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- Negotiations stall with Toppenish teachers’ contract
Negotiations stall with Toppenish teachers’ contract
- By Richard Burger
- Published 10/27/2009
- Front Page
- Unrated
Negotiations between the Toppenish School District and the unions representing teachers and the classified employees are both in mediation, Toppenish School District Assistant Superintendent John Cerna said late last week.
According to Cerna, te talks with teachers are stalled on economic issues.
“Money is the problem,” said Cerna, who noted talks went into mediation near the end of August.
Cerna blamed cuts by the Washington Legislature for creating district budget constraints that leave the district with less-than-desirable reserves.
He said the district should have unrestricted reserves of 5 percent of the annual budget, and reserves are now at 2.9 percent.
“Our budget is what it is,” Cerna said.
The state received some of the federal stimulus funds from legislation passed earlier this year, and the Toppenish district received about $1.4 million of that money, but the state cut the same amount that would have come directly from Olympia, as it struggled to deal with its own budget crunch caused by the weak economy.
Toppenish School District’s business manager Dave Andrews said in June the upshot was the district would have to formulate its budget with a loss of about $1 million in state funds.
He said the administration budget was cut 2.5 percent, including cutting one full-time administrative position, and he asked for the same reduction from the district bargaining units.
The outcome of the negotiations could have an effect on whether or not certified and classified positions will be cut.
Andrews also said he was more concerned about the 2010/11 school year that the current year, because he’s convinced that there will not be another stimulus package passed.
If the state’s economy doesn’t rebound enough to generate the needed tax revenue, the potential shortfall will be even more severe.
Cerna echoed Andrews’ concern.
“I’m really worried about 2010/11,” he said.
Cerna said negotiations with the classified employees were going into mediation for “a little different issues,” but he declined to be more specific.
The district is tentatively scheduled to meet with the classified representatives once in October and twice near the end of November.
Further talks with teacher representatives are scheduled for Nov. 3 and 4.
According to Cerna, te talks with teachers are stalled on economic issues.
“Money is the problem,” said Cerna, who noted talks went into mediation near the end of August.
Cerna blamed cuts by the Washington Legislature for creating district budget constraints that leave the district with less-than-desirable reserves.
He said the district should have unrestricted reserves of 5 percent of the annual budget, and reserves are now at 2.9 percent.
“Our budget is what it is,” Cerna said.
The state received some of the federal stimulus funds from legislation passed earlier this year, and the Toppenish district received about $1.4 million of that money, but the state cut the same amount that would have come directly from Olympia, as it struggled to deal with its own budget crunch caused by the weak economy.
Toppenish School District’s business manager Dave Andrews said in June the upshot was the district would have to formulate its budget with a loss of about $1 million in state funds.
He said the administration budget was cut 2.5 percent, including cutting one full-time administrative position, and he asked for the same reduction from the district bargaining units.
The outcome of the negotiations could have an effect on whether or not certified and classified positions will be cut.
Andrews also said he was more concerned about the 2010/11 school year that the current year, because he’s convinced that there will not be another stimulus package passed.
If the state’s economy doesn’t rebound enough to generate the needed tax revenue, the potential shortfall will be even more severe.
Cerna echoed Andrews’ concern.
“I’m really worried about 2010/11,” he said.
Cerna said negotiations with the classified employees were going into mediation for “a little different issues,” but he declined to be more specific.
The district is tentatively scheduled to meet with the classified representatives once in October and twice near the end of November.
Further talks with teacher representatives are scheduled for Nov. 3 and 4.