The Gadsden Independent School District on Monday tabled consideration of a voluntary retirement incentive that would pay eligible employees a one‑time $8,000 payment if they retire between Jan. 1 and July 1, 2026. Superintendent Dempsey presented the proposal as a tool to reduce long‑term personnel costs while giving staff a financial option.

District leaders said the payment would be made after an employee’s final paycheck and that paperwork must be submitted in 2025. "It would be a 1 time $8,000 payment," Superintendent Dempsey told the board as he reviewed the plan and planning timeline.

Board members and staff spent more than an hour asking for clarifications on eligibility, the number of approvals the district would accept and where the money would come from. Finance staff identified 241 positions eligible to retire; the district’s planning figures identified roughly 77 certified and 44 non‑certified slots as potential approvals for budgeting purposes, a staff member said. Board members asked for exact cost estimates and legal review before committing public funds.

Board member Laura Salazar Flores moved to table the item, citing the need for more information; the board voted to table the measure. Flores said she wanted data on how many employees typically retire and how many subsequently return to work, and she asked for a written legal opinion on the incentives.

District staff described logistical constraints tied to retirement and rehire rules. Employees who retire must notify the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board (ERB) on a timeline that can affect district planning, and any employee who returned after the three‑month retirement hiatus would have to reapply through the normal hiring process, human resources staff explained. The superintendent noted that delaying the decision reduces the district’s ability to plan the next fiscal year’s budget.

Board members emphasized concerns about equity between certified and non‑certified employees if staff return to work, and about whether any rehiring would be subject to the same hiring procedures as other applicants. Several members asked staff to run an employee survey on interest, provide exact cost scenarios and return with a legal review before the board takes further action.

Next steps: staff will provide the requested legal review, precise cost estimates, the historical count of retirees who returned to work, and a recommended ceiling for approvals if the board chooses to revive the proposal.