Contract would pay new Iowa City schools head $184,000

New Iowa City school district Superintendent Stephen Murley would be paid at least $184,000 a year, plus benefits, under a proposed contract released Friday.

That annual salary is $10,000 more than outgoing Superintendent Lane Plugge currently receives.

The school board will vote on the three-year contract at its meeting Tuesday. A copy of the contract is below.

Murley, age 43, is scheduled to start July 1. He has worked for the Wausau, Wis., school district for 11 years, including the past five as superintendent.

Plugge, who is 57 years old, has been superintendent of Iowa City schools for 11 years and is leaving for a job in western Iowa.

Murley's contract proposal sets his annual salary at $184,000, but if he receives his doctoral degree, it would be bumped to $190,000 for the remainder of the deal. Murley is in the process of receiving that degree.

School board President Patti Fields noted that Plugge hasn't received a pay raise in two years. That led to him slipping in rankings with his peers in the Urban Education Network, which is made up of Iowa's eight largest school districts in terms of enrollment.

Plugge is the most senior superintendent in the group, and the new hirers were driving up the market, Fields said.

Murley's base pay would rank seventh in the UEN this year. Adding in a tax-sheltered annuity and vehicle allowance, he would be sixth in total compensation, the same ranking Plugge has now.

The Iowa City school district is fifth in enrollment.

That tax-sheltered annuity is $20,000 a year, and the vehicle allowance is $7,000 annually, under the proposed contract.

Murley also would receive health, dental, disability and life insurance.

He would be reimbursed for moving expenses up to $15,000.

The school board will evaluate Murley's performance at least once a year.

Murley Contract