Perry BOE approves agreements with bus drivers, support staff unions
Perry Local Board of Education
Thursday meeting
KEY ACTION Approved contracts with two of the district's three unions. The board also approved changes to administrative contracts.
DISCUSSION Superintendent Scott Beatty said it is unusual to have all of the district's union contracts negotiated in the same time period, but that was the case.
The board unanimously approved two-year pacts with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees, which represents around 50 district bus drivers, and the Perry Association of Support Staff, which covers around 250 secretaries, food service workers, custodians, aides, librarians and crossing guards.
Beatty said district staff has worked hard, especially with the challenges in the past few years brought on by the pandemic. Those members deserve fair compensation, but the district is facing a financial crunch, he added.
About 80% of the district's budget is for personnel salaries and benefits, he said.
"They understand we are entering hard financial times," Beatty said of the union members.
In the first year of the PASS contract, members will receive a 2% increase and nothing in the second year.
Treasurer Jeff Bartholomew said adjustments were made to salaries for several job classifications, including special education aides, food service workers, and monitors and crossing guards, to make the positions more competitive.
"We tried to target areas with lower pay in order to make it competitive," he explained. "Crossing guards don't want to stand outside in the rain and 5-degree weather in the dead of winter for a low wage. We wanted to make it more appealing. So they got just a little more than the 2% (increase)."
Bus drivers covered by the OAPSE agreement received a 50-cent-per-hour pay raise in the first year of the contract. Two additional steps were added and no increase will be given in the final year of the agreement.
The drivers will also earn their regular hourly pay rate for seasonal and extra trips.
A clause was added to both union agreements to reimburse employees if their personal property is damaged by students in their care.
The board previously approved a contract with its teachers' union, giving educators a 2% salary increase in the first year of the three-year pact.
The board also approved increases in administrative and central office salaries.
Bartholomew said administrators typically receive the same increase as the teachers' union while the central office employees receive the same as the PASS unit members. Both groups received a 2% raise.
In other business:
Approved the resignation of several staff members, including Kathryn Parnacott as elementary special education department chair; Cartrina Seeden-Burwell, high school associate principal; Janelle Rodocker, elementary curriculum coordinator; as well as several teachers. Beatty said the district is struggling to find candidates to fill positions, especially higher-level jobs. Perry is not alone, he said, noting that others have voiced concerns.
Appointed Joseph Hug-Cosgrove as curriculum director and Nathan Jenkins as high school associate principal. Hug-Cosgrove had previously served as curricula and gifted coordinator and Jenkins was high school assistant principal.
UP NEXT: Meets at 9 a.m. July 21 in Edison Middle School library, 4201 13th St. SW.
AMY KNAPP
This article originally appeared on The Independent: Perry BOE inks two-year pacts with bus drivers, support staff
