TOWN COUNCIL
TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
Action Minutes Page 1 December 28, 2005
TOWN COUNCIL – Regular Meeting
Council Chambers – South Windsor Town Hall
Members Present: Mayor Matthew Streeter
Deputy Mayor Thomas Delnicki
Councillor Edward Havens
Councillor Kevin McCann
Councillor Tim Moriarty
Councillor Cary Prague
Councillor Keith Yagaloff
Also Present: Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan
(No “Interim” Town Attorney present)
Members Absent: Councillor John Pelkey (Recused himself because of
Conflict of interest)
Councillor Fine
The Meeting was called to order by Mayor Streeter at7:30 p.m.
ITEM:
3. Pubic Participation
Mr. Larry Torff, 521 Quarry Brook Drive, came before Council to request that the Members not reject the Teachers’ Contract. It was his feelings that (1) because a “reasonable and prudent process” was followed in arriving at this contract; and (2) because South Windsor’s average teacher salaries are currently on par with all benchmarks”; and (3) the contracted increases are on par as well, South Windsor has “little it can financially gain from arbitration and risk of doing worse.
Next to speak was Tony Fornuto, 17 Gulley Drive, and a Member of South Windsor’s Board of Education, said he was one of the Members of the Board who had worked on these contract negotiations. Mr. Fornuto stressed that the Town Council cannot change the “team rules; and urged the Town Council not to reject the Contract.
Mrs. Daria Plummer, 235 Orchard Hill Drive, reminded the Town Council that they had attracted many people to life in this Town because of the “quality of our public services—including our schools.” She felt that the Teachers Contract was negotiated “fairly and honorably.”
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3. Pubic Participation (Continued)
Ms. Mary Palmer, 49 Palmer Drive, rose to state that she “had no problem with the teachers raise in salary.” Her concern was with the increase in cost of health benefits—namely, the high “co-pays” and high “prescriptions.” (Ms. Palmer continued by verbally conveying a message she had previously E-Mailed to the Town Council on November 30, 2005. Councillor Delnicki, further on in this meeting, read into the record this same letter—a copy of which is attached and made a part hereof.
4. Special Business
A. Resolution Rejecting the contract Agreement on Working Conditions between the South Windsor Board of Education and the South Windsor Education Association – July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2009
WHEREAS, the Contract Agreement on Working Conditions between the South Windsor Board of Education and the South Windsor Education Association (the “Contract Agreement”) was executed by the parties on December 1, 2005; and
WHEREAS, the Contract Agreement was filed with the Town Clerk on December 2, 2005; and
WHEREAS, section 10-153d(b) of the General Statutes of Connecticut provides that the terms of the Contract Agreement shall be binding on the legislative body of the local school district, unless such body rejects such Contract Agreement at a Regular or Special Meeting called and convened for such purpose within thirty days of the filing of the Contract Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the South Windsor Town Council, as the legislative body, is not in favor of allowing the Contract Agreement to become effective
(Resolution Continued on Next Page)
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4. A. (Continued)
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the South Windsor Town Council hereby REJECTS the Contract Agreement on Working Conditions between South Windsor Board of Education and South Windsor Education Association—July 1, 2006–June 30, 2009
Was made by: Councillor Delnicki
Seconded by: Councillor Yagaloff
Before a vote was taken, there were comments from Councillor Yagaloff, Mayor Streeter, Councilllor McCann, Councillor Prague, Councillor Moriarty, and Deputy Mayor Delnicki.
Board Chairperson Janice Snyder addressed her remarks to those questions, as near as possible; and conceded that the information requested by Council prior to the filing of the Teachers’ Contract with the Town Clerk should have been provided. She also noted, that if the Council’s “liaison” had been present at all or any of the negotiation meetings—that person could have returned to Council with the answers to some of those questions.
Concluding the discussion prior to the vote was Mayor Streeter who emphasized that the Town Council was not “anti-teacher;” nor was it “anti-education;” and, informed those present that three years ago when Council had pointed out that, because of the economy, “very few businesses in the community, statewide, or nationwide were receiving any increases at all. He added, that he was assured at that time that the next contract “would better reflect the economy;” and, he added, it does not.
Mayor Streeter added that “teachers are well compensated;” and pointed out that, “in Connecticut, we have the highest paid teachers in the Nation; and, in South Windsor, we have (historically) been ahead of the curve—paying our teachers better than 80% of Hartford County’s communities.” He said that, unlike industry where there are “merit-
based increases every 18 to 36 months,” teachers (in this contract) at large average
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4. A. (Continued)
4.8% increases every year—and, there are no “merit system;” no incentive to improve, etc. The burden, he noted, is on the taxpayers of this community; and, he said, “they have told us to stop this cycle and the crazy runaway spending.” He concluded his remarks by urging that the Town ‘move forward from here;” however, he added, with the understanding that “we are not going to appropriate unlimited funds to either the Board of Education or the Town’s Operating Budget.
Mayor Streeter then called for a vote on the Resolution. It was approved 5 Ayes to 2 Nays, on a Roll Call vote, as follows:
Deputy Mayor Delnicki Yes
Councillor McCann Yes
Councillor Havens Nay
Councillor Moriarty Yes
Councilor Prague Yes
Councillor Yagaloff Nay
Mayor Streeter Yes
(Councillors Fine and Pelkey were not present at this meeting.)
5. Executive Session - None
6. Motion to Adjourn
A Motion to adjourn was made by Deputy Mayor Delnicki at 8:50 p.m., was seconded by Councillor Moriarty; and was approved, unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia R. Brown
Clerk of the Council
Attmts.: (Letter from M&M Harper; (and)
Note from Councillor Pelkey Recusing himself from Special Meeting)
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