Yorba Linda, Placentia-Yorba Linda school district express confidence in top management with raises

Yorba Linda City Council members and Placentia-Yorba Linda school district trustees have expressed confidence in the top-level managers they've hired to helm municipal operations and K-12 education by granting them 2.5 percent salary increases.

Unanimous votes by the council and school board were taken at public meetings earlier this month after the governing bodies concluded formal evaluations during closed-door sessions.

City Manager Mark Pulone's annual salary was increased to $253,224 starting Oct. 1. Pulone was hired in July of 2013, and last year, he was given a five-year contract extension to Oct. 1, 2023. He oversees a $38 million operating budget and some150 full- and part-time employees.

Schools superintendent Greg Plutko's annual salary was increased to $325,167 starting July 1. He was hired in July of 2016, and his contract has been extended through June 30, 2023. He oversees a $288 million all-funds budget and some 2,000 full-time equivalent employees.

Contracts for Plutko's top assistants were extended through June 30, 2022: Candy Plahy, deputy superintendent for educational services; David Giordano, assistant superintendent for business services; and Rick Lopez, assistant superintendent for human resources.

Salary increases for managers usually will be the same as for the district's certificated and classified employees, which currently are being negotiated between the unions and district.

Tuesday is the first day of school for some 25,000 students at 34 Placentia-Yorba Linda campuses, with students and teachers off Friday and Monday for the Labor Day weekend.

Teachers returned today for three days of meetings and lesson and classroom preparation.

Eighty certificated staff left the district last year: 48 retirements (among them 22 elementary, 19 high school and two middle school teachers) and 32 resignations. Trustees approved hiring 37 replacements at an Aug. 13 meeting.

Trustees also approved agreements with Yorba Linda and Placentia to keep school resource officers on high school campuses for the new school year as part of the district's safe school initiatives.

The arrangement with Yorba Linda provides an officer each day at Yorba Linda High School. The city and district share the cost, with the district paying about $110,000.

The agreement with Placentia provides two officers, one each day at El Dorado and Valencia high schools. The city and district share the cost, with the district paying about $246,000.

The district expects the officers “to positively impact student, staff and parental perceptions of school safety,” stated a report to trustees from Executive Director Richard McAlindin.

And interestingly, since July 1, the district already has received $251,245 in gifts, mainly cash from PTA fundraisers and donations from individuals and businesses, as well as such goods as computer, sports and musical equipment.

Last year's haul was $827,580.