Montrose Area teachers, board reach contract agreement

A public and contentious battle over a teachers’ contract came quietly to a close on Monday as the Montrose Education Association and the Montrose Board of Education both voted to approve the collective bargaining agreement.
MEA President Teri Evans told the board the association had voted to approve the agreement as submitted, prior to the board being asked to vote on it.
The contract was the only item on the board’s agenda for the special meeting held Oct. 30. With the entire board present, the agreement received a unanimous “yes” vote.
The contract is set for a term, Sept. 1 – Aug. 31, 2020. It includes a 3.64 percent increase for the current school year; and a 3.02 percent increase in 2018-19; and 2.20 for the 2019-20 school term.
Board member Karl Wimmer said reaching the settlement had been a “long haul” and that it was, at times, “painful to get to an agreement.”
But he added, he was grateful MEA came to an agreement with the board.
Wimmer, who is not seeking re-election, said he was happy to have the contract done before he left the board.
A statement released by the MEA read, in part: “The MEA voted to ratify an agreement with the MASD that runs through the 2019-2020 school year. The MEA has a long legacy of professionalism, nurturing academic success, and meeting the needs of its many students. Moving forward, the MEA, in concert with the community and the school district, will continue to honor this legacy.”