WEBVTT 00:00:00.578 --> 00:00:09.155 - I'll call this meeting to order. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the 00:00:09.155 --> 00:00:17.564 - flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, 00:00:17.564 --> 00:00:25.974 - indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. Please be seated. Welcome to our 00:00:25.974 --> 00:00:27.390 - special meeting. 00:00:27.714 --> 00:00:37.470 - of the Richland Bean Blossom Community School Corporation. This is a special meeting regarding the teacher's 00:00:37.470 --> 00:00:46.511 - collective bargaining agreement. Let the record reflect that all board members are present and we're 00:00:46.511 --> 00:00:56.446 - very thankful. And are there any visitors who would like to make comments? Seeing none, we'll get right to our 00:00:56.578 --> 00:01:06.404 - Action item which is consideration to approve the 2026 2027 teachers collective bargaining agreement. 00:01:06.404 --> 00:01:16.711 - Dr. Sanders, please I'm going to go through the tentative agreement and Not necessarily the whole contract 00:01:16.711 --> 00:01:23.550 - but everything in the tentative agreement is in the contract so we had 00:01:23.810 --> 00:01:36.297 - three bargaining sessions with the Teachers Association and I came to a tentative agreement which they 00:01:36.297 --> 00:01:48.664 - met and approved. 78% of their members voted in favor of the contract. Just going through some of the 00:01:48.664 --> 00:01:50.846 - highlights of it. 00:01:51.138 --> 00:02:04.567 - As far as salary, we added $1,000 to the base for every teacher and so the new salary range is from 00:02:04.567 --> 00:02:18.668 - $48,000 for a year for new teachers and $84,200 for teachers at the top of the scale. We also negotiated 00:02:18.668 --> 00:02:20.414 - an agreement 00:02:21.186 --> 00:02:30.717 - It's just a natural occurrence that over the years, teachers come in under different contracts. And 00:02:30.717 --> 00:02:40.342 - as a result, over the years, some teachers could get off mode, not be at the same level of salary of 00:02:40.342 --> 00:02:43.678 - their colleagues who have the same 00:02:43.874 --> 00:02:56.671 - years of experience and same education. And so we worked with the association. I came up with a process 00:02:56.671 --> 00:03:08.976 - to be able to catch up those teachers who were not on the mode. And so we agreed on 21 teachers who 00:03:08.976 --> 00:03:13.406 - will be getting a catch up increase 00:03:13.730 --> 00:03:25.791 - to their base anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000. Now, we, you know, the current financial situation is, 00:03:25.791 --> 00:03:37.852 - as we know, for schools across Indiana are not a great place, so just to pay for this outright would 00:03:37.852 --> 00:03:42.270 - be a challenge. So we also looked at 00:03:42.434 --> 00:03:54.960 - some language in our contract that paid the insurance, all except for a dollar, for eight teachers in 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:07.241 - the corporation. So we removed that language and so therefore we'll be able to afford this catch-up 00:04:07.241 --> 00:04:12.030 - measure. In terms of health insurance, 00:04:12.290 --> 00:04:22.978 - The school corporation will continue to pay the 50% insurance contributions remain status quo with the 00:04:22.978 --> 00:04:33.354 - corporation covering 50% of any insurance increase. We did add language because insurance increased 00:04:33.354 --> 00:04:42.174 - the school trust that we work with for our health insurance. They approved a premium 00:04:42.498 --> 00:04:51.587 - freeze for one month. So during the month, well, it'll be in December that those on the insurance will 00:04:51.587 --> 00:05:00.588 - not have to pay their health insurance premium, but it'll come out in their November check because we 00:05:00.588 --> 00:05:10.206 - pay, they pay for it one month ahead of time. So to do that, we had to change some language in the contract. 