Negotiations with the teachers union was on the agenda of the Thursday Paris School Board meeting basically just to update the board on the next negotiation session date.
But that didn”t stop one board member from expressing her disappointment with the initial proposal put forth by the teachers union.
Said board member Connie Bevry:
“I was really disappointed … I’m concerned that the union doesn’t care about the school, whether it closes or not … I have no idea what the union is thinking about Paris School.”
The district and the union exchanged initial proposals Sept. 30. The union is proposing a 3 percent wage increase. The school district is proposing a wage freeze.
The two sides will next face each other over the negotiating table Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m., at the school in a closed session.
This round of contract negotiations has been mentioned a lot in public discussions of dealing with the district’s financial troubles. An anticipated shortfall in revenue led the district to hold two tax levy referendums in the last year, one which failed and one which passed. With many pointing the finger at the district’s higher than average pay and benefits cost as a contributing factor to the district’s financial situation, the board has been under pressure to negotiate concessions in the new pact. Most recently, the outcome of these negotiations were mentioned by the Paris Town Board as being a factor in whether the town can make a contribution to the non-profit foundation set-up to benefit the school district.
Note: I finally have the initial proposals posted. Teachers here. School district here.
Here was my comment to the school board, a rebuttal to Mr. Moore statement
on September 30.
I wanted to see how much State Aid, teachers’ salaries, benefits, and Post Employment Benefits(PEB) have changed since 2002.
I established a baseline at 2002 and calculated the amount above or below this baseline to get the amount of change. Call this Base Diff.
I then added up these amounts for a Sum Diff.
On the Expense side
The Total amount spent for PEB over 7 years was $1.347 million. The Total amount spent for salaries was $1.255 million and the amount for benefits was $838,819.
This is NOT a year to year difference, but the amount spent over this time.
The total amount spent for teacher expenses was $3.44 million
On the revenue side
The Total property tax used over this period was $2.284 million and $1 million from the Fund Balance was spent.
State Aid varied over these eight years, sometime above and below the baseline. It decreased $190,464, mostly in the last two years.
The revenue above the baseline was $3.1 million and the majority was from the Fund Balance and Property Taxes.
Conclusion: Paris’ financial problem is not related to declining State Aid. The 3.44 million spent for teachers came from Property taxes and the Fund Balance. State Aid is -6% of the revenue above baseline.
In the news: No cost of living for Social Security recipients. Kenosha employee unions willing to take a pay freeze for 2010.
The tables and charts including in my handout could not be duplicated here.
Darren can you post my handout next to the contract information?
Darren left out many things.
Roger announced his contract is up for renewal.
To School Board: make sure you remove Post Employment Benefits from his contract.
An election deadline is approaching Nov. 24. Not sure if this is for Spring elections. No information was presented on the Special Meeting Date/Time for Tax Levy Certification. Another contract negotiation meeting is being held October 26 at 6:30pm, a closed meeting of course.
A budget meeting was held October 5 after I was told in September no meetings were scheduled and they happen only as needed. No notice on school’s website either.
No comments from the school board on my rebuttal to Mr Moore’s remarks at the contract negotiation meeting. I passed out a handout and read the above to the school board and asked it to be included in the minutes. The part timer would not even look at it, as expected. Beth Labell said State Aid is still an important factor in Paris’ financial situation. I agreed, but based on my analysis of the amount over the baseline it is only 6% of the problem.
I’m convinced this school board is still in denial of Paris’ financial problems. This board is also in denial of what the Town Board stated at their special meeting, COMPLETE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS FIRST.
Your bias is showing
I just read a letter that you published on your website that was written by a resident to the Central board. I submitted a handout for publishing that I gave to the Paris school board and you still have not published it. You created a special story just to get out Connie Bevry’s comment, but you won’t extend it to other residents. You have failed to post the Special levy meeting on October 26 after I asked you to post it.
Your objectivity is gone.
Your bias is showing, shame on westofthei.com.