Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • May 12, 2010 Ho-Ho-Kus Fact-finding session scheduled for next week by Jennifer Crusco A fact-finding session has been scheduled for May 17 as the Ho-Ho-Kus Education Association and the Ho-HoKus Board of Education take the next step in the contract negotiation process. Talks began over a year ago, but the process reached the fact-finding stage in February. At that time, the New Jersey Public Employee Relations Commission presented the association and the board with a list of three fact-finders’ names. Each party was asked to strike one name and then rate the remaining candidates as first and second choices. Since that time, PERC appointed Timothy Hundley to handle the district’s case. Hundley’s responsibilities will include visiting the district, and hearing from both sides to discuss their needs. He will then make a non-binding recommendation for a new teachers’ contract. According to a resume available on the PERC website, Hundley holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in labor relations from the University of Massachusetts. He is a member of the Association of Labor Relations Agencies. Hundley’s mediation and fact-finding experience includes being appointed to more than 70 cases since he retired from New Jersey PERC in April 2006. He has served as PERC’s director of conciliation and arbitration, and was responsible for the administration of all the commission’s mediation, fact-finding, conciliation, and super-conciliation procedures. He was also responsible for the appointment, training, and supervision of PERC staff and ad hoc mediators. Hundley is an arbitrator and mediator. The board of education has also retained attorney Anthony Sciarrillo to assist the board with the fact-finding process. A school official previously explained that the board is required to hire an attorney when negotiations reach the fact-finding stage. Before reaching the fact-finding stage, the association and the board had three meetings with state-appointed mediator Kathleen Vogt, but were unable to reach an agreement. Both sides began the contract negotiations process in January 2009. The contract between the board of education and the HEA, the organization that represents the district’s teachers and other union employees, expired June 30, 2009. The school district previously reported that talks had resulted in a memorandum of agreement jointly signed by the parties’ negotiators in May 2009, but a majority of the HEA members did not ratify the terms of that proposed contract. In May 2009, Villadom TIMES reported that the members of the Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Education and teachers were working on the terms of a new contract for the district’s educators. A school board official reported that, despite the difficult financial circumstances, both sides were handling the matter professionally. Neither party has released details concerning the contract talks or the contract that was not ratified. CRAFTSMANSHIP AND QUALITY MATERIALS COMBINED WITH HOME HARDWARE VALUE See Our Selection Of Wood Patio and Deck Furniture, You Won’t Believe How Much You Get For Your Money FREE ASSEMBLY Garden Club hosts sale, speaker The Ho-Ho-Kus Garden Club will hold its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 15 (rain date: May 16), from 9 to noon, on the Ho-Ho-Kus Town Green at the corner of Sycamore and Franklin Turnpike. A wide variety of homegrown perennials, herbs, garden-related treasures and baked goods will be sold. Proceeds will help support the club’s Horticultural Scholarship Fund. For more information, call Lynda at (201) 445-7063. On May 17 the club will host Master Gardener Terry Holman at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the second floor meeting room at Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Hall. Holman will discuss Mel Bartholomew’s book on gardening strategy, “Square Foot, Raised Bed,” which will also be available for purchase. Prospective members are welcome. For details, call Debbie at (201) 445-9440. Trustees reorganize Adirond ac Chair k a Picnic T ble FREE DELIVERY 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Mon-Wed 7:30-6, Thurs & Fri 7:30-8, Sat 8-5 www.homehardwaresupply.com 201-652-5666 Open Sundays 9-3 (continued from page 7) leave,” BOE President Walsh said of Inglima. “We understand, but his absence will be felt. He was an important member of the board, and he has made some significant contributions over the years, but we understand it is a time commitment he can no longer make.” Prospective board members are invited to send letters of interest along with a resume and qualifications to Debora Ferrara’s office at the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School, 70 Lloyd Road, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423. By law, eligible candidates must be able to read and write; hold citizenship and a minimum of one year of residency in the school district; have no interest in any contract with, or claim against, the school board; not hold office as mayor or a member of the governing body of the same district; and must be registered to vote in the district and not be disqualified as a voter under N.J.S.A. 19:4-1. 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