Hanover School Board members vote to double their salaries

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Hanover School Board members voted unanimously to double their salaries on Tuesday.

The finance committee of the county's Board of Supervisors previously "conducted a market study of all boards and commission compensation," according to school board documents. Based on the result of that study, committee members recommended that the salaries of all school board members should more than double.

Specifically, the committee recommended increasing board members' salaries from $8,000 to $17,490 and the salary of the board chair from $9,100 to $18,590. Additionally, it was recommended that board members receive merit increases approved for all employees.

The full Board of Supervisors approved these recommendations during a May meeting, sending them over to the school board for final approval. That approval came during a regular meeting on Tuesday, June 10, with a unanimous vote.

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One community member voiced opposition to the proposal, saying that she was "disappointed" by the move. She asked why the board needed a raise over other school district employees. No other speakers during the public comment period discussed these salary increases.

Other nearby school districts have made similar moves in the past. For example, Richmond School Board members' salaries doubled on Jan. 1, increasing from $10,000 to $20,000.

Hanover School Board members will begin to receive their new rate of pay on Jan. 1, 2026.

This decision also comes shortly before two current school board members -- including Board Chair Robery May -- retire and are replaced with two new appointees. Their terms end on June 30.