Mahwah September 8, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 District teachers/school board in arbitration by Frank J. McMahon Unable to agree on the terms of a new contract, the Mahwah Board of Education and the Mahwah Education Association have proceeded to arbitration and fact finding. The association, informally known as MEA, represents the school district’s teachers, secretaries, custodians, maintenance staff, school bus drivers, and school aides. Superintendent Charles Montesano, Business Administrator Edward Deptula, and Laura Beattie, who is MEA president and co-chair of the negotiating committee, all declined to comment on the current status of the negotiations. The school board’s current one-year contract with the MEA was agreed to in June 2009, and it expired on June 30, 2010. That contract provided for a one-time savings in health care benefits of about $1.4 million as a result of the MEA’s agreement to change its health insurance coverage from Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield to the state’s School Employees Health Benefits Plan. The savings enabled the school district to return all 39 full-time paraprofessional staff members to full-time positions at that time. Prior to the health care change, those positions were slated for conversion to part-time positions, which would not have included health benefits. Following the reinstatement of the full-time paraprofessionals, the district realized a savings of $300,000, but both sides acknowledged that the agreement did not settle the long-term issues related to healthcare premiums. Under that agreement, employees who voluntarily elected to waive health insurance coverage were entitled to receive $4,500 per year, but employees who had a spouse or partner working in the district were not eligible for that benefit. The total salaries for MEA members rose by 4.3 percent under this agreement, an increase that was partially drawn from the savings derived from the change of health care carriers. The salaries for extra service positions increased by two percent. Since the previous multi-year contract expired on June 30, 2009, the school board and the MEA negotiating teams have been meeting and discussing proposals for a long-term contract. In March, the MEA declared that an impasse had been reached and a mediator was being assigned to the (continued on page 8) U PICK PUMPKINS Celebrating 100 Years! We are Fit �������������������������������� ��������������� ������������ Secor• Mahwah, NJ 07430 Farms 85 Airmont Ave 201-529-2595 secorfarms.com HAYRIDES Now booking school groups for October - $9/pumpkin - Min. 15 paid children � Waltz Right Into Gibling’s… Dance Right Out! DANCE HEADQUARTERS Pink & Black Ballet • Split Sole Black & White Jazz Shoes Tan & Black Character Shoe • Children’s Dance Garments Available WE ALSO CARRY THE JAZZ/HIP HOP DANSNEAKER �������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������� ��������������������� ����������� 9-1-10 JOAN/JANINE SecorFarmsPumpkins3x3Color(9-1-10) 3x3” COUPON