Raise could cost school jobs

By GWEN ALBERS Western News Reporter

Granting a 10-percent pay-raise to Libby School District's 107 teachers would require cutting "programs and people."

That could be achieved, for example, by laying off four to five long-term teachers, who make roughly $50,000 a year. Or furloughing eight to 10 younger teachers, whose salaries are half that amount, Libby Superintendent Kirby Maki told the school board during a Tuesday work session.

"I thought the board should know," Maki said. "We don't want to lose good young teachers or good seasoned teachers."

Middle school teacher Tim Hodel said the union is waiting for a counter offer from the school board, which offered 5 percent pay raises.

"We're still negotiating," said Hodel, negotiating chairman for Libby Education Association. "They have not countered."

Negotiations continued on Thursday, April 6, and will reconvene at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, in the Central Administration Building at 724 Louisiana Ave. They are open to the public.

The current one-year contract, which included a 5 percent pay raise for 2005-2006, expires June 30.

Libby teachers for 2006-2007 asked for a 10 percent pay-raise and a $50 increase in the district's contribution for their health insurance.

The district offered the 5 percent increase on the base pay of $23,534. For the new contract, the district has proposed raising the base pay to $24,711; the union has asked for $25,887.

To honor the teachers' request, the school district would need an extra $560,000 to $580,000 for salaries. The district's offer at 5 percent would require $330,000.

"It still has to be looked at whether it can be afforded," said school board member Jerry Frament. "We're tight at 5 percent."

"We want to keep the student-teacher ratio low, so we're not sure how much above 5 percent we can progress," Maki added.

The union doesn't want to cut the student-teacher ratio, Hodel said.

"That's why it's negotiations," he said. "Maybe we can get a multi-year deal. We're hopeful that we can agree on numbers."

Also, anticipating a 10.64 percent rate increase for health insurance, the district will need another $90,000 to $95,000 for premiums for it 150 employees; it currently pays $800,000 to $900,000. Employees contribute 25 percent to 30 percent toward health insurance costs, Maki said.

The district over the past 8 years has seen its population decrease by 60 students annually to 1,371. The district loses $5,000 a year in state funding for each student lost.

"If the money were there, I think we'd be closer than we are," Frament said. "I don't want to spend all our money on salaries and the find out our roof leaks."

"As much as we're the trustees for the purse strings, we're also (the trustees) for the education," added school board member John Herrmann. "It's not that we want to say 'no.'"

Not replacing retirees would help. Physical education teacher Dolly Crum will retire and teacher Chris Ralph has resigned to leave the area. No more retirements are expected.

Libby teachers since 1998-99 have received average annual raises of 4 percent. For this year, they are paid $618 less than the average teacher from 24 districts similar in size in Montana, including Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Bozeman and Billings.

In addition, Libby currently ranks 16th out of the 24 school districts for its pay; the union's proposal would improve the ranking to ninth while the district's offer would put Libby in 15th. In 18 communities the size of Libby, the teaching salaries for the district rank 16th. In the state, Libby ranks 48th in pay out of 173 districts.

In addition, a teacher pays $43 a month or $516 a year for insurance on an individual plan; $94 a month or $1,128 for a husband and wife; and $126 a month or $1,512 for a family plan. The deductible is $2,000 and a 50 percent co-pay is required on medical bills for up to $3,000 for an individual and $6,000 for a family.