Disrespect and abdication of fiscal responsibility
At the Finance Committee, citizen representative asked about the qualifications of "trainers" who frequently receive hefty stipends for a day (or less) seminars related to staff development. Finance Committee chair Jim McCourt waived off the question and stated that he is not capable of judging qualifications, and that "we have to trust administration". The other committee citizen representative and School board candidate, Terry Shimek, openly laughed at Murray's questions and follow-up comments.
We believe Dr. Murray is correct to ask these types of questions. With a $65 million dollar budget, this school board needs a "trust but verify" approach to fiscal management. We are also appalled at Mr. Shimek's lack of respect for an other's opinion. With all the fiscal abuse and mismanagement in the news today, we need a school board who asks the tough questions. If spending is justified, why should administration be angry about questions? If citizen representatives are to be ridiculed for asking administration and the school board to provide documentation to substantiate spending, what is the purpose of even having a Finance Committee?
We also find Mr. Shimek's behavior to be in poor taste. Perhaps he just chose poor timing to laugh at some random internal amusing thought, but appearance is everything. We can agree to disagree, people, but laughing at a fellow board member is simply unacceptable behavior--particularly for someone who wishes to serve on the board and be a role model for our students. Later during the meeting of the full board, Mr. Shimek was also excitedly mouthing things to someone at the board table. It appeared that he was trying to communicate with Mary Ellen Havel-Lang, who is up for re-election. If Mr. Shimek wants to be considered seriously as a board candidate, this was not a good start.
Teachers picket School Board meeting.
Anyone driving past the City Municipal building before the start of the January 14 school board meeting was greeted by a huge gathering of Sun Prairie teachers picketing the school board over their lack of a new contract (which expired last summer). Sun Prairie Education Association (SPEA) president Brad Lutes spoke emotional words asking that the school board come back to the negotiation table. In a move to push negotiations forward, Mr. Lutes handed the school board a thick stack of teacher resignations from volunteer positions associated with clubs and extracurricular activities.
Following Mr. Lutes' comments, school board president David Stackhouse gave a brief verbal response highlighting a 2-page written public statement he passed out. The key issues involved are:
- SPEA wants a 5.23% salary increase; the school board has offered 3.72% (The consumer price index--CPI--is 3.03%, and under the QEO, districts must offer at least a 2.1% salary increase to avoid arbitration).
- SPEA wants a 5.20% total compensation package (salary + benefits) for 2007-08 and 5.4% increase for 2008-09; the school board has offered 4.00% for 2007-08 and 4.2% for 2008-09. (Under the QEO, districts must offer at least a 3.8% total compensation package increase increase to avoid arbitration).
- The district (i.e., taxpayers) pay 100% of health insurance for SPEA employees. SPEA wants to continue to pay nothing for insurance. The District proposes that SPEA members pay 2% of their health insurance premiums for those that choose to participate in a Health Risk Assessment program and 4% for those who do not.
- NOTE: In Dane county, school district employees pay an average of 5.24% of their health insurance premiums for a single person, and 6.99% of premiums for a family. State employees also pay 6-8% of the health insurance premiums, and the percentage has increased with each of the past 3 contract years.
What is the "QEO"?
The QEO, or "qualified economic offer" is difficult to explain in all its detail. However, in an article in the Wisconsin State Journal, the QEO is described as : "The QEO law, despised by unions, allows districts to avoid arbitration if they offer teachers an average salary increase of at least 2.1 percent and a benefits increase of at least 1.7 percent [for a total compensation package increase of 3.8%] . Critics say the law unfairly caps teacher salaries. Supporters say it is necessary to curtail property taxes."
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