School board reaches agreement with two more unions
Libby School Board members on Monday agreed to contracts with two more of its five unions, clearing the way for approvals of the final two in the coming weeks.
During its meeting last month, the board agreed to a deal with the Libby Education Association, the largest group, which consists of teachers.
By a 6-0 vote Monday, board members approved contracts with the custodians and maintenance workers who are members of the American Federation of School Custodial Maintenance Employees, and the Libby Lunch Bunch Association. Together, these unions represent 16 district workers.
Currently, the district is in the final throes of negotiations with both the LAEOP and the LPA, which represents five district secretaries and the 16 paraprofessionals.
Thus far, the district has the groups agreeing to a zero percent base-salary increase. However, the teachers union will get steps and lanes pay increases, which the district has calculated to be an additional $120,000 for next year.
“Hardly has a school district not given steps and lanes,” Superintendent K.W. Maki said. “(Steps and lanes) may not be a God-given right, but hardly are they not given.”
Steps and lanes are increases for an additional year of service as an in-classroom teacher, and lanes are based on several factors including college education, professional development through in-service courses and graduate education.
A message left for LEA Union Representative Tracy Graham for comment on the steps and lanes increases was not returned.
Months ago, board members addressed a $700,000 shortfall for the 2013-14 school year. In preparing to meet its budget demands for next year, the district planned to cut $350,000, which it has, and request a mill levy for the balance of $350,000. The tax increase, if improved, would be the first since 2001. An election to decide the mill levy and two board positions is scheduled May 7.
“We’ve been successful in cutting the initial $350,000,” Maki said. “If the levy doesn’t pass, we’ll be doing this all over again. We could have asked for the whole $700,000, but we didn’t want to do that. We’re trying to do this in good faith.”
In addition to deciding the mill levy, voters will elect two members to the board. The three-year terms of President Tracy Comeau and member Les Nelson are expiring. Comeau is not seeking re-election, however, Nelson is as are candidates Sarah Crace and John Carlson.
Comeau has cited wanting more time with her family as the reason she is not seeking re-election. Nelson is just completing his first three-year term.
In other action, the board:
• Approved the 6.8 percent increase cost for employee medical insurance. The percentage means an additional cost of $53,693, of which 15 percent or $8,053 will be paid by employees.
• Acknowledged an additional 3.75 percent hike for a Flathead Electric Cooperative rate increase. “We’ll just have to do a better job managing the usage,” Maki said. He also expects there to be a savings in energy efficiency as a result of the new boiler system installed at Libby High School.
• Approved the purchase of Black Mountain software, a program that will assist Finance Director Leslie Forster with her duties. The $64,650 program, for which the district has been saving for eight years, will interface with other programs, most notably it is congruent with the programs for the Office of Public Instruction in Helena. “This purchase has been planned for a long time,” Maki said. “It’s not coming out of the General Fund dollars.”
• Approved a commitment agreement with Lincoln County for the library to move into the former Asa Wood Elementary School. Librarian Rick Ball will study various aspects and costs of the move. Ball has two years, until April, 15, 2015, to acquire funding and determine plans for the move. Ball conceded the library has outgrown its current site. He said the library has 4,900 visitors each month, is third in the entire state with 19,000 inter-library book loans. “The big vision is to show the future of what this can be — an informational and technology center,” Ball said. “It’s a great opportunity for the people of Libby and Lincoln County.”