00:05:11.746 --> 00:05:24.042 - We have had in the past language that if a teacher was out before a holiday that they would be charged 00:05:24.042 --> 00:05:36.339 - two days for one and just because we were concerned about the number of teachers who were absent prior 00:05:36.339 --> 00:05:38.846 - to a holiday and we, 00:05:39.810 --> 00:05:49.229 - We really don't think that that was totally effective and so we worked with the association, we changed 00:05:49.229 --> 00:05:58.647 - that language and we reduced it down to two days right before Thanksgiving and the Friday before spring 00:05:58.647 --> 00:06:06.526 - break and the purpose of keeping those two days in there is the data showed that those 00:06:06.626 --> 00:06:17.173 - those times of the year, we still have a high absenteeism of teachers prior to those vacations. Let's 00:06:17.173 --> 00:06:27.616 - see here. We put in language that if we were ever to offer the teachers early retirement, if we were 00:06:27.616 --> 00:06:34.750 - ever to do that, that we would have to notify them by February 15th. 00:06:37.218 --> 00:06:46.779 - And then we added ECA teachers certified and assigned to teach ACP dual credit courses. We'll receive 00:06:46.779 --> 00:06:56.152 - a stipend of $200 per course per semester for the extra work that goes along with teaching ACP dual 00:06:56.152 --> 00:07:01.214 - credit courses. Jennifer, is there anything I missed? 00:07:06.370 --> 00:07:17.739 - Now, I want to say something about the contract that I emailed to you. It had an appendix B1 was an 00:07:17.739 --> 00:07:29.450 - old appendix B1. So if you remember last year, we agreed with the association to look at ECA after the 00:07:29.450 --> 00:07:36.158 - bargaining period and in January, the board approved that. 00:07:36.290 --> 00:07:50.147 - a new ECA schedule. But what I sent you out didn't have that version of it. So I put it in the contract 00:07:50.147 --> 00:08:03.471 - that's before you tonight. OK. Thank you very much, Dr. Sanders. Let's get this on the table. Do we 00:08:03.471 --> 00:08:05.470 - have a motion? 00:08:09.538 --> 00:08:20.885 - Moved and seconded. Any questions, discussion? I would like to, Brandy Abel couldn't be here tonight. 00:08:20.885 --> 00:08:32.565 - She's in a parent teacher conference. But I really appreciate the relationship we have with our teachers 00:08:32.565 --> 00:08:38.238 - association. We work really hard. We have a common 00:08:39.042 --> 00:08:47.577 - and that is we want to be able to take care of our teachers. Now we also want to be fiscally responsible 00:08:47.577 --> 00:08:55.949 - for the school corporation, but we work, I think we work well to do as much as we can for our teachers 00:08:55.949 --> 00:08:59.038 - given our current economic situation. 00:08:59.202 --> 00:09:10.061 - And I told the teachers after we came to a tentative agreement, I told them, I complimented them and 00:09:10.061 --> 00:09:20.812 - said that I thought they came up, we came up with a contract that is fair to more people, okay? And 00:09:20.812 --> 00:09:28.446 - I think anytime you do that, it's a good contract, trying to think of, 00:09:28.610 --> 00:09:39.317 - everybody, and that was the intent, so. Thank you. Yeah, I too thank the association and their willingness 00:09:39.317 --> 00:09:50.024 - to work with us, and I mean, we have been extremely transparent in our finances. I mean, they know exactly 00:09:50.024 --> 00:09:58.430 - dollar for dollar what we got, what we're doing with it, and what our situation is. 00:09:58.562 --> 00:10:11.633 - You know, it's a, we maybe do a, did a little bit more than our financial folks would have liked maybe, 00:10:11.633 --> 00:10:24.452 - but it, you know, you got to have a balance too, you know. So, I mean, they, of course, go along with 00:10:24.452 --> 00:10:28.222 - it, but I'm just saying it's, 00:10:28.354 --> 00:10:39.031 - It makes things difficult on them too because now they've got to keep that purse strings even tighter 00:10:39.031 --> 00:10:49.500 - and so it adds a lot of work for them to be able to do what we've done. As always, we wish we could 00:10:49.500 --> 00:10:57.246 - do more. We've done a little, probably a little more than we should have, 00:10:57.890 --> 00:11:07.452 - that we can make it work when we all work together. And again, most of all, I appreciate the relationship 00:11:07.452 --> 00:11:16.563 - that we've had for years and years and years with the association. The relationship, you know, among 00:11:16.563 --> 00:11:26.846 - this board, between board and administration, administration and staff, I mean, it's just a great place, culture, 00:11:27.298 --> 00:11:37.462 - when we can all work together and, you know, we realize we wish we could do more. Everybody realizes 00:11:37.462 --> 00:11:47.526 - that. But everybody does understand, I believe, that, you know, we do what we can. And the teachers 00:11:47.526 --> 00:11:55.678 - know how much we appreciate them. We know how hard they work each and every day. 00:11:56.706 --> 00:12:06.574 - One of us has been one of those teachers that has done that. One of us has been a principal who watching 00:12:06.574 --> 00:12:16.160 - those teachers do that. One of us has a wife and a son who are teachers who are doing that every day. 00:12:16.160 --> 00:12:26.686 - So we care for the teachers and we really do. And so we really appreciate them and we do wish we could do more. 00:12:26.818 --> 00:12:35.950 - But we are just happy that we have a culture where we can work together and come to an agreement. 00:12:35.950 --> 00:12:45.267 - And just, I think we're blessed to be here. So. If I could just say one more thing, Dana. I want to 00:12:45.267 --> 00:12:54.958 - thank the team that represented the board, which was Susan Shockney, Debbie Tate, Paul Fetter, Jennifer 00:12:54.958 --> 00:12:56.542 - Barrett, myself. 00:12:56.642 --> 00:13:05.192 - I felt like more than any other year, we were making very informed decisions when we were looking at 00:13:05.192 --> 00:13:13.657 - the, you know, okay, what kind of increase, what would cause what effect. And they were right there 00:13:13.657 --> 00:13:22.545 - with information and so I felt more confident than ever in the decision we made. So I just want to thank 00:13:22.545 --> 00:13:26.270 - them. Yes, definitely. Thank you very much. 00:13:26.402 --> 00:13:38.022 - I think over the last, especially, I don't know, five, six, seven years, as time has gone on, our financial, 00:13:38.022 --> 00:13:49.536 - the way that we've looked at the finances has just gotten better and better, and we're just really thankful 00:13:49.536 --> 00:13:53.694 - for all the hard work you guys put in. 00:13:54.146 --> 00:14:00.703 - Any questions or further discussion? Mr. Kerr's comments, and this is a little bit earlier this year, 00:14:00.703 --> 00:14:07.388 - isn't it, than last year, as far as getting it settled? I think we were a little bit ahead of the game. 00:14:07.388 --> 00:14:13.816 - Yeah, we are. OK, but they'll get the catch-ups before Christmas again. So that gives you guys just 00:14:13.816 --> 00:14:20.244 - a little bit more time this year. I know it's always rushing around for you guys, so appreciate all 00:14:20.244 --> 00:14:22.622 - you guys do with getting that ready. 00:14:22.850 --> 00:14:30.876 - In the next couple of days, we're gonna be talking about, and I need to get on the phone with Paul, 00:14:30.876 --> 00:14:38.902 - talking about any possible increases for support staff and administrators. We wanna try to get that 00:14:38.902 --> 00:14:46.928 - before the board, for the November meeting, and then be able to determine which pay the retro would 00:14:46.928 --> 00:14:51.422 - go out to the staffs. But prior to Christmas, we think, 00:14:53.314 --> 00:15:02.485 - Okay, good. Okay, anything further? Hearing nothing, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? 00:15:02.485 --> 00:15:09.822 - Motion carries. That being our only action item, this meeting is adjourned.