Voting 6-1, the board will no longer be able to earn cash in lieu of insurance or see a consumer price index raise each year, neither of which teachers receive.

"This may mark the first time that a board decision in which I participated conveyed to the public the impression that we are more concerned with our personal welfare than with the district's," said board member Ellen Wallace. "I, personally, and the board, collectively, have given too many hours of service to this fine institution for one decision to undo the record we've done our best to create."

The new decision is expected to quiet the board's critics, particularly educators, who were enraged to learn of the board's new compensation plan in July. Just days after a new law took effect, the board quadrupled its base salary from $3,000 to $12,000 annually and gave members the option of taking home $17,456 if they didn't want insurance. In total, a part-time board member could earn $29,456, or nearly as much as a first-year full-time teacher in the Jordan district.

The news of the mid-summer decision ricocheted among the district's teachers, many of whom were already demoralized by recent cuts to retirement benefits.

"It was yet a final blow," said Michelle Daly, a Bluffdale Elementary teacher. "It was a direct slap in my face."

A member of the teachers' union executive board reminded school board members that employees have to bargain to receive their share of the Legislature's annual funding - not earning an automatic raise.

"And so we feel the board should do this as well," said Marilyn Kurt, a math teacher at Joel P. Jensen Middle School.

The salary increase is symbolic, said Richard Salisbury, a district resident.

"If you're not going to spend it wisely now and make it fair to everybody, how are you going to do on your other decisions?" he asked.

Jordan board member Tracy Cowdell defended the July decision, explaining that it was not "willy-nilly," but based on data. The district had reviewed compensation packages for other elected officials.

However, it is believed to be unprecedented for elected officials in Utah to offer themselves dollars in place of insurance.

Hope remains among district employees that a committee will be formed to discuss a cash option for those who do not take insurance.

Despite Tuesday's decision, anger exists that school board members receive their insurance for free though teachers pay $684.29 each month for 10 months for the equivalent benefit.

The mistake the board made, Cowdell said, was that it probably should have had a committee study the compensation question and let the public and staff respond.

Kim Horiuchi, the single board member who voted against the night's final decision, explained that the consumer price index aspect was important.

She doesn't think other school boards should have to go through the compensation process again.

The board had wanted to be the first to tackle the issue because Jordan is the largest school district in the state, she said.

"We did want to set an example for other school boards," she said. "And show that serving on a school board is a valuable job."

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* JULIA LYON can be contacted at jlyon@sltrib.com or 801-257-8748.