WCEA Executive Compensation Policy
Board Document · Adopted July 15, 2026
This policy governs how WCEA's board sets and approves pay for the Executive Director. The Executive Director never participates in or votes on their own compensation — every decision goes through disinterested directors only. To meet the IRS's "rebuttable presumption of reasonableness" standard, the board follows a three-step process: review comparable nonprofit executive pay data in Kentucky, get approval from directors with no conflict of interest, and document the comparable data and approving directors directly in the board minutes. It formally establishes John Chaney's compensation schedule — $8,000 in Year 1, stepping to $18,000, $30,000, $42,000, and $52,000+ through Year 5 — and confirms the board has reviewed comparable data and found this range reasonable. No benefits beyond cash compensation are authorized unless separately approved by board resolution.