The theater at MTHS will change its overtime rate for the theater manager from $27 an hour to anywhere between $30-32, according to Edmonds School District (ESD) Director of Facilities Brian Harding. The increase, Harding said, is due to the district learning they have not been paying employees enough for working beyond their scheduled day.

Harding originally proposed before the ESD School Board that it be raised to $43 an hour, a “flat cost,” as Harding described it, but the Board members expressed concerns with the increase. Most due to some months being busier than others for the theater, such as February with basketball season. With these comments, Harding and his team have lowered the overtime pay. They have not set a specific number yet, but it will most likely be in the lower 30s, Harding said.

Anyone renting the theater, which has not changed rates in six years, would be charged for this raise as the hours go beyond the expected 40 and into overtime,  Harding continued. There is no rental fee for MTHS functions, such as school plays, but other outside groups within the community are charged for the theater depending on their purpose and use.

Harding said that as long as they charge everyone “a little bit” throughout the year, through the ESD Community Use budget, it would eventually even out. The Community Use budget depends on income from facilities around ESD and therefore changes throughout the school year.

MTHS has the only theater manager throughout the district so it would be the only school affected by this change. The other high schools, except Lynnwood High School, all have “black box” theaters, smaller theaters used for various types of plays. Harding said the district will look into Lynnwood High School’s theater for more information on any overtime funding.