Final contract approved by school board
Agreement with teachers’ union brings applause from the publicBy MICAIAH WISE?BILGER, Sentinel reporter, mwise@lewistownsentinel.com
MIFFLINTOWN - A final contract was approved between the Juniata County School Board of Directors and the Juniata County Education Association, bringing applause from members of the public who attended the special meeting Thursday.
After almost two years of negotiations and the possibility of a strike, the contract was approved unanimously in a 6-0 vote Thursday, with board members Ralph Bashore, John Noss and Richard Burchfield being absent.
School Board President Gary Zeiders asked if all directors were informed of the meeting, and School Board Secretary Kenneth Eyler answered yes.
At a June 26 school board meeting, Bashore, Burchfield and Noss issued the three dissenting votes on a previous contract agreement. During the meeting, the contract was amended by Burchfield regarding language in Article 9, Section A, about reimbursing teachers for continuing education credits and participation in professional development activities.
After the June 26 meeting, members of JCEA spoke with school district administrators and amended the school board's amended contract. The teachers' amendment states that all reimbursement requests must be approved by the superintendent. The union voted to approve the contract on July 2.
School board members were required to vote again on the contract because of the teachers' amendment.
Zeiders commended Burchfield for bringing the language of Article 9, Section A to the other members' attention.
In regard to the approval of the contract, Zeiders said he was relieved.
"I can't feel excited about it, but I'm glad its over," he said. "We're moving on. We have a lot more to do in this school district."
Zeiders also thanked members of the teachers' union for quickly organizing a voting meeting on July 2.
"I applaud the teachers for voting so soon and getting it done," he said.
JCEA President Wayne Chrismer said he thanks the school board members and administration for their support for the contract, emphasizing that the agreement was a compromise.
"I am very relieved and happy that this is all over," Chrismer said. "I am happy to return to school and return to the education of our youth."
When contacted at home by The Sentinel, Noss said he decided not to attend the meeting because he thought the contract would be approved.
"I didn't want to be any part of it," Noss said. "I don't think the people of Juniata County need to be saddled with more taxes," which he said he believes are inevitable with the current contract.
The three-year contract, which retroactively covers the 2007-2008 school year, will expire on June 30, 2010. The school district will reimburse teachers for the salary increase of the first year in the contract because it has already passed; however, teachers also are required to reimburse the school district for health care costs for the first year.
According to contract information from Eyler, who also is the business manager for the school district, Juniata County will receive $73,710 in reimbursements for health care, and they will pay $87,258 to reimburse teachers for salary raises in the contract.
Terms of the contract include salary increases of 3.99 percent for the first and second years and 4 percent for the third year, and per-pay health care premium sharing of $13.50 for single, dual and family plans during the first year; $20 for single, $23 for double and $25 for family plans for the second year; and $22 for single, $25 for dual and $27 for family plans for the third year.
School board member Christine Shadel, who voted in favor of the contract, said she was happy that students will begin school on time.
"It (the contract) could have been better, but we compromised," she said.
School board member Elaine Van Horn, who also voted to approve the contract, said she was glad the school board approved the contract, and it can continue with its other business.
"I think we came to a reasonable agreement," Van Horn said. "It (the contract) will get us through until it is time to do it again."
Also voting in favor of the contract was Ronald Shearer, who said, "The action we took this evening will assure 3,143 children that school will start on time for the next two years.
"Some people will feel we did good. Some people will feel we did bad, but we did the best we could. Children and their education are our responsibility," Shearer said.
Superintendent Kenneth Albaugh also was pleased that the parties reached an agreement.
"It has been a long, trying year for the board ... but every school board meeting was conducted professionally," Albaugh said. "We can go on with the educational business of the school district."
The contract will become public record, Albaugh added.
Directors Mark Wagner and Bashore declined to comment about the teachers' contract. Burchfield and Randy Dressler were unavailable for comment after the meeting.
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MY3KIDS
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07-13-08 1:22 PM
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It is a shame that three of our School Board members felt they did not need to attend the meeting and vote for the contract. Even if they were voting "no", they would still be doing what the voters put them in their position to do. Besides, I feel everyone has forgotten what we are to be doing in the first place----- providing a solid education for our children.
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catch22
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07-11-08 8:23 PM
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By the way Ralph, how dare you weasel out of voting for "your" so called tax payers. You have a duty to give your vote for the public. Either yes or no so your region gets reprentation . I am in your area, and did not get the bang for my vote. Wait, I didn't vote for you in the first place. Must have been one of the Smart ones, thanks to my Juniata County education.
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catch22
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07-11-08 8:16 PM
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I see that I was correct in my last post. The 3 board members didn't attend the meeting. Their 3 no votes were already given so they did not show up.
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cu2
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07-11-08 1:14 PM
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"Why are these people on the board?" you ask. Might it be because Juniata Countians elected them into office? This, folks, is what you get and what happens when votes are cast with little or no thought aforehand. Just because a name is on the ballot does not mean one has to vote for that candidate or any other candidate for that matter. Maybe write-ins are warranted in your next election. Maybe people not voting is warranted. Now that's an even bigger message to candidates who aren't qualified to run for an office. I'm always amazed that in Pennsylvania anyone can & does run for certain offices, like school board. Tell me, for instance, what qualifies a school board member to know how best to educate children when that member's primary occupation concerns planting seeds, milking cows, slopping the hogs & fixin' the tractors & the pick-up?
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Annaquin
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07-11-08 10:04 AM
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Are all the directors adults? When we compromise- like instead of chips now you can have them after lunch- my 3 year old tends to hide back in his room. Good thing he has all these role models that care for his education so much to look up to. We are just a low-income working family, that want the best education for our kids so they have a better chance then my husband and I did, maybe we would care more about the "tax raise" - if I didn't see that as the inflammatory comment it is, then again I have a unique perspective- I have two toddlers at home that I deal with 24/7. And I know when they throw a tantrum, part of it is to try and get my emotions going to their side.
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smoothtom
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07-11-08 8:50 AM
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Were all directors informed of the meeting? Yes, of course they were. Did the three old curmudgeons decide to sit this one out as a sign of blatant disrespect? YES! Again, I ask: why are these three people on the board?
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voiceofbucks1
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07-11-08 6:52 AM
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Key words quoted in your article have become the hallmark of a return to sanity in JCSD- reasonable,compromise,& professionally. Commendations to both teachers, administrators, and school board members for their willingness to complete the contract dispute using those hallmarks. May that spirit continue to guide future negotiations and activities facing the JCSD.
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