Ridgewood October 24, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 Teachers, trustees agree on salary contract by John Koster The Ridgewood Board of Education and the Ridgewood Education Association have agreed to a teacher salary contract that provides a 2.75 salary increase for the next three years, but also places more insurance costs in the teachers’ court. “We feel the overall cost of these settlements appropriately balances the need to fairly compensate our excellent staff with our ongoing obligation to the community to be fiscally responsible,” said Ridgewood Board of Education President Sheila Brogan. “The board is pleased that the parties were able to reach these new agreements and that we have achieved a fair and reasonable settlement.” Michael Yannone, president of the Ridgewood Education Association, said that it was good to have the contract agreed upon and that the 18-month negotiations had been the longest in the district’s history. Teachers had demon- strated several times, but most members of the public appeared to see the resistance to wage increases as part of a general economic problem. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein reportedly praised both sides for their fiscal realism after the agreement was signed. Rumors of a settlement had been circulating for several (continued on page 8) Emergency Planning Committee members named The members of Ridgewood’s Local Emergency Planning Committee have been appointed to consider and coordinate all aspects of future emergencies. LEPC members include Mayor Paul Aronsohn, Village Manager Kenneth Gabbert, Emergency Management Coordinator Jeremy Kleiman and Deputy Coordinator and Emergency Services Chief Brian Pullman, Police Chief John Ward, Fire Chief James Van Goor, Emergency Services Captain Dave Kelly, Chief Financial Officer Stephen Sanzari, Operations Director Frank Moritz, Department of Public Works Director Christopher Rutishauser, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein, Valley Hospital representative Terry Reiss, Red Cross representative Rob Pavlick, Ridgewood News Editor Ed Virgin, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Joan Groome, Director of Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch Jack Tancos, and Health Department representative Dawn Cetrulo. J. KOSTER