JENNINGS — The Jeff Davis Parish School Board voted 8-2 Thursday to approve a one-time pay supplement for the district’s 800-plus employees.

Voting in favor of the supplement were Greg Bordelon, Charles Bruchhaus, Malon Dobson, Terry Leger, Denise Perry, Paul Trahan, Jason Bouley and Donald Dees.

Phillip Arceneaux and David Doise voted against the motion. Absent were David Capedville and Jimmy Segura.

As approved, the district’s 500 full-time certified employees, including teachers, principals, counselors and supervisors will receive $1,500. The district’s 384 full-time support personnel, including custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and clerical aides will receive $1,000.

Those working part-time will get half the approved amount.

The board will use $1.4 million of a $2.6 million budget surplus to fund the one-time supplements.

After the meeting, Arceneaux and Doise said they would like to see the supplements more equitable and fair for all employees.

“I voted against the $1,500 for the certified and $1,000 for support personnel because I thought it should have been equal across-the-board,” Arceneaux said. “Not only due to COVID, but each and every year, all our staff members do a phenomenal job and I think it should have been across-the-board.”

“I didn’t want to take any money away from the teachers, but I felt like maybe we could have looked into giving the support teachers more, if not equal, maybe just a little more,” David said.

Superintendent Kirk Credeur said teachers and support staff both work hard and deserve any extra money the board can afford to distribute.

“I wish we could give everybody a lot more, but there is a limit to what we can do,” Credeur said. “All of our employees deserve it and I am very happy that we are going to be able to give it out prior to the Thanksgiving holidays, which will help some of our families prepare for the holidays. They work hard, deserve it and I’m glad everyone is getting a stipend.”

The checks will be distributed on Nov. 19 and will be subject to all required employee payroll deductions including retirement and income tax withholdings.

Only employees who are actively employed at the end of the day on Nov. 1 will receive a supplement. Substitute teachers and school board members are not eligible for the stipend.

Employees last received a supplement in 2018. At that time, full-time certified employees received $1,100 with full-time support personnel receiving $600.