degree – something he is working on now – his salary will increase to $190,000.