Ramsey September 26, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 The Ramsey Board of Education has voted 9-0 to approve the new contract with the Ramsey Teachers Association. The agreement also covers the district’s office personnel, who are organized as ROPA, the Ramsey Office Personnel Association. “This settlement continues the long-term effort to put our district on a solid financial foundation,” Ramsey School Board President Anthony Gasparovich told Villadom TIMES after last week’s vote. “The contract represents a fair balance between district and staff needs.” The trustees and the association members had recently announced the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement, which concluded the contract negotiations for the school Trustees approve new contract with teachers, ROPA years 2010-11 through 2012-13. The Ramsey Teachers Association voted to ratify the contract, and the Ramsey Board of Education took action at last week’s meeting. The contract consists of two parts. The first is a oneyear agreement, formalizing the disputed contract from the 2010-11 school year. The new agreement reaffirms the 4.35 percent salary increase previously paid in 2010-11, and there is no additional expenditure associated with the 201011 school year. The second part of the agreement maintains a wage freeze for school year 2011-12 and calls for a 2 percent salary increase for 2012-13. The teaching staff and office personnel, who are now part of the RTA bargaining unit, have also agreed to shift from their traditional medical insurance plan to the New Jersey School Employees’ Health Benefits Program at a cost savings of $100,000 per month to the school district. In exchange for this change, a one-time payment of $800 will be paid to all employees covered by this contract. Pursuant to state law, the staff contributes to the cost (continued on page 21) On Sept. 7, Officer Macaluso was dispatched to an Interstate Shopping Center business for a shoplifter in custody. At the conclusion of the investigation, a 47-year-old Midland Park woman was arrested for shoplifting. On Sept. 8, a 30-year-old Easton, Pennsylvania woman responded to the Ramsey Police Department to satisfy a warrant. Officer Rork processed the arrest. Officer Banta was dispatched to an Interstate Shopping Center business for a shoplifter in custody on Sept. 9. At the conclusion of the investigation, a Mahwah woman, 38, Borough Police Department Report was arrested for shoplifting, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. On Sept. 10, Officer Arsi was detailed to a report of a missing person at a residence in Ramsey. At the conclusion of the investigation, a 43-year-old borough man was arrested for two counts of endangering the welfare of his children. Patrolman Fiore was dispatched to an Interstate Shopping Center business for a shoplifter in custody on Sept. 13. An 80-year-old Bardonia, New York woman was arrested. Ramsey Cub Scout Pack 175 is seeking sponsors and prize donations for the Oct. 28 Pancake Breakfast. Table sponsorships are available for $50. Tickets to this all you can eat event are $6 and may be purchased at the door. Breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. to noon in the cafeteria at Saint Paul’s School located at 187 Pancake Breakfast sponsors sought Wyckoff Avenue. Last year’s breakfast netted over $10,000. To sponsor a table, send a check made payable to “Ramsey Pack 175” to: Janet Freitag, 401 Elizabeth Avenue, Ramsey, NJ 07446 by Oct. 23. To donate a prize, or for details, call (551) 579-2100 or e-mail janet512@yahoo.com.