BY STACI WILSON
Stephanie Ostir was commended by the Mountain View School Board for her essay, “Service Above Self,” which earned first place from the New Milford Area Rotary Club and third place in Rotary District 7410. STAFF PHOTO/STACI WILSON
With a threat of losing extra-curricular activities in the coming school year, a Mountain View High School rising junior urged the school board to resolve the ongoing contract dispute with the teachers’ association.
Board President Thomas Stoddard said, at the Monday, June 22, meeting, that the board is in the process of negotiating with the union. “I ask that you ask the same questions of the union leadership,” he said, “It’s only fair. You ask us – ask them, too.”
The student said that if the contract was not settled by the conclusion of the summer, there would be no extra-curriculars. “They are taking a stand,” she said.
Teachers in the district are soon entering the fourth year without a contract in place.
The board’s labor relations committee announced a meeting planned for Tuesday, June 23, with the Mountain View Education Association.
The board adopted the final 2015-16 budget totaling $20,910,477.
The budget is based on 37.7128 mills real estate tax; $5 Act 511 per capita tax; $5 per capita tax under Section 679 of the Public School Code; Occupational Assessment Tax at 100 mills; a 1 percent earned income tax under Act 511; and a 1 percent Real Estate transfer tax.
The approved budget came with some questions about possible maintenance items – including work on the playing fields.
Stoddard said he didn’t recall the board approving work on the playing fields.
District Business Manager Joseph Patchcoski said if the board took the money set aside for the work out of the budget it would be out.
A total of $125,000 allocated for the fields remains in the current budget; and an additional $225,000 was allocated in the budget adopted by the board.
The board opted to leave the funds in the 2015-16 final budget even if the district does not move forward with the project in the coming school year.
Stoddard asked that the budget motion reflect that the field maintenance had not been approved.
Work to replace the lockers did gain board support. The project will take the bulk of the summer break to complete, maintenance director Bob Taylor said.
The contractor that installed the phone system over the winter break will be returning to finish the job, Taylor reported.
In a 6-3 vote, the board accepted the resignation of Jason Richmond as board treasurer for the 2015-16 school year. Directors Stoddard, Roy Twining and Michael Barhite sounded the “no” votes.
Ellen Ahearn was then unanimously appointed by the board to fill the treasurer’s position at a rate of $2,400 for the year.
Coaches for the fall, winter and spring sports’ seasons were approved, with the exception of the boys’ junior high basketball coach which was held out for further consideration by the board.
Jan Price will return as the district’s Athletic Director for the 2015-16 season, with a stipend of $6,000.
The Summer Kindergarten Readiness program and staffing received board approval. The program will run July 20-31, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Principals Robert Presley and Christine Kelly reviewed some of the proposed policy changes for the school dress code.
Presley noted solid, crewneck sweaters and sweatshirts will be allowed as “standalone” wear for students; and also spoke about acceptable “Spirit Day” attire.
Presley said students are given a chance to correct dress code violations prior to consequences being issued. “Consequences” are only given if a student refuses to correct the violation.
Proposed policy changes were to be placed on the district website on Tueday; changes in the wording are marked in yellow; and text appearing in red has been removed.
Patchcoski reported that for the upcoming year there are three bus routes open in the district – two local routes, and one CTC route.
He also had some “good news” to report to the board. An $80,000 project to speed up WiFi will receive over $79,000 in reimbursement from the eRate program.
Audience member Danielle Scott questioned the negative cafeteria balance. “I don’t understand why we can’t recoup the losses,” she said.
Stoddard said the district did not raise lunch prices in the past year.
The cafeteria balance was nearly $51,000 in the negative this past school year; an improvement over last year’s loss of over $60,000.
“The food is horrendous. We’re paying more and more. Something’s not right there,” Scott said.
Be the first to comment on "Student urges contract resolution"