BOARD OF FINANCE
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
40 OLD FARMS ROAD
WILLINGTON, CT 06279
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Members Present: Members Absent:
Ann Marie Brown, Chairman Robert Wiecenski
Alan Ference, Vice-Chair
Peter Latincsics, Secretary
Elizabeth Marco
Elizabeth Treiber
John Patton - Alternate
Annemarie Poole – Alternate
Also Present: Donna Latincsics, Business Manager; Tish Ignatowicz, Treasurer; Dave Harding, Superintendent
Chairman Ann Marie Brown called the meeting to order at 7:03 P.M.
SEATING OF ALTERNATES
Elizabeth Marco motioned to seat Annemarie Poole for Robert Wiecenski, Alan Ference seconded. All were in favor, motion carried.
PRESENT TO SPEAK.
Dave Harding asked to be added to the Agenda to speak about the Teacher Negotiations.
Alan Ference motioned to add this to the agenda, Elizabeth Marco seconded, all were in favor, motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of August 15, 2013 was made by Ann Marie Brown, Alan Ference seconded. Annemarie Poole abstained. All others were in favor, motion carried.
Board of Finance -2- October 17, 2013
NEW BUSINESS
BOE Teacher Negotiations
Superintendent Harding informed the Board of what took place with the Teacher Negotiations. They had a difficult time coming to agreement. The main change is with the health insurance offered by the Board of Education. They proposed to eliminate the POS and HMO plan and keep the High Deductible plan. He went on to explain what the state laws are for arbitration with the Teacher Negotiations. He read an excerpt from the Teacher Negotiation Act:
In such cases, the arbitration panel will generally consider the tentative agreement very seriously, will give significant weight to the history of negotiations, and will often issue an award which is the same as the tentative agreement reached earlier. The law favors approval of such contracts.
Keeping this in mind he explained that arbitration costs between $25,000 to $30,000 and the result is usually what was originally proposed. He then read the following:
The arbitrators must further consider the following criteria in light of such financial capability: (A) the negotiations between the parties prior to arbitration, including the offers and the range of discussion of the issues; (B) the interests and welfare of the employee group; (C) changes in the cost of living averaged over the preceding three years; (D) the existing conditions of employment of the employee group and those of similar groups; and (E) the salaries, fringe benefits, and other conditions of employment prevailing in the state labor market, including the terms of recent contract settlements or awards in
collective bargaining for other municipal employee organizations and developments in private sector wages and benefits.
He informed the Board that they were able to change the steps for wage increases to half steps. Discussion followed.
Superintendent Harding informed the Board that he is addressing the declining enrollment in the schools i.e. class sizes, bus routes, grade locations. Everything is on the table.
BOF WHAT TO EXPECT
Chairman Brown explained to the Board with this election most of the Board will be changing. The two alternates run, the vacancy and the two terms that are up.
OLD BUSINESS - none
CORRESPONDENCE - none
GOOD & WELFARE
Ann Marie Brown said that she enjoyed her time on the Board and thanked everyone for their work. She wished everyone well.
ADJOURMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra L. Lewis, BOF Recording Secretary
